ABOUT ME

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Education is the basis for social change. Being a teacher means acting as a facilitator for students to achieve their goals in life. It is more than transferring knowledge; it is empowering students to become agents of their own future. My biggest goal in life is to impact my students’ lives and their surroundings by being an advocate for their rights and providing them with the tools they need to make a difference in our society.  Through my teaching, based on a culture sensitive Pedagogy, I expect my students to develop critical thinking, self-confidence, ethic principles, and all required skills for them to achieve career readiness.

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Every student has the right to belong with their peers in a positive learning environment. Inclusive Education is the first step towards equity of opportunities in our society. It is a Teacher’s role to remove obstacles and make accommodations to ensure that all students have their potentialities developed to achieve their independence in life.

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Collaboration between teachers, students and other professionals is crucial for effective and inclusive education. Efficient communication skills, pre-defined roles, and respect are the basis of a solid collaborative relationship. Through team work great results can be achieved.     

The theoretical framework in which I ground my teaching consists of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy, Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory, and the Universal Design for Learning principles. Also, STEM education is critical to best prepare our students for the current and future demands of our society.

I believe that knowledge is built through interactions between peers who have unique identities, backgrounds and repertoires. Learning barriers must be removed for students to reach their potential and this is possible by respecting their learning preferences, addressing their needs, and engaging them through meaningful experiences.

Students’ learning must be measured to provide Teachers with information regarding their progress in comparison to the standards and with others. I use formative assessments to monitor students’ performances and to give feedback periodically during their learning. In contrast, I rely on summative assessments to measure students’ mastery of learning standards over a longer period of time and they are administered to score students’ performances. In both cases it is important for me to provide students with multiple means of action and expression to show their knowledge through their skills and preferences. Some of the assessment strategies that I use in my teaching practice are problem-solving projects and seminars, in which students may choose the tools they will use to demonstrate what they learned, from essays to multimedia presentations, aligned with the UDL guidelines.

Teaching is constant learning. No matter how experienced Teachers are, they will never know everything. Students do not come to classroom with empty minds. Their knowledge is valuable and meaningful and can contribute for Teachers’ professional growth.  Self-reflection and students’ feedback are great tools for Teachers to improve their practices. A positive learning environment is vital because students feel confident to clear communicate their ideas, ask questions, and give feedback. 

Teaching is my life and my students’ success boosters my motivation to never give up even when difficulties happen.  Every effort will be rewarded if we are willing to make a difference in people’s lives. Once a Teacher, always a Teacher.