Teaching Philosophy

The world is shrinking and rapidly at that. Whereas once Egypt was seen as a “world away” filled with intrigue, today social media can be used to connect students in Canada and Egypt to share perspectives.

As an educator, I believe it’s my role to prepare students for this changing – and exciting! – world. Skills like communication (both verbal and written) continue to increase in significance, as do skills of reasoning and problem solving. Rote memorization can be useful – basic times tables, for instance, have many practical uses — but is on the decline as students can “Google” for information in other subjects. My students learn digital literacy, how to evaluate sources of information (are they reliable?) and critically respond to that information.

Today, our local problems are no longer just local, rather, they’re global. By promoting innovation at home, I hope my students will change the world. Community involvement and leadership are pillars of my teaching. Students are challenged to think about their place in their community, and that community includes the world at large, across all subjects I teach.

The role of the educator has changed. I believe educators today, more than ever, are preparing students for life beyond school. We are preparing students to continually learn, to process complex information, and to embrace a wealth of perspectives.

I’m very excited to have the opportunity to prepare students to enter the world as global citizens.

Relationships then content. Both matter. So does the order.

Finally, one key tenet of my teaching is relationship building. This relationship building is focused primarily on the student, but does involve community and parent outreach as well. Whether it’s spending time playing Yu-Gi-Oh with kids, teaching chess, hitting the hardwood (officiating, coaching, or playing), judging 4H Public Speaking, or anything in between, you will see me around. Feel free to reach out!