My Teaching Philosophy, Illustrated

The core of my teaching philosophy is the idea that students can use both language and literature to explore the world around them. Because my students are still in middle school but are making their way to high school, I emphasize building strong communication skills; because they are still developing socially and emotionally, these communication skills will help support their personal development.

This video of a Socratic Seminar in my classroom exemplifies my philosophy–my students are practicing their communication skills as they engage in a group dialogue answering the question, “why do we read stories?” weaving in their personal experiences with their own favorite books and stories. From their comments, it is clear to see that they are beginning to understand the ways that individuals can use literature to explore new worlds and also learn more about others and themselves.