Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests.
| Every Child Matters |
Every child matters, and I take that motto to heart. From the first greeting at the start of the day to a warm smile to send the students on their way, I aim to bring positive energy into the lives of all students. When developing lessons, I attempt to create “I can” statements that appeal to all kinds of learners. I make my lesson plans easy to follow, which I think helps students understand the meaning of the lesson easily. When preparing exercises for lessons, I use my prior knowledge of the students to prepare multiple ways for the learning to be experienced. I am adaptable and innovative: when I observe a student experiencing a challenge, I am able to pivot and help the student. For example, one student had trouble getting started writing, so I used one-on-one questions to ignite the child’s natural curiosity: “Can you tell me what you want to write about? Can you give me more details? Can we try writing down some of these great details?” Furthermore, I balance desk work with group work, classroom movement, and class exercises. I use Brain Breaks to give students a chance to refresh. I also build engaging lessons to encourage attentiveness. Of course, each student has a different capacity for desk work, so I try and keep the lessons adaptive to different methods of delivery, such as individual, group, and class work. I also balance individual reflection with group reflection. I use Talking Circles (an indigenous method for sharing) to encourage each student to share. I emphasize that in the Talking Circle everyone’s voice is equal, and everyone has a right to speak in turn. More to this point, I give students choices in how to demonstrate their leaning. I prioritize trust, and thus I work hard to create an environment where learning is adventurous and meaningful. I think that learning should contribute to the growth of individual self-esteem.