Growth and Mastery, a Foundation for Learning
The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.
- Carl Rogers
My education philosophy is that personal growth, as well as mastery of life skills, is more important than simply memorizing to “make the grade”. The journey to knowledge is learning, and I am the guide. Having a growth mindset means understanding challenging or hard work is sometimes where we learn the most – and it is important to keep trying. No student is born “dumb” or “smart” – some may enjoy certain topics better than others, but all people have the ability to work hard and become “smart” in any area. Just like an Olympic athlete gets to the top of his or her game by practice, so too does a good student (and teacher).
Students (and teachers and parents) of all ages benefit from learning how to learn. This is metacognition - thinking about how we think and learn. Using metacognitive approaches and scaffolding new ideas is the foundation for my personal pedagogy (the way I teach and design curriculum). I want any learner who comes to me to feel challenged, yet find success in reaching understanding. Beginning with practices rooted in how the brain forms connections allows me to design curriculum meeting the individual needs for a variety of learners, while still maintaining high standards. Some students might need a little more encouragement and direct help, but others will soar without me and require extra challenges - and this is all welcome within my classroom. Curiosity and an open mind are the only prerequisites for the greatest learning through guided self-discovery.
- Carl Rogers
My education philosophy is that personal growth, as well as mastery of life skills, is more important than simply memorizing to “make the grade”. The journey to knowledge is learning, and I am the guide. Having a growth mindset means understanding challenging or hard work is sometimes where we learn the most – and it is important to keep trying. No student is born “dumb” or “smart” – some may enjoy certain topics better than others, but all people have the ability to work hard and become “smart” in any area. Just like an Olympic athlete gets to the top of his or her game by practice, so too does a good student (and teacher).
Students (and teachers and parents) of all ages benefit from learning how to learn. This is metacognition - thinking about how we think and learn. Using metacognitive approaches and scaffolding new ideas is the foundation for my personal pedagogy (the way I teach and design curriculum). I want any learner who comes to me to feel challenged, yet find success in reaching understanding. Beginning with practices rooted in how the brain forms connections allows me to design curriculum meeting the individual needs for a variety of learners, while still maintaining high standards. Some students might need a little more encouragement and direct help, but others will soar without me and require extra challenges - and this is all welcome within my classroom. Curiosity and an open mind are the only prerequisites for the greatest learning through guided self-discovery.