Allie B.

Bean
~Philosophy of Education~

Lifelong Learning As an educator of children, I make an intentional choice to

embrace the responsibility of lifelong learning. I am accountable for pursuing our
ever-evolving understanding of how children learn and how I can best facilitate their
learning. Inspiring lifelong learning in my students by means of compassion,
immersion, and reconciliation is the key to facilitation. This is my goal, and I have
every obligation to pursue these means to my end with intentionality.

Compassion Students, and teachers, feel safe to take risks and to embrace
challenges when they feel part of a team. Fostering a sense of connection to my
students, and between them, is one of the first steps I can take toward facilitating
learning. I engage students, not only in casual conversation, but also by scaffolding
group discussions to create group debate about and support for individual
experiences. I know Im on the right track when I earn participation, and observe
improved engagement, from every student in my group. Compassion is also evident
through fun with laughter and humor and I gain more respect from and
connection to my students when I take the time to enjoy them.

Immersion Learning is most powerful when it occurs through immersion in

meaningful experiences. It is my role as a teacher to keep my students engaged by
making the material relevant to them. By exposing my students to real-world
problems and using those to create connections across lessons and concepts, I can
strengthen my students skills in many areas. Students develop unique interests
and motivations as they mature, and they learn best when these interests are met.
Through immersion in relevant experiences and realistic challenges, students
unique interests will be engaged.

Reconciliation People learn the most when they must struggle to reconcile new
ideas and experiences with their existing worldviews. Challenge is one of my goals
with education, and is the last I expect to come to fruition. Once Ive established
respectful and intentional relationships, created meaningful and connected content,
and accepted my students unique perspectives, only then can I challenge them to
remake their concepts of their world. Reconciliation is hard, but it is the most

important piece of learning. To understand that the workings of the world are
different than the structures one has based their life around is to be uncomfortable,
and discomfort is not something to be taken lightly. Relationships must be
established first.