2--Know+How+Children+Grow

Teachers Know How Children Grow The most common misconception about children is thinking of them as adults in little bodies. Children deserve the gift of their childhood and educators must work with parents to respect their stages of development. Most of learning occurs through mistakes and failures. I work to help children learn from the mistakes they make and reflect on missteps to make better decisions in the future. Students deserve to be held at to high standards so they are continually able to achieve goals and set new ones. Understanding the children that I work with, their talents, strengths and weaknesses, allows me to help them grow throughout the year.

Each student is an individual. Getting to know my students allows me to better understand their strengths in the classroom. Every child has physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. By understanding the different paces at which my students are growing, I am better able to support their growth and work with a model of cura personalis: care for the whole person. While I am responsible for the academic progress of my students, I also am concerned about the overall well-being of each child. My classroom serves as a safe, clean, and healthy environment where students can grow in learning from their teacher and one another.

One tool I use to get to know my students is a parent survey. Parents are able to provide a great deal of information that helps me better understand their children. The survey also shows my openness for communication. While I value the information gathered in this survey, I also prioritize allowing the students to show me first hand who they are.