My teaching philosophy is that all children can and want to learn when provided with a safe and nurturing environment. Children are individuals and need to be treated as such. I treat all of my students and parents with the same respect I expect to be treated with. I have very high expectations of my students and myself. I know that we will both have a very successful and rewarding year. I feel that children will either live up or down to our expectations, and it is my job to make sure they are always doing their best. I believe that students learn best through hands-on learning, applying material to real experiences, and relating topics to their own life, giving it more meaning. It is my belief that in order for a classroom to be successful, we must all work together as a team. These are a few of the basic expectations that I believe will help us work together. Working together will help build trust and support for one another. Having a trustworthy and supportive class will provide a warm and welcoming learning environment. I am always willing to listen and share with all of my students and parents. In the classroom there are rules, consequences, and rewards. This approach follows the theorists Lee and Marlene Canter. As a teacher I will give direct instruction, clear expectations, model the expected behaviors, practice the behaviors, review the expectations, keep encouraging the students, and reward students for their exceptional participation and behavior. I believe Linda Albert’s approach to a classroom is very valuable as well. There is a four-step plan that Albert’s follows: identify student behavior, deal with behavior immediately, provide encouragement, and make partnerships along the way. This approach helps children feel acceptance, appreciation, attention, affirmation and affection. Again the key point is to have a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment to learn in. As I grow and learn from all my new teaching experiences, I’m sure that my philosophy may change over time especially as I become a stronger and a more knowledgeable teacher. I am truly excited for this year. There are so many new and interesting experiences awaiting us.