Educational Philosophy

Vision for Learners/Teachers:

         Teachers and Learners are each part of the same whole. They complement each other. Both teach and learn from the other, and while both can exist without the other, neither can be one without the other. Like a wheel turning, teachers and learners define and redefine each other. The relationship between a teacher and student is unique. It is not that of a parent or child, or that of two friends. It is neither a relationship built on subjugation, nor is it a relationship between equals. Rather it is one where the teacher gives so that they learner might grow. In that light, it is like a plant growing in the sun. The sun needs only to shine, and the plant needs only to be in presence of the sun, nature nurtures the rest. The sun loses nothing, but the plant gains everything. That is the message I would want all teachers to take to heart.

         We are merely human, however, and do not shine as constant as the sun. Though this may seem sad, our humanity underscores all that we do and makes those moments of self-sacrifice shine even brighter. We are limited, but we are not bound by those limitations. For the teacher and learner, staff and student, leader and follower, our humanity enables us to exceed those limitations and provides us with a shared humility that should never be taken for granted. Unlike the sun, who does not try to shine, we must try to teach. So long as teachers earnestly try, learners will certainly grow. The job of the school leader is to remove the obstacles that prevent the teacher from teaching, and add supports that will nourish the learner. Like a gardener, the school leader must prune, weed and mulch from time-to-time to prevent the garden from growing wild and unruly, keeping even the most delicate flower from being choke out. At times, the gardener must even transplant and move some plants in order to keep them from burning in the sun, or wilting in the shade.

Educational Ethics:

As a teacher my code of ethics is simple- treat others as I would like to be treated. However, even the simplest codes can be mixed up or forgotten. In dealing with students, parents/guardians, colleagues and peers I work for the greatest good possible by improving what I can through valuing freedom of choice, equality and equitability, as well as brotherhood and loyalty. These core values of freedom, equality and brotherhood, serve as the foundation on which I have built my code of ethics and inform my daily actions in the classroom. As a teacher, I try to be an agent for change and reform, starting with my students.

            In the classroom I demonstrate my core values of freedom, equality and brotherhood by encouraging my students to make morally just and responsible decisions through discourse and dialogue, not through criticism or sarcasm. As a role model and public servant, I hold high professional and personal standards, and unceasingly demonstrate these high-minded ideals by the way I maintain order in the classroom through positivity and mutual respect, resolving conflicts fairly without aggression, and strive to meet the needs of each student- though needs are not necessarily what they might want. Beyond the demands of instruction, I strive to ensure that each student has something to eat, someone to trust, and somewhere safe to go.

            Beyond the classroom I demonstrate the core values of freedom, equality and brotherhood by never forgetting the common mission shared by parents/guardians, educational professionals and society- to rear responsible, moral, honest and upright citizens. I endeavour to work with parent/guardians for the good of their student and always make every effort to respect their wishes as well as decisions without criticism. I seek to cooperate with others in and out of the field of education to provide my students the most authentic experience in order to prepare them for the rigors of adulthood and empower each to walk their chosen path with dignity, pride, and honor.

Commitment to Students
In fulfilling obligations to the students, I shall:

·         Dedicate myself to meeting the needs of my students through dynamic instruction, differentiation, and fair assessment- never forgetting that my job is to serve them without expecting anything in return.

·         Address classroom behaviour with discretion, and promote equitability over equality, accountability over liability and positivity over negativity in order to create a supportive and risk-free learning environment.

·         Listen attentively to the concerns of my students, and withhold unnecessary judgements so that I may grow in understanding of their unique circumstances in order to help them develop into self-actualized adults.

·         Nurture independent thinkers who are willing and able to become stewards of the Earth by creating opportunities for growth through student centered instruction, experiential and discovery learning, as well as community service projects.

·         Maintain the dignity of each student by celebrating every success, no matter the importance, consoling every failure, and empowering every student to achieve to their fullest potential.

·         Conduct myself in a professional manner with a positive demeanour in order to demonstrate the power of hope and positive thinking, the dignity of polite and sincere action, and most importantly, to demonstrate that true happiness and self-respect is intrinsic and not a commodity.

Commitment to Parents/Guardians
In fulfilling obligations to the parents/guardians, I shall:

·         Establish and maintain open lines of communication never forgetting my role as advisor and care-giver for their student by offering advice when asked, empathy when suitable, and silence when needed, but never criticism.

·         Remain as objective and impartial as possible by respecting each family dynamic without prejudging, or scrutinizing how parents handle the difficulties facing the modern family as we seek mutually beneficial resolutions to conflict.

·         Take responsibility for the safety, well-being, and treatment of their student by standing up for the right of every student to learn in a safe, clean, and secure environment.

·         Maintain the utmost degree of professionalism in my conduct, manner, and dress when holding parent/guardian-teacher conferences by respecting each person’s right to their own option, treating all involved fairly, and keeping the best interest of the student at heart regardless of extraneous circumstances.

·         Advocate for the needs, rights, and wishes of the parents/guardians, as well as their students, by fostering a partnership between all parties that is focused on the mutual success of each student, the relevant values of each family, and the immediate needs of the student, the family, and the school.

·         Be accessible and easy to reach by accommodating for the schedule and needs of the parents/guardians of my students by responding to emails and messages in a timely fashion, by clearing my schedule for meetings outside of the school day, and by providing accurate and honest reports about their student’s achievement and behaviour.

Commitment to the Profession
In fulfilling obligations to the profession, I shall:

·         Remember the difference between a vocation and an occupation in order to be a teacher who is committed to the success of my students, my classes and my school by working for the common good, the good of my students and the good of the communities in which I serve.

·            Maintain a current teaching licence, and up-to-date certifications, in order to stay knowledgeable of current trends in pedagogy, active in the global teaching community, and relevant in the local teaching environment.

·             Respect myself and the responsibility of being a teacher by never underestimating the impact I may have on those around me, by striving to be the change I wish to see, and by leaving my school each evening a little better than it was that morning.

·            Continually seek opportunities for service daily among my peers, colleagues and students in order to help transform pessimism, apathy, and fatigue into optimism, passion, and vigour.

·            Forge positive relationships with my colleagues by doing more rather than complaining more, by helping others rather than hindering them, and by having compassion for those who are struggling rather than criticizing them for past mistakes.

·            Conduct myself as a role-model, with the respect, authority, dignity, discipline and confidence as befitting my position in order to show others how noble, right and moral action can overcome the dishonesty, vulgarity and rude crassness that, at times, seems to permeate our society.

 

Personal Leadership Vision:

“Primus Inter Pares,” first among equals—that is how I lead, neither from the rear, nor even the front, but as one among peers. I wish for my ideas to be followed only when they are the wisest course of action. I wish to come first only so that those who are last may have a voice. I wish to empower, not enforce. I wish to enliven not stifle and to embolden not to chastise. Most of all I wish to remain humble and agile in my capacity to be an agent for positive change.

            The great leaders are not simply the famous or infamous, but they are the ones who inspire and retire without overt recognition. While it must be great to be a man of power like Churchill, Obama, Kennedy, or Roosevelt, how much greater it must be to a man of influence. Like Mother Theresa, Ghandi, the Dali Lama, or Pope Francis (who even washes the feet of the poor and downtrodden!), I seek to be a leader not from a position of power or even authority, but from one of humility, and service. I have never sought material comfort, and yet, I still struggled with wanting things I did not need. That is, until I met my wife who inspired me to become a better man. She challenged me to put others before the worldly matters, and encouraged me by continually reminding me that the meaning of life is not the wealth we hold, but the people around us we cherish. That is who I seek to be as a leader.

There is a famous story about an early Taoist philosopher, Chuang Tzu. When the Emperor of China heard about the wonderful things this man was teaching through the magnitude of his wisdom, the Emperor sent two viziers to seek out Chuang Tzu in the countryside. Though they travelled for months, they never gave up. Finally, one day they sat along the bank of the Yangzi River resting in the hot afternoon when they saw an old man standing in the muddy bank fishing. Approaching him, they asked if he knew where they could find the famous wise-man Chuang Tzu because the Emperor wanted him to be an advisor and would make him the highest official. They continued saying that Chuang Tzu would live in opulent luxury—if they could only find him. The old man stopped fishing, looked up at them and asked, “Am I right to remember that there is a gilded turtle in the palace who has been venerated for the past 200 years?” To which the men replied, yes. The old man continued, “How much better would it have been for the turtle to spend those years being a turtle in the muck? My answer is no. Tell the Emperor I will stay here in the muck, where I am needed.” No matter what the men could promise, Chuang Tzu would not go with them.
                                     [Adapted from: The Way of Chuang Tzu (Second Edition), by Thomas Merton]

        This passage has helped to guide me as a teacher, and has led me to where I am today. Life stopped being so hard once I started living life for others, and let the material needs of the world take care of itself. As a leader I will not seek to be what I need, but rather what others need. I will be responsive, and not reactive. I will be like water, flowing hard at times, and gentle at others. That is my vision of a servant leader.