What do I believe in as an educator?
Below is the first draft of my Credo, which I am sure, will change over the course of my career..but this is the point! Change and evolvement comes from deep reflection and reflexivity, and I think that this is my biggest takeaway. I believe that to teach is to learn and learning is lifelong. I will never stop researching, learning, and growing.
As much as this credo is my philosophy on teaching children, it also aligns with my philosophy on my own learning, most importantly, the idea of “the power of yet”.
My portfolio reflects the needs to adapt and change, it reflects the importance of building connection and relationships with students and colleagues, it reflects that teaching must come from the heart, it reflects the value in knowing ourselves so that we can better understand our students and it reflects that everyone has their own story.
Diversity comes in the form of family structure, culture, religion, race, appearance, learning styles, learning differences, physical differences, trauma, sexual orientation and gender identity…the list goes on. Throughout my career, thus far, I have taught children who fit into each of these categories and I have learned that it is through understanding my own diversity, needs, desires, and past I am better able to understand the diverse needs of my students.
We are all here to learn.