Teaching Platform Purpose of Schooling To establish a community where all students are valued for their potential contributions

to the learning environment To provide students the opportunity to experience a democratic way of living and learning To allow students to explore learning in ways that are meaningful to them and work cooperatively with others in their community towards a common goal Image of a Teacher Works cooperatively with parents, students, administrators, and community leaders to provide learning experiences which are valuable to Teachers are always a model for students Teachers are mentors Teachers are leaders in all of their communities Teachers are life-long learners

Image of a Learner All learners have something to offer their community Learners must take responsibility for their pursuit of knowledge Learners are motivated by what interests them Learners that given choices in their forms assessment are more invested in their learning The social aspect of learning stays with the learner for an eternity Image of the curriculum Curriculum should be flexible, but meet developmentally appropriate learning goals Curriculum should exceed and build off of standard learning goals Curriculum should be active, engaging and cooperative Curriculum should allow the student to explore learning using multiple means of expression Curriculum reflects the values, beliefs, and economic backgrounds of the culture Curriculum should allow for exploration and inquiry of new and divergent ideas Image of an Ideal School Climate An organization where education professionals, members of the community, parents and students work towards achieving excellence in all academics, social, and cultural areas Democratic principles are in place to provide the foundation from which policies revised and implemented A community where individuals with diverse ideas exists together and respectfully honor one another A community where that focuses and supports learning based from an individual abilities An organization and community that focuses proactive, positive, collaborative interventions that focus on what we can change instead of past failures A community with open communication between all of members, especially those with smallest voices

Philosophy of Education I believe in the main purpose of public education in America is to allow students the opportunities to broaden and expand their knowledge through environments enriched with learning experiences that meet the needs of all students . Freire (1970) said, Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contridiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both aree simultaneousely teachers and students. It is my desire for each child to leave my educational environment with a greater sense of selfefficacy than which are they arrived. I believe one of the greatest gifts a teacher can give to a child is the hope and belief they have the capacity to learn and achieve. A teacher must try to find as many keys to help the student unlock their potential abilities, and by giving them a set of figurative eyes, they will be able to see a vision of their future selves. Strickland and Suiter (2008) state the rewards for students and society make living in a democratic school worth the time and effort. Students need to gain the understanding that self-determination is a valuable tool in achieving your goals. It is with this understanding, teachers must establish collaborative goals, each step of the way, and have a vision of what is fulfilling and important for the student. In conclusion, students must recognize everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it is through working together we can accomplish our highest goals. I believe community service should not be looked upon as voluntary. If students are given opportunities to make improvements, help individuals in need, and see that community service is rewarding and necessary part of building safe successful communities then students can take with them a sense of empowerment that they are able help. Students need to have both academic and social skills practiced as parts in their educational goals. Geneva Gay (2004) stressed the importance for school curriculums to systematically include important information on diverse ranges of ethnic groups. This allows students to learn and understand individuals with different backgrounds in their communities. The community as a whole must work together to determine what is of value to help students become productive and citizens in their adult communities. The students voice themselves should not be silenced in the efforts to provide them with an education that will be beneficial to their futures.

I have spent numerous hours volunteering and working with students with various abilities. I have a passion for interacting with these students while helping them to reach their learning goals. During these hours I have come to the realization that students with exceptional needs have an ability to enormously influence an average student. Their ability to see the larger picture can be astonishing. Some of these students seem to read social interactions with the wisdom of an adult and if able, communicate those feelings quite freely to their peers. Their greatest gift to their learning communities is this expression of openness and honesty. My classroom management style will be to create a universal educational environment by assembling a classroom that will be conducive for all types of learning styles. My first goal will be to make learning accessible by providing multiple paths for each student to incorporate based on their educational needs. I believe technology will soon open many doors for exceptional students in the classroom. My second goal will be to provide an environment where every students thoughts and ideas are respected. When a teacher gives a student the belief they have control over how and what they learn, instead of being force fed every benchmark, they will empower themselves to achieve beyond any expectations that others may hold for them. It is through the students sense of empowerment they will overcome obstacles set before them. It is my hope for them to have the ability to set the goals based on their strengths and not flounder in their failures. An example of this would be if you are not a good speller, but you have mechanical abilities that allow you to tear things apart and put them back together without a manual, a teacher must make the connections to the curriculum in the classroom for the student. Thus, giving each student a chance to shine, setting him or her up for success, while simultaneously striving not to tear him or her down for their failures.

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (M. B. Ramos, Trans.) New York, New York, United States of America: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. Gay, G. (2003, January). The importance of multicultural education. Educational Leadership , pp. 3035. Strickland, J., & Suiter, D. (2008). Toward Democratic Schools. In J. I. Goodlad, R. Soder, & B. McDaniel, Education and the making of a democratic people (pp. 117-137). Boulder: Paradigm Publishers.