Philosophy of Education

I graduated from high school in 2013, and then went to Brigham Young
University in Utah on a full-ride scholarship, majoring in mathematics. However, in my
second year there, I took a particularly difficult math class, and began doing homework
and studying with a fellow classmate, who struggled to understand the material and pass
the weekly quizzes. One week, after a quiz which I had helped him study for, he turned
around in class and gave me a triumphant smile and thumbs up, and I realized that
helping him succeed was so much more satisfying than succeeding myself. Because of
that experience, I decided to change my path from mathematics to secondary education,
and plan to spend my career helping others understand and enjoy math as I do. After
making the decision to change majors, I got married and moved with my husband to
Phoenix for his job, and transferred to Arizona State University to finish my education. I
will graduate from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and the iTeachAZ program at
the end of 2017.

My teaching style is founded upon respectrespect for others, for learning, and
also for rules. To encourage responsibility and accountability, I will involve my students
in the classroom rule-making process. After we establish the environment and
procedures in class, I will expect my students to respect that and hold themselves to the
standard that we set. In return, I will treat each student with respect, regardless of
background, gender, or other circumstance. That includes respecting and even
celebrating diversity and the diverse populations that my students will represent. In
addition, that means I will make a point to develop a relationship with each student and
meet each individuals needs, by taking time to talk to my students and listen to their
concerns.

As a teacher, I believe in challenging my students and developing student

responsibility. In my educational experience, the best classes and most successful
teachers are the ones that encourage students to rise to a challenge, help them meet that
challenge, and by so doing increase the students belief in themselves and their ability to
accomplish difficult tasks. I plan to treat each student, regardless of background, gender,
or other circumstance, as someone capable of accomplishing what they put their mind to,
and will dedicate my career to helping them succeed. As part of that philosophy,
however, I believe students must be allowed to make mistakes, take responsibility, and
learn from them. If students cannot be held accountable for their failures, they also
cannot be held accountable for their victories. Having said that, I will give my students
every tool necessary to succeed and help them develop the skills that will allow them to
rise to whatever challenge they face, both inside and outside the classroom.