Philosophy
I believe there is no such thing as a child who cannot learn. All students are capable of learning. It is part of the role of the teacher to take an active interest in each student's learning. If a student is not learning, the teacher should make every effort to find out why and correct the problem. The teacher must believe in the students in order for them to learn.
There is more to teaching than simply presenting information to students. While the academic disciplines are important, there is more to know than what is contained in textbooks. Knowledge is not simply a collection of facts, but the ability to think, to reason, and to apply facts to situations in life. We teach our students nothing if we do not teach them how to think for themselves and to become life-long learners.
Teaching must be student-centered rather than subject-centered. Learning must be connected with the students' interests and needs in order to be effective. There is more to students' lives than school, and their lives outside the classroom can impact their performance inside the classroom. A good teacher should be aware when students are having problems outside the classroom that affect their performance in the classroom and should know when to take action and what action should be taken.
Students must take an active role in learning; they must learn by doing rather than simply watching. A major role of education is to teach students to think rationally so that they become intelligent, contributing members of society. Students learn many of their own personal values at school, as well as learning social values. The world is constantly changing, and education allows it to change for the better. When students misbehave, they do so for a reason. Sometimes they are merely seeking attention, other times they are looking for power or revenge, and sometimes they are afraid of failure and see misbehavior as a temporary escape. A good teacher will understand that no student is inherently bad; they are bad for a reason. The teacher's job is to find out what that reason is and take steps to counteract it. Good behavior and good work should be acknowledged. All of us have a basic need for recognition. If students are not recognized for their work, they may give it up.
Students should be given some ownership in the classroom if they are to feel connected. Rules should be established, made clear and enforced in order for a classroom to run smoothly; classrooms are most organized when both the teacher and the students are clear about what they're doing and what is expected of them. However, a good teacher will not reduce discipline to a formula. While it is easist to simply follow a procedure every time a student breaks a rule, it does a disservice to the student not to make certain allowances from time to time. Students misbehave for a reason, and sometimes that reason should be taken into account when disciplining the student. Above all, the teacher should respect the students and expect them to do their best.