Philosophy Statement

“My goal is to provide a positive, social, learning environment, where ALL students will overcome challenges to achieve success.”

Educational theorist Lev Vygotsky stated “Children learn higher psychological processes through the social environment when an adult or more literate other plays an active role in that social content”.  The school environment is one of the first places that students learn with peers and see an authority figure outside of the home.  In my classroom I prioritize cooperative learning and shared learning with equals who like themselves are contributing in building the classroom community and discovering values and character traits for life.

The education that students receive in elementary school is the foundation for life long learners.  Each student that I work with has the potential to be a better learner, citizen, and person in the community.  As a teacher I am challenged daily to awaken this potential.

The first goal is the students’ safety in the classroom.  When students feel safe they will learn to trust others and learning happens. It is important for students to be safe in the classroom and that we share the classroom.  My goal is to create a welcoming environment for both my students and parents who are my partners in this process.  Parental involvement is vital in my teaching; when there is a parent/teacher connection a partnership is forged.  Throughout the year I have classroom newsletters and welcome communication among students, parents, and myself.

My commitment to my students, parents and staff is to provide a positive social, emotional and academic environment; where each student matches their strengths and learns to work through their weaknesses, and become better students and productive members of society.

With the multi-cultural population of students in today’s classrooms, the teacher’s challenge is to meet the needs of all their students, despite their cultural differences.  Each day and each class brings new challenges that the teacher must face; the key to facing these challenges successfully is to be flexible and positive, knowing that in the end you will have helped every student to reach their fullest potential.  There are various resources and tools that will create life long learners.  One of the most important and ever evolving resources is technology. 

There is nowhere you can go where you aren’t surrounded by technology.  I would like to think that I am ahead of the curve when it comes to utilizing technology or at least with the curve.  Technology can be a powerful teaching tool, taking students on virtual field trips, giving them hands on experience to their learning on a smart board, computer, iPad, etc. and showing them various ways to do something can unlock their budding knowledge.  At the same point students should not be totally focused on just their own learning or not interacting with peers.  Technology is interactive and students should inter act when using it.

This work by Anne Marie Lanning is licensed under a

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