“Education is not the filling of the bucket, but the lighting of the fire.”
In my classroom, every student will be successful. In order to promote individual success amongst my students, I will use differentiated instruction. Through differentiated instruction, I will create and provide ample opportunities to ensure my students find success. I understand students learn best when they are able to formulate and explore their own questions. Because of this understanding, I will focus on student-lead learning.
To ensure students feel safe to lead their learning in my classroom, I emphasize the importance of relationships with my students. Having individual relationships with my students will allow me to understand their individual needs and wants. Building strong relationships with students also relies on teacher transparency. I know for students to value my relationship I must also be honest with the students. Building strong, transparent relationships correlates with building a safe classroom where students will be comfortable learning and sharing their voices. We will all learn best together if we all respect each other and work together.
In my classroom, inclusion is important as we all learn together. It is important my students and I leave no person behind; we open our door to help and inspire each other. I look forward to encouraging inclusion and watching friendships flourish amongst our unique selves.
As an educator, it is important to provide essential tools for my students to engage with materials and explore issues independently. It is important, as the teacher, to not simply fill the students’ minds but spark their interest to learn more. To effectively learn, students must understand how to critically engage. In the classroom, we are creating citizens of our society, and it is important our students value the importance of being participatory, social oriented citizens.
I value the importance of integrating Treaty Education in all subject areas. It is important students are taught the truths of our history; it is also important students understand there are two ways of knowing. I understand providing this foundation of education leads our students towards reconciliation. To effectively accomplish this education, I value the presence of Elders in our school system and I will ensure my students are provided the opportunity to learn values, lessons, and worldviews from the Elder in our school.
In today’s world, we largely rely on technology. I understand the importance of incorporating technology into my classroom. With the use of technology in the classroom comes the importance of teaching students about digital citizenship. It is important students learn and understand the implications of their actions online; it is also important students learn and understand effective, balanced use of technology in the classroom and personal life.
As a teacher, I understand the importance of the process and the need for growth and change. Because I value these principles, I understand my philosophy is fluid and constantly changing. I am always reflecting, evaluating, and learning as a teacher and, because of this, my philosophy will always change as I learn, change, and push myself to always improve.
Jasmine Korpan 