Five Core Convictions

Every student must have an equal opportunity to free, fair, equitable, and rigorous education. As educators we must strive to provide students with the best education we possibly can as teachers, community members, administration and policy makers. In order to provide equitable education all learners must be taken into consideration when designing curriculum, lessons, courses and school structure.

We hold these truths to be overt, that all students should receive an equal amount of education, that all students deserve to learn, that every student . To secure the right to learn equally, teachers should

Our students come from different backgrounds, race, language, and culture. Let us not deny any child of a quality education, an education that can change their lives.

As a student of education, I have been able to gather many ideas and opinions about practices and ideals I want to implement in my future classroom. My philosophies about education are still being formed and continually change with every class I visit and with every educator I encounter. My ideas, admittedly, come from random experiences and intangible texts, but as I gain more experience in the field through my courses, my philosophies about teaching will become more clearly defined. These few ideas I have now will undoubtedly be added upon as I enter student teaching and my professional career, nevertheless, they are concepts of which I hope to never lose sight.

I believe that a quality education should be a right not a privilege, and when I see students that are at a disadvantage I feel the need to take action. Education is the key to success, and I have always connected my

I believe that with motivation and guidance, children of all backgrounds can harbor success in the educational world and receive the skills they need to have a successful and prosperous life. It is a teacher’s duty to encourage lifelong learning, consider individual learning styles and aptitudes, and self-reflect on how to improve. My experiences as an engineer, a person of color, a pre-service teacher, and a STEM advocate have culminated together to form my educational values and philosophy.

Markedly, there is a huge difference between a want and a need; therefore, teachers the distinctive concept of equality and fairness is not synonymous. For instance, if a student needs to put on glasses when in class to see the board clearly, equality would suggest that all student in the classroom are given glasses, on the other hand, fairness would be to ensure that the child is in a position to where his or her glasses. In essence, teachers must foster and create an opening and nurturing classroom environment for their students in order for them to successfully distinguish the teacher’s definition of fairness and the child’s definition of fairness. Arguably, this is one of the biggest challenges faced by teachers in ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for children who are culturally diverse. In conclusion, a teacher cannot effectively teach students to his or her fullest potential without having a fundamental understanding of a child’s disability or ethnic and cultural background. Therefore, it should be every teacher’s goal for all students in his or her class to exceed

When becoming an effective intentional educator, it is very imperative that one sustains a positive educational philosophy. By withholding a great educational philosophy all educators will be able to overcome any and every conflicting issue that may arouse. Jessica SeMink-Cartgew and Penny A. Bishop asserts in their article “Passion is not enough: Preparing middle level preserve teachers to be advocates for change”, anticipating concerns and methods for ensuring that teachers are able to succeed successfully beyond their passion in education.

When taking into consideration the learners weaknesses and strengths, a teacher must remember to ensure equality of opportunity, and they are in a position of doing that by “providing a learning environment that positively involves all your learners, and it is free from favouritism and discrimination […]”(Ann Gravells and Susan Simpson, 2009, p 40).

Children and families may suffer if their identity, culture and language are ignored. In a classroom if the black are ignored and the white are respected then this results in clashes among the black society and white society. So the teacher must maintain equality among all the students in the class and give them the opportunity to reflect in the society.

For me, teaching provides the opportunity to share my passion for education with my students. It has been said that teachers should not be allowed to develop relationships with their students, because it interferes with their learning. However, I believe it is the relationship between the teacher and the students that sets the groundwork for their learning. When students feel as though they have a purpose for being in the classroom, and that they have a teacher who cares for their well-being, it gives them the confidence and motivation they need to continue with their education.

several precepts for teachers by which they must guide their focus. By caring, Noddings writes, a teacher is pursuing, “an education for whole persons,” which, “must address social, emotional, and ethical issues, as well as academic.” (238, Educating Whole People) When teachers present several different viewpoints on controversial issues, teachers do not teach students to be relativistic. Rather, by empowering students to explore and navigate through the issues which are most important to them, teachers will inherently be showing students the importance

All Students, Regardless of Social Status, Race, Gender, or Minority, Have Equal Opportunity to Pursue a High Quality Education

Educators should critically examine their own values, beliefs, and attitudes related to difference in diversity because we as individuals all have different experiences, beliefs, values and attitudes that can be quite diverse. Staying mindful of this difference is essential in professional practice. For this to really be effective, you need to critically reflect on how your own life events have shaped your beliefs, values and attitudes. Educators must put all assumptions and bias’s aside and keep an open mind when dealing with these differences. For example, by reflecting on your background, you can become aware of biases and prejudices that may impact on your relationship with others from different backgrounds. Once identified, you can then

I have only had one experience in life that made be question the meaning of life. When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease I was handed a list of things that I would never be allowed to do again. This experience precipitated a great amount of doubt about the meaning of my life. I was very upset and became depressed every time I would think about the activities that I was not allowed to participate in. I decided I should have a meeting with my pastor to discuss my circumstances. He truly helped me to look at my illness with a new perspective. He explained to me how God had a purpose for my pain and He would use it for his glory. I became very determined to not let my illness stop me from fulfilling my dreams. Today, I can see how God