I enjoy the journey with students as we attempt to get closer to the truth.  It is exceptionally rewarding to say something that makes another person pause, reflect, contemplate, understand, and eventually respond…a learning moment that we both recognize and appreciate.

Critical thinking and accurate and well spoken responses make up the heart of my instructional goals and objectives.  I work hard to involve students in group discussions and hands on discovery learning.  I believe that students can achieve greater understanding by doing.  I like to focus more on student directed activities rather than teacher directed activities.  Each episode of my teaching is followed by Socratic moments of problem solving.  My purpose in teaching is that of a facilitator to help students think and apply what they learn to the real world.

In order to be effective, I set positive expectations for student success and carefully manage my classroom and design lessons for student mastery.  I believe being a good student and a good teacher are often interchangeable. By creating a sense of family and community where students can work comfortably within limits, mutual respect becomes a part of the everyday routine.

I believe assessment is an ongoing, natural part of everyday instruction.  Assessment should show what the students know, and how they have grown as learners.  I believe that teacher observation and interpretation is very important.  I also believe that there is a place in the classroom for formal and informal assessment.

I believe education should equip each student with the academic knowledge, social skills, morals, and ethical values that will enable them to become productive members of society.

Through modeling, reflecting, continual communication with parents, community involvement and involving students actively, a foundation can be laid for a classroom comprised of a community of learners.