toward a Teaching Philosophy (a draft, forever)

Some things I've taken note of throughout my teaching experiences:

• Be humble. You aren't a "know it all". As a student, the best teachers I've had are the ones who've inspired me to find the answers, not those who knew them all.

• Be engaging. If a teacher is bored, more than likely the students are even moreso. Love what you teach. Know it like the back of your hand so you can make connections, adapt to students' questions, and take the lesson in new directions. If you learned something, they probably did too.

• Be aware. Know your students. Know what excites them. Ask them about other parts of their lives. Care about them as people first. The learning will come later.

• Make it challenging. Raise the bar. They'll exceed expectations only if the expectations are high.

• Let them struggle. Learning only happens after they've struggled.

• Encourage teamwork. Its the year 2017. Working in a group is a life skill, not a fun classroom activity. Teach effective group work. Acknowledge, discuss, and fix inefficient group behavior.

• Hold them accountable. Treat them like the adults they are becoming.

• Teach/Coach toward independence If you become unnecessary, you've done your job.