Candace West

4/14/19

Robert Wolfe, ETEC 424

Educational Philosophy

Nelson Mandela said it best, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use

to change to world.” This could not be any truer. Through education you are not only able to

teach academics, but you are able to teach life lessons. Teachers in my opinion have one of the

toughest jobs. Teachers are essentially responsible for building and molding future leaders.

Through teaching you have the ability to be very influential on young minds. For some students,

school is all they have. They look upon the educators for not just academic learning but for a safe

place to be able to come and thrive.

I believe in a student centered learning environment bridged by great relationships. For

me personally a good relationship is a make or break for some students. Building a rapport is

building steps to a trusting relationship. When you are able to build that trust with in your

students you are on the right track to making a life changing impact on them. Not all students

like coming to school, for some students their situations at home overshadow their education. It

is my job as a paraprofessional, and future teacher, to be there for those students not only as a

para, but for as a positive role model. My husband is one of my biggest role models. His story is

so inspirational not only to me but for many of his students that can relate with him through their

situations. At the age of 16 he lost three of the most important people in his life. His dad,

grandma and aunt all passed away within a year. He had no other family at the time. His high

school coaches took him in under their wing and made a huge, life changing impact on his life.
He was able to not only graduate from high school but he got a job and put himself through

college. Today he is a successful high school coach. His past coaches and teachers played a huge

part in building him into the man he is today. This is the rapport that I am talking about building.

As a 16-year-old kid my husband had the world against him, he could have easily given up and

become a statistic. Instead with the mentor of his teachers and coaches he was able to keep going

and become the very best version of himself. He today will tell you that he owes it all to his

teachers and coaches. That impact that was made on him, he still carries with him 18 years later.

I want to be that teacher for my students. It is important to me that my students know that I love

them and that I am happy every day that they come to school.

Another thing that I believe makes a huge impact on students is positivity. I have been

around a few negative teachers and you tend to become who you surround yourself with.

Lakeldra Pride, principal of Green Hill Elementary School says, “There is little room for

negative attitudes in a school environment.” I believe this whole heartedly. As educators we are

some of the first faces that students come into contact with in the morning. That first positive

interaction can set a student up to have a great day. Who wants to be around a negative person?

While working with young, vulnerable minds you want to make sure that you are able to provide

them with the most positive experience you can. School may be all they have to look forward to

each day. I want to make sure that every day I do my very best to not only build my students up

but to make sure they know that they are worthy.

Teaching is not for the faint of heart. It takes a special person to motivate, teach, and

guide young students. It is not always easy but it can be very rewarding. As a paraprofessional I

am able to also make an impact on students. A few years ago, there was a student that I worked

with that at the beginning of the year was incapable of learning in a structured environment. We
worked and worked and each week though little, we made progress. It was not always easy for

either of us but a main thing that kept us both going is my positive attitude. I was able to

understand where he was coming from and I was able to build trusting relationship with him. By

the end of the year, he was thriving in his classroom with his peers. It was a complete night and

day difference. That is one of the most rewarding moments of my life as an educator. Being able

to see him progress and being a part of his progress made my decision of wanting to become a

teacher even easier.

As teachers and role models it is our job to do the very best to teach students of all kinds.

Not all students learn on the same level at the same time. Some students go through more than

the average person between waking up and getting to school. There is a student that I know that

relies on his older brother to get him dressed and ready for school every morning. This little boy

isn’t worried about a sharpened pencil or whether he has brought all his supplies to school. He

wakes up and tries to make it to school in time for breakfast. It is our job to understand and

accommodate. Some students are in survival mode from the moment they wake up. School needs

to be a safe place that students can come in everyday and rely on us to be there welcoming them

with warm faces and open arms.

For me getting my degree in education is not only important but it is powerful. Having

the power to influence and make a difference in young minds is so very important for me. I wake

up every morning ready to make it the best day I can for not just the students but for all the

coworkers around me. The change starts with me.

References:
Every School Has One: Principals Share Tips For Working With Negative People. (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin560.shtml
Mielke, C. (2017, July 17). 4 Quick Ways to Build Rapport With Students. Retrieved from
https://www.weareteachers.com/rapport-with-students/
Nelson Mandela Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/nelson_mandela_157855