My Philosophy
"Too often we think the work of fighting oppression is just intellectual. The real work is personal, emotional, spiritual, and communal."
— Bettina L. Love
The bell has barely stopped ringing, and already my room is alive - not with the sound of me teaching, but with student rapport: checking in on each other, sharing epiphanies from yesterday’s debate, or sparking up a fun conversation (or well-needed rant about their day) with me. My color-coded fairy lights glow softly in the corners. Ambient music or sounds play low in the background. The day’s agenda is waiting on the screen, and the space - warm and cluttered just enough to feel lived in - feels more like a community hub than a classroom. That moment - when students walk in and take ownership of the space - is when I know I’m doing something right.
At the heart of my teaching philosophy is a belief that education is relational, reflective, and human. I entered this field not just to teach content, but in fact to help raise good humans. I want students to leave my classroom more empathetic, more curious, and more equipped to engage critically with the world than when they walked in. For me, that mission is inseparable from the daily work of building trust and showing students that they matter. As such, my philosophy anchors itself in four tenets: relationship building, reflection, citizenship, and collaboration.
Tenet #1: Relationships are where the work begins. I invest in students as people before expecting them to invest in me as a teacher. I ask questions, show up to their games and performances, and share parts of myself with them too. I want them to feel seen, supported, and safe enough to take risks, because as Vygotsky reminds us, learning happens best in the space just beyond comfort, but only when students are emotionally secure. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory also highlight the power of modeling and social reinforcement, both of which rely on trust - that trust shows up in
how I respond to student thinking. In my classroom, there is no “no, that’s wrong.” There is only “keep going. Think about ___.” I want students to stay in the challenge a little longer, to feel that effort is valued, and to believe their voices matter. This aligns closely with the principles of Universal Design for Learning, which call for multiple means of engagement and expression, as well as with Maslow’s assertion that basic emotional needs must be met before any of us can achieve our potential. My classroom is structured to meet those needs - socially, emotionally, and academically.
Tenet #2: Reflection is both a teaching tool and a classroom habit. Since my early college days, I've always had a desire for excellence that puts me in constant states of reflection - on what worked, what didn’t, and how my students responded - and I often invite them to do the same. Reflection isn’t just about learning how to improve; it’s about slowing down and paying attention. This, to me, is a civic skill as much as a cognitive one. Students are constantly being asked to react in today’s world. I want to give them space to think, to wonder, and to ask better questions.
Tenet#3: My goal is not just to build strong readers and writers, but strong citizens. While I teach ELA standards and take that responsibility seriously, I’m equally invested in what Gloria Ladson-Billings calls culturally relevant pedagogy - asking students to examine texts and society critically, to situate their identities within those conversations, and to
imagine how language can be a tool for equity and transformation. Education is never neutral, and so my classroom ideally becomes a place where students learn to analyze systems, uplift one another’s stories, and speak truth with confidence and care. By verbally engaging with current topics that could or could not directly affect them, I aim to build a sense of social consciousness and empathy (both vital for positive members of society) as a class.
Tenet #4: Collaboration - whether with students or colleagues - is how I sustain and evolve my practice. Lastly, I co-create classroom norms, offer students choices in how they show their learning, and regularly revise my plans based on feedback and reflection. I also approach professional collaboration with curiosity and humility. I love hearing new ideas, building off of them, and helping others feel heard in the process. As such, I view both students and fellow teachers as incredible assets when it
comes to developing strategies most effective to the unique group of learners that walk into class every day. Whether it is developing lesson plans, organizing field trips, or creating school-wide activities, teaching is better when we plan in community.
Ultimately, I know I’m teaching effectively not just when students meet academic goals, but when they begin to look out for each other, speak up for what they believe in, and engage with the world beyond our classroom walls. There are endless indicators that inform me of their growth as learners, but I'm far more interested in their growth as people.