Leadership Philosophy

"Have a good class..."

I began my teaching career when I was 21 years old. Growing up, I never thought that I wanted to be a teacher. I grew up in a household that valued education. I attended fantastic schools, and my parents were heavily involved with my educational success. The moments that I remember most in the classroom, however, were when I was given the freedom to take on the role of learning by myself. When I was given room to explore, speak with other peers, and complete assignments in my own, individualistic way, I thrived.

I digress. Walking into my first classroom as a teacher, I realized that most of what was taught to me in the credential program would be utilized in the planning phase; the implimentation phase was pure instinct. I decided that I wanted to learn with my students. I wanted my students to figure information out in their own way. Thus, the facilitation model was implimented in my classroom. Each and everyday I was able to sit with groups of students, complete research with them, and have them teach me just as much as I was teaching them. In this sense, my students began to feel empowered with the ability to want to learn and succeed.

Now, at age 26, and in my fourth year of teaching, I have tweaked my facilitation model. This is partly because I now teach 14 year olds instead of 17 year olds, and partly because I have gone through my share of trial and error situations inside the classroom. I now choose to speak in front of the classroom for no more than 10 minutes each class. I end every short chat with the phrase "have a good class". Whether the students know it or not, as soon as this phrase closes, the students are up and running with the tools and understandings necessessary to accomplish the day's goals.

Thoughts Behind the Model

I played college softball, and before every game, my coach would pull us in for a short chat before we went out to the field. He would end every chat with the phrase “have a good game.” To me, this meant that he was giving up ultimate control and putting the fate into our hands. He had given us the ground level tools, and it was up to us to follow through and complete the rest from there. In this sense, I use each class as the same ground floor. I’ve given them the tools, and it is their job to complete the tasks, work hard, and bring to the table what they would like in return.

As a leader, I am beginning to understand just how important it is to set the stage for the students that I am teaching. I take this approach in the classroom because I believe that my students are more than capable of using the resources of technology, their peers, and past knowledge to complete projects and collect knowledge as they move throughout their educational career. I believe that in learning together, I can't possibly become stagnant, and students can't possibly let education take a hold of them; instead my students must take hold of their own education.