Teaching Philosophy

         

Observing a group of young children in a grassy opening of the oak savanna, I heard a young first grade girl remark on the beauty of dewdrops resting on blades of grass. In response, I told the student how rare and beautiful it is take the time to notice such details in the natural world. Spending time in nature with children, I see awe and reverence radiating from the young bright eyes of children, looking deeply at discoveries big and small. In our modern society, it is important to provide children an opportunity to get to know their local ecosystem. With the threat of global climate change, environmental issues of varying magnitudes continue to arise. These issues are challenging to acknowledge by youth overwhelmed by the struggles of the world; as a result, I focus my curriculum on age-appropriate materials based on David Sobel’s Theory of Cognitive Development.

 

As humans grow and find their place in the world, we learn about our environment through experience and education. Education can be defined in a number of different ways. It can be the  transfer of information across generations, from one human being to another, through various mechanisms such as teaching and storytelling. Education can also be done independently, through research and introspection. These concepts of education have guided me to focus on teaching methods that allow for self-discovery through education.

 

Many children growing up in urban areas do not regularly access the outdoors. As our population grows, more people are living in urban areas. Without time outdoors or the freedom to explore, students struggle to focus on their learning but rather focus on following the rules while in the classroom. This struggle to pay attention can be identified as Nature-Deficit Disorder, a term introduced by Richard Louv. His book, Last Child in the Woods, explains the unfortunate consequences of disconnection to nature. I believe effective education should be utilize a variety of teaching forms, both indoor and outdoor, in order to engage all students.

 

My passion for teaching comes from a desire to actively seek knowledge on what it means to be a human living in the modern world. With interests spanning across a number of disciplines, education allows me to discover the interconnected systems that humans experience daily. Individuals have a unique experience based on their socio-cultural position in the community. As a result, each student has a particular learning style and way of processing information. In order to ensure curiosity and engagement, I encourage students to notice important details through each of their senses. I seek to be inclusive of all learners when I teach by utilizing various intelligences as defined by Howard Gardner in his multiple intelligences theory. By providing a supportive learning environment, students are able to feel safe and therefore excited and eager to learn.  When both the student and teacher end the lesson or field trip with the same anticipation to learn more, it is an indicator of a successful educational experience.

 

Throughout my education, my teachers have alway encouraged me to think critically and always continue to ask questions. When I am teaching, I encourage students to do precisely the same. During my lessons, students showed enthusiasm for this form of self-guided learning. By establishing this reciprocal relationship, students are able to learn with their previous knowledge in mind. Based on my experience, students learn best when lessons support their individual needs.  

Seeing as mindfulness is a core value in my own life, I encourage students to acknowledge thoughts, emotions and sensations of the present moment. Accepting personal responses to the environment ensures a stronger commitment to make certain the needs of other organisms are acknowledged. It is through education students learn about their place in the world. On the path to gaining a sense of place, I have found sit spots to be the best way to ensure time in nature while quickly learning new naturalist skills. When sitting quietly in nature, senses are engaged and ready for information. Birds calling from tree to tree, squirrels rustling in the branches, even smaller creatures moving on the soil - embracing the wonders of nature as part of this great interconnected system.