Making Connections
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Building Connections with Students
Building meaningful and lasting relationships with students has become the cornerstone of my teaching philosophy. I very intentionally work to build lasting connections with my students in order to best support them academically and also to instill important values in them that will help them be successful in their lives. The most important values I focus on are empathy, respect, community, and integrity. With this focus, I have had many of my students receive special awards and accolades during their time with me.
Some methods I use to connect with my students:
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Collecting writing journals every Friday to respond to their entries, add notes, draw pictures, and help them edit.
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Supporting them in their passions by attending sports games, dance recitals, art galleries, etc.
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Creating opportunities to have lunch with them 1-on-1 or in small groups so we can eat together and talk.
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Designing lessons that celebrate their cultures, families, passions, and life experiences.
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Using restorative practices for needed discipline and having morning meetings.
Collaborating Successfully With Colleagues
As a teacher in multiple leadership positions, it is my responsibility to collaborate and communicate with multiple departments in my school, which I always deeply enjoy. I have been the general education teacher in the inclusion classroom for the past three years and have worked alongside special education teachers, English as a second language teachers, and instructional assistants to create optimal learning opportunities for our students.
As the school's science lead teacher, I also work cooperatively with other teachers from across the district to implement science curricula and develop pacing for units, as well as engaging materials. I believe in maximizing student success through cross-curricular activities, and so also work closely with the art department, technology teachers, librarian, and music department at my school. I have always been inspired by my coworkers, and find myself to be a better teacher the more I collaborate with them.
Communicating Effectively with Parents
Parents are our partners in their child's learning, and it is critical to keep in consistent contact on their child's progress, strengths and weaknesses, and community involvement opportunities. I always make sure to give timely and specific feedback on assignments to students and their parents and send samples of graded work home. I use different apps that allow parents to monitor their child's behavior at school, as well as see different activities we are doing in the classroom. Since a school is an integral part of the community, it is our responsibility as educators to incorporate parents in their child's learning.
