Philosophy of Education
A philosophy, one's truth, is inextricably tied to a way of life. When connected to education, the process of acquiring knowledge, for me, becomes a sustaining force. Just so, Dewey said that education is not preparation for life, it is life itself.
From the school leader's perspective, my goal has been for the teachers I work with to see themselves as leaders. I want teachers to translate what they see and feel and observe in the classroom into language that creates dialogue and moves learning forward. Teachers gift students with knowledge and give them language to create ideas. Not just any language, but a language that transforms, and pulls from their students something more than they thought possible. Once a student believes he or she has something valuable to say, the experience translates itself in to other areas, both in and beyond the classroom setting. The influence is unending.
Thus came my move out of the classroom and into the school leader's role. I have always yearned to collaborate. My best teaching happened because of learning from teachers, professors, colleagues, and my students. I wanted to be a voice in the larger conversation of what it is that makes the educational journey of a child have substance and meaning; What it is that transforms learning for them, like the words on the pages from my students, into something authentic and meaningful, changing them for the better. This requires constant planning, examining, experimenting, looking at experiences and reflecting on how to move forward, engaging teachers and students as active learners and knowledge seekers.
Research shows us that a critical leadership quality related to the field of education is the ability to build relationships. Building relationships is what is essential to a school environment that embraces collaboration, reflection, communication, and professional learning communities. The key to a strong and vibrant school is for teachers, students, parents, and board members to participate in a school's culture in ways that promote learning environments in which all members of the school community feel cared for and respected. The successful school is one which is headed by a leader with strong vision, empathy and compassion.
Small learning environments allow for teachers to be prescriptive when approaching the learning of each individual student. Dufour's three questions are key: How do we want each student to learn? How will we know when a student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? Using data and benchmarks is a vital component of student achievement. Knowing individual strengths and gap areas necessary to shore up allows for children to feel supported by their teachers, and to experience their own sense of forward development. Instilling Dweck's Growth Mindset is what allows for children to become resilient, persistent and ultimately, successful. Watching for growth over time, with a natural ebb and flow in the learning is essential; building a culture of learning with freedom and responsibility within a framework creates a sort of alchemy, one of student inquiry, discovery, performance and positive results. Further, embedding technology in the curriculum in a balanced, supportive and integrated manner is an important aspect for preparing children to live in work in the 21st century; Important, too, is that technology use makes sense, sustaining optimal learning, along with ample time to participate in hands on project-based experiences, play and the natural world. In short, the goal of education is that it should foster positive childhood development.
The largest part of education must be thoughtful, reflective and collaborative. School leaders, along with the teachers they engage with, must resolve what needs doing and do it! Creating environments of professionalism and learning is the foundation for continuous improvement, and it is what ultimately advances teaching, learning and the well-being of children.