My Educational Philosophy
My educational philosophy has been developing for many years as I have taken my own experiences – as a student, a mother, a coach, an Educational assistant, and an uncertified teacher – to create a philosophy that I can stand beside.
Be Passionate about Children
I love children! I genuinely enjoy being with them, which is why I have volunteered for many years as a coach and am pursuing my degree in education. I want to be where they are and help them achieve their goals but, more than that, I want them to know that I sincerely care about them. I am always sad to see when basketball season comes to an end, and my young athletes move on to a new team or adventure, but I always leave them with the same parting thought, “I am always on your team. No matter what. On the court or off. During basketball season or not. Whether you play for another coach or for me. I am always on your team.” I say this while looking into their eyes, and I mean it with every fibre I have in me. I am passionate about young people, and it is crucial to me that they know that. How can I get that message across in a classroom? Simple, I put in the effort. I meet them where they are and how they are; I chaperone at school dances; I sit in the second row of their play; I play kick ball with them at lunch; I tell them I care about them, and I accept them for who they are each and every day. I express my high expectations for them and help them set personal goals. Then, I go to work and help make their goals happen. “Every kid needs a champion,” Rita Pierson passionately expressed in her TED Talk (2013), and I want to be their champion. French and Raven have coined this type of authority as referent authority (1960). My experience tells me that as I go the extra mile with my students, they will go the extra mile for me. We are a team. When one person excels, we all excel. Each of us is needed, and each of us has a part to play in our class. Certainly, this style of teaching won’t work for everyone, but I am confident that it will work for most.
Be Passionate about Teaching
Just as I am passionate about children, I am passionate about teaching. I feel an enormous responsibility to do my part to prepare the rising generation to meet the needs of the future. Teaching can not be a casual effort. I need to be thoroughly prepared for each class by using motivational techniques, giving clear explanations, and using a variety of teaching strategies. I need to know and understand the content, and I need to teach it so that it is meaningful to children. Granted, this will take a lot of time and energy, but this is the profession I chose. I owe it to the children to give my best effort and as I give my best effort, they in turn will, hopefully, give their best effort. I would love it if every student walked into my classroom overflowing with a deep desire to learn, but that may be a touch unrealistic. I do, however, hope that my energy and passion will spill over onto my students, thus increasing their engagement and desire to participate and learn.
Let Them Be Little
This past spring, two twin girls in my sons class unexpectedly passed away. As the funeral approached, an invitation for children to attend the funeral was sent throughout the community. As I walked into the Community Center with my young family, I worried that the noise of the children might upset the family. To my amazement, the father, who lost his wife and only two children, thanked the young people for coming. He expressed how they are a gift to this world. Their ability to laugh, smile, and hug freely was a balm to his soul. I don’t want to change the children in my class; I don’t want them to become silent little robots. I want them keep giggling and wiggling. I want them to question things and be curious. I want them to run out the door after school to greet their families. As I implement rules, procedures, and classroom management techniques, I do not want to forget that these children have little bodies and big hearts, and they have so much goodness to offer just as they are. My responsibility as a teacher isn’t to take things from them but, rather, it’s to add to them – give them more tools, more knowledge, more skills.
Walk with Them
You know the old country song by Jo Dee Messina that says, “I want a man to stand beside me, not in front of or behind me…”? I believe this can be applied to educators as well. Children need a teacher who will walk with them as they learn to navigate the world. Dr. Carrington says, “There’s no such thing as a bad kid… [They] will do well if they can” (2019). I couldn’t agree with this statement more. I firmly believe that students are responsible for their own behavior as outlined in the Person-Centered Classroom Management theory (Doyle, 2009), but I need to give them the strategies they need to be successful. Children cannot give that which they don’t have (Carrington, 2019). I can not force anybody to behave a certain way, but I can give them tools and model what is expected. The other aspect I want to remember is that behind every behavior is an emotion (Hepburn, 2023). As I help students understand their emotions and learn regulation strategies, they will become better able to manage themselves. Again, I want to walk with them along their journey. I refuse to walk ahead of them clearing the path or behind them watching them stumble. I want to hold their hand, offer advice, and help them develop the skills they need to eventually let go of my hand and run down the path of life.
Be on THEIR Team
I love children, and I love teaching. I want every child and family that enters my classroom to know that there is a place for them. I want to create an environment where every person feels cared for and respected. I want to teach students to be critical thinkers and to follow their passions. I want to take them outside and apply what they learn in the “real world.” I want them to believe in themselves and be persistent. I want them to know that learning can be fun but, mostly, I just want them to know that Mrs. Yuill is on their team – now and always.