Throughout the course of my educational career and student teaching, I have had the great opportunity to help create a safe and loving environment and produce meaningful learning experiences for students of varying abilities. This kind of learning is incredibly important to me, because I believe that equity and student support are what makes a classroom great. I have gotten to see this create student success time and time again, and wish to continue demonstrating and participating in a classroom that continuously puts the student first.

I believe that one of the most important aspects of being an effective teacher is the responsibility of creating meaningful and respectful relationships with each and every student in my classroom. I strive to show empathy for each student, gain knowledge of how to help them become successful, and use that knowledge to structure quality lessons to engage each student, pushing them to achieve their highest potential. Throughout my teaching experience, I feel extremely grateful to have been able to work with a variety of different students and cultures, which has allowed me to expand my knowledge and create a learning environment that is engaging and culutrually responsive.

The philosophy above was centered around the ideas of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Howard Gardner.

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory:

One of the most known and widely respected theorists in education, is Jean Piaget. Piaget developed the Cognitive Development Theory that suggested that the intelligence of children broadened as they grew and entered into different key stages of life. As students begin to transition from childhood to adulthood, they must be provided with developmentally appropriate learning experiences that challenge them, while also engaging in the content and state standards.

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Learning Theory:

Lev Vygotsky, another key educational theorist, centered his theory around the importance and roles of cultures among society, and stated that students acquire their knowledge and opinions of the world around them through interactions and conversations with their peers.

Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences:

The last theory in which my philosophical statement is based upon, is the ideas of Howard Gardner. Gardner proposes that children are not born with their intelligence, and must explore these as they grow older. Through developmentally appropriate learning experiences, students can begin to build upon their prior knowledge and explore new concepts while increasing their intelligence.

McLeod, S. A. (2018, June 06). Jean piaget's theory of cognitive development. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Mcleod, S. (2022, May 05). Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

-Jacqueline Truluck