"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold" (Proverbs 3:13-14, The New International Version). Truer words were never spoken than these, penned by the mighty King Solomon. How does this quest begin? It begins with the teacher. The teacher's influence upon the student is not ephemeral, but rather one that either fosters a lifelong passion for learning, or one that is simply an experience to be endured by the student, with nothing being retained. This is the call of the teacher; to build a future for the student. I have witnessed this in several of my own experiences, both professionally and as a student. These situations have helped to support my belief in the value of an education.

To accomplish any of these goals, the teacher must first be a lifelong learner, knowledgeable of the content, and willing to differentiate instruction. The teacher's role is not limited to simply "purveying the content", but also necessitates a "hands on" approach with the students as well. This is accomplished through the use of current technology, manipulatives, supplemental resources, and coops with the highest level of effort. I will strive to reach every student that is in my classroom. I will never lower my expectations for them because that would be cheating them. I will however,adjust my approach and be willing to take full responsibility for their failure and be ready to celebrate their success.

My classroom will be one in which the students will be encouraged to collaborate with their peers through guided structures in various cooperative learning situations, while maintaining a well managed classroom. It is through these structures that information will be exchanged while crucial socialization and self-discipline skills are being developed.
Through authentic assessment, I will monitor each student's success as it will also serve as an identifier of the areas that may require revisiting for the sake of positive "error correction." At no time will the student be made to feel as though they have failed. True learning only takes place when mistakes are made.

I will manage the classroom through respectful discipline strategies and policies, realizing that many behavioral issues are due to factors that exist outside of the classroom. It is with this respect that I will thoughtfully, yet firmly manage any issues that should arise so as to maintain the invigorating learning climate that will be the hallmark of my classroom, and serve to provide my students with consistency.