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My philosophy is that good soil, with rich nutrients and room for roots to grow, will lead to flourishing plants. My garden must be a safe place, away from pests and vermin, with just enough water to help my plants grow without smothering and drowning them. I trust that my plants will blossom and sprout without my having to pry them from the ground. I don’t believe in spraying pesticides on my plants to keep the gnats away, instead, we can companion plant some marigolds.

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It is true that children are influenced by their environment, however I do not believe we need to carelessly rip at unwanted weeds. Instead lets either get to the root, or make room for the plant to grow.

Behaviorism's greatest critique is that it ignores that humans are motivated to do things outside of rewards, promotes a transactional point of view

Behaviorism's greatest strengths is that it recognizes that children are greatly influenced by their environment

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I certainly don't want to overwhelm my plants with fertilizers and different kinds of soil, but some plants wont respond well to plain old dirt...

Essentialism's greatest critique is that it doesn't account for the humanities and is far too strict with little flexibility

Essentialism's greatest strength is that it ensures that every student is given the same curriculum no matter what

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Perennialism is like using the same rakes and hoes to garden, allthough reliable and strong, there are newer tools that are worth investing in

Perennialism's greatest strength is that it ensures that students will recieve exposure to the great books and will remain connected with themes that have lasted all through human existence

Perennialism's greatest critique is that it cherry picks and focuses on "leaders" within classrooms, separating them from their peers, as well as leaving little room for flexibility

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It is ridiculous to expect my seeds to germinate into full plants under my specialized blacklight, they must have exposure to true elements

Constructivism's greatest critique is that it puts too much faith into the students ability to learn on their own

Constructivism's greatest strength is that students gain a sense of ownership over their work!

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It appears as though some of my plants have become root-bound, perhaps its time for a change in pots...

Social-Reconstructionism's greatest protest is that it may appear as indoctrination to some who may be skeptical of school's ability to teach about society in an un-biased manner

Social-Reconstructionism's greatest strength is that it teaches students application skills about the world they will one day enter, encouraging them to question and think critically about what can be changed in society

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I must trust that my seeds will beckon for water when they need it, I will give them just enough to keep them healthy but not so much that they drown

Progressivism's greatest strengths is that it is championed alongside smaller classroom sizes and children become active participants in their learning

Progressivism's greatest critique is that there is less rigid structure in the curriculum

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Sometimes I recognize that I overthink my garden, putting in a watering globe in the soil so they can get water on their terms may be best

Existentialism's greatest strength is that it encourages students to explore for themselves what it means to be an individual and what their purpose in society looks like

Existentialism's greatest critique is that it is far too student led and can be difficult to gauge progress

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I often learned best when I was able to talk about what I was learning. Having to rephrase and explain in my own words a certain concept or subject was the most productive for me. Furthermore, interactive live demos and real experiences helped me understand subjects better. My senior year Spanish class was so effective because we were using our Spanish every single day, connecting it to our own personal lives.

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I feel my beliefs and philosophies are best described by Social-Reconstructionism, Constructivism, and Progressivism. I have long held the belief that students should be in charge of their own learning, schools are not about teachers, they are about students! Though children are already so inquisitive as a byproduct of being so new to the world, we must help them develop the ability to question the world around them and then think critically about the answers they are given.

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My students should have a healthy suspicion of authority by the time they leave my classroom. I want my students to question me as a leader even if it makes me uncomfortable. I am a firm believer in acting much more as a guide rather than a dictator. I want my students to take control and the lead as much as possible, fostering confidence and self-assurance. Hopefully by the end of each school year, my students would be more comfortable taking leadership positions, and questioning why we give leadership positions to the people that we do.

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I want my students to be comfortable and feel safe in my classroom. I would hope my students would see my classroom as a safe space and a resource where they can ask questions and have inquiries about anything. I also want my classroom environment to be a collaborative one, our society exists because we help each other out, I want to stress that with my students. Ideally, students would have jobs that would help the class function efficiently while teaching responsibility and fine motor skills.

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I will motivate my students through break days, these will be unconditional, however, having something to look forward to can help students push through tough cognitive demands. I remember thinking fondly of pajama days and movie days, it was enjoyable to have days set aside where I could just relax and not worry about school, this can also be very beneficial as a teacher considering the rise of burnout.

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Parallel teaching would be ideal if I was privileged enough to have another teacher in my classroom, but I would enjoy teaching in small groups while other students have independent or collaborative work time. Theoretically, it may be rewarding to set up my students in learning pods where I teach those smaller groups one at a time and then reconvene as a large group later to share what we have learned as a collective and ask more questions.

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I would set my classroom up Montessori-style with different seating arrangements for different children's preferences, a large rug in the center of the classroom by the whiteboard where we can convene multiple times a day. Cabinets with snacks available during parts of the day, possibly creating a ritual where we emotionally decompress over food to build community. Fidget toys for students who may like extra stimulation while learning.

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I want my students to be the best versions of themselves that day in particular both academically and emotionally. I want my students to foster healthy and mindful emotional habits, develop empathy, and gain skills with interacting with their peers. I want my students to fall in love with learning, teaching them to understand, not to pass a test.