Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Sara Kohandel

As I near the end of the instructional portion of PSI, I have been confronted with the task

of understanding myself, my philosophies, values, beliefs, and goals as a teacher. This is

something that I have been ruminating over since ED2500, exploring in my journal reflections,

and reflecting on continually through self-exploration.

I know that I am not expected to hold on to one specific philosophy until the end of my

career, but it is difficult for me to commit to something for even one week. I am constantly

absorbing knowledge and ideas and practices from readings, my peers, my professors, and my

teaching associate. I don’t think I will ever stop expanding and exploring upon my teaching

philosophy; therefore, I am realizing that my teaching philosophy should go something like this:

a never-ending exploration of growth, maturation, and versatility in the classroom that serves to

inspire the teacher, the students, the parents, and the rest of the learning community in a

continual process of shared development. The expansive nature of my philosophy cannot be put,

succinctly, into one sentence; however, I wanted to stress the importance of it being a process

that is continual and malleable, one that benefits myself, my students, and every other part of the

learning community that it interacts with.

For myself, my teaching philosophy means that I will engage with continual professional

development and career-long learning in an effort to establish a rich and professional body of

knowledge. This engagement is a process, not a one-off experience or a finite capacity for

improvement. Self-development takes place on a daily basis. Not only will I engage in

professional development opportunities within the learning community, I will engage actively

with self-reflection to better understand my process, my goals, my values, and the priorities of

my students.
 For my students, I will ensure that I prioritize the fostering of effective relationships and

the establishment of inclusive learning environments. I want every student to feel safe, nurtured,

and comfortable enough in my classroom to engage with their curiosities and take risks—for

academic and personal growth.

Last but certainly not least, I will engage with career-long learning, professional

development, and the establishment of effective relationships in an inclusive learning

environment to ensure that I am meeting the needs of my First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students.

I will do this by embedding Indigenous texts in my classes, holistic practices such as talking

circles, and engagement with the larger Indigenous community and its resources. Continuing to

educate myself and engaging with members of the Indigenous community will be vital.

Incorporating someone else’s culture into the classroom is a sensitive task that requires

deliberate action and consideration. I will do my best to reconcile the terrible experiences of

Indigenous families with the Canadian education system by welcoming all parents to take an

active part in understanding their child’s education.

My teaching philosophy is ambitious. At times I am overwhelmed by my own goals. I

cannot always be accurate and up-to-date in my academic knowledge but I can be humble and

admit when I need to learn. I cannot always be a friend to every student, but I can be there for

them whenever they need. I cannot always be perfect, but I can continue to work on myself to be

the best teacher for my students through never-ending self-development and reflection.