My role as an educator is to promote learning and to foster a love of knowledge that

endures over a lifetime. I believe learning is cyclical and I enjoy embarking on the learning
journey with others, especially my students. I find joy in experiencing moments of discovery,
puzzlement, and understandings with my students and those whom I collaborate with often.
Currently I act as both an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Coordinator and as a
Theory of Knowledge teacher.
In these roles I endeavor to facilitate meaningful investigations, a passion for learning,
and critical thinking. Investigations include examining student data and evaluating myself, and
my teaching practices at regular intervals. I believe that teaching and learning are interwoven
and that authenticity is a key element in both my teaching and in my overall practice as an
educator. Keeping an open mind and considering perspectives while maintaining my core values
of practicing patience, kindness, mutual respect, and equity are important aspects of who I strive
to be as an authentic internationally minded educator.
I believe that all students have the ability to learn and that students learn effectively in
safe, active, and equitable environments where expression and inquiry are valued and welcomed
in a multitude of forms. As a teacher I seek to listen carefully to the needs of my students and set
high expectations for my students where a push toward creativity and innovation are consistently
encouraged. For me, finding opportunities to ignite the creative and imaginative spark that lead
to deeper understandings in my students is critical. I work closely with my students and act as an
advisor on many student led projects and activities. Students know that my door is open and
they often come to me for advice on many of their projects. I have assisted students in
organizing fundraising efforts, student run events, heritage day performances, book drives, toy

drives, personal projects, interdisciplinary field trips and team building activities during and after
school hours. By having students take their ideas further I encourage students to meet their
personal and academic goals and to participate in service learning projects that require them to
utilize reflection.
In my classrooms I provide guidance to students in the development of research essays,
philosophical essays that question, what we know and how do we know, and
interdisciplinary presentations that investigate the complex nature of knowledge. Students are
required to, think outside of the box and formative and summative assessments are assigned to
students over the course of the class and a variety of recorded marks throughout each semester
assist me in gathering data and providing targeted feedback for my students. Students have
shared with me that they find personalized feedback helpful and the feedback loop keeps a
dialogue centered on teaching and learning running between us as we undertake the learning
journey together.
My teaching beliefs value and encourage independence, integrity, and cooperation. I
work to develop engaging lessons that are relevant to the students and I try to find and
incorporate informative offerings to students that are relatable to them so that what they are
learning connects with their interests. Students are encouraged to incorporate content knowledge
with a practical application to the real world. My teaching philosophy is also composed of
elements such as: an appreciation of students and their unearthed potential, the embracing of
cultural and linguistic differences, the development of engaging and relatable real world lessons
that provoke curiosity and stimulate an awareness of global issues, and the art of ongoing
reflection.

Holding an appreciation for students and a love of teaching and helping others serves to
center my practices in the classroom which are focused on the needs of the students. I believe
that education has the power to unlock the potential that exists in each and every student.
Listening to students is just as important as teaching the students. The Zone of Proximal
Development (ZPD) theorized by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky poses that student
learning should include scaffolding with the aim of creating cooperative social environments for
teaching and learning (Language Teaching Research, 2007). Many educators have argued
Vygotskys theory, however the fact that students differ developmentally and therefore require
differing levels and types of instruction and zones of proximity, support my aims to value
students similarities and differences and teach them accordingly.
The art of critical reflection assists with looking for alternatives, review of materials and
resources used for teaching, and teaching methods can be evaluated systematically. Instruction is
beneficial to students and teachers when reflection plays a prominent role. Brookfield (1995)
points out, Teachers who have learned the reflective habit know something about the effects
they are having on students. They are alert to the presence of power in their classrooms and to
its potential for misuse. Knowing that their actions can silence or activate students voices, they
listen seriously and attentively to what students say. Taking advice from Brookfield, being a
reflective educator is beneficial to both teachers and students. I believe that students thrive in
mutually respectful environments where they are aware that their voices are heard and where
teachers are able to shift between facilitating, guiding student inquiry and student interactions,
and providing direct instruction. I have had experiences as a teacher where I share with students
that I remember their comments or I state that their contributions are meaningful during

instruction. This practice of reflective habit aids in establishing a healthy and cooperative
classroom dynamic.
According to the ideas of Shon (1983), reflective practice is a dialogue of thinking and
doing through which I become more skillful. I agree with this view and I aim to grow with my
students and strive to continue to think while doing with others in order to learn and become
more skillful as an educator. Shon (1983) also poses the idea that reflection often begins when
routine responses produce a surprise. It is those very surprises that often take students toward
discovery and new understandings that help them to conceptualize knowledge in new ways.
During the teaching of units I ask each and every student to step away from their initial reactions
and assumptions by asking them to consider and inquire into both sides of any argument. The
ebb and flow of the evaluation of course content and information lends to rich discussions in
classes and lessons that constantly evolve.
According to the sayings of Confucius, By three methods we may learn wisdom: First,
by reflection, which is the noblest: Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by
experience, which is the bitterest. Providing a variety of experiences through a challenging mix
of resources and texts in my classes where students must question, actively discuss, and solve
problems independently through journal writing or collaboratively during Socratic seminars or
small group presentations give students experiences that are sometimes bitter and sometimes
sweet. My goal is to foster an environment of learning, and push students to think deeper. High
expectations coupled with close involvement and support assist students in sharing what they
know and aid students in expressing what they do not know and what they would like to know
more about in a variety of ways. In moments where the classroom is noisy and students erupt

into various discussions and debates I often say, the learning is happening! My students are
used to me cheering them on, and they appreciate that they have time to question one another
during class time. My students are made aware that their voices and opinions are valuable.
Systematic reflection enables one to looking past personal biases. Being willing to
question the lesson and the effectiveness of teaching is an important factor in bringing out the
best in students. Taggarts (2005) Reflective Thinking Pyramid reminds me of the levels of
reflection needed to move past technical and contextual reflection, and more toward the
dialectical level of reflection that causes one to act. The dialectical level of reflection is an
important element of effective teacher practice. For example, at one point in teaching my course
numerous students mentioned that the previous course text was not that useful and this feedback
from students initiated my review of the course text for the teaching of the curriculum. I
organized a meeting with a small committee of teachers across subject areas and decided to
evaluate the texts being used. This investigation led to discussions, some disagreements, and
eventually reflections that led to the purchase of new updated texts and supplemental materials
for the course. I learned how systematic checking and examination of materials was just as
important as evaluating my own teaching during instructional time. Critical reflection aids in a
teacher being close with the students by making sure their needs are met and by being and aware
of the concerns of the students. I also value that systematic critical reflection gives me the ability
to inquire deeper and to review areas of strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement.
At my core I believe that being authentic while being firm and fair toward students is key.
Understanding that each and every student is different and that students come with their own
cultural values, linguistic differences, and attitudes toward education is important to keep in

mind. I believe that every student has potential and education is a tool for getting beyond the
surface to unearth that very potential. I have a deep respect for those in the field of education
and I believe that reflection is a way to continually grow in the practice of teaching and learning.
I hope to continue to increase in my passion for teaching and learning and utilize critical
reflection and systematic inquiry to cultivate a love of knowledge in myself and in others for a
lifetime.

References
Brookfield, S. (1995). What it means to be a critically reflective teacher. Becoming a critically
reflective teacher (pp.1-70). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Schon, D. (1983). Professional knowledge and reflection-in-action. The Reflective Practitioner
(pp.30-69). New York, NY: Basic Books Inc.
Taggart, G. (2005). Promoting Reflective Thinking in Teachers: 50 Action Strategies (pp.36-39).
Corwin Press.
The ZPD and whole class teaching; Teacher-led and student-led international mediation of tasks.
Language Teaching Research (2007) 11 (3): 281-299.