Literacy-Aligned Teaching Philosophy

I believe that if humans are born with a purpose, one of the most fundamental is to learn. As a former early childhood educator at a Reggio-inspired center, I have long believed that learning is an intrinsic part of our nature: a process filled with joy, curiosity, and wonder. From infancy, people are driven by a desire to understand the world around them. As a parent, I have watched each of my own children demonstrate this curiosity, almost since birth. A favorite family anecdote involves our middle son conducting a controlled burn experiment in the bathroom using a crème brûlée torch he took from the kitchen when he was three years old. While I was initially terrified that he could have been hurt or burned the house down, further consideration led me to a profound appreciation for the curiosity and planning that went into his endeavor. The natural inclination toward learning is a powerful force that, when nurtured and given safe boundaries, can lead to a lifetime of growth and discovery. I aim to create a classroom environment that reawakens students’ innate joy for learning and helps create a lifelong pattern of curiosity.

To accomplish this, I believe that the primary goal of instruction should be to guide learning toward pursuits that are relevant, timely, and that shape students into productive and contributing members of a modern healthy society. Just as Rosenblatt (1994) emphasized the transactional nature of reading, I believe that literature becomes most impactful when students can see themselves in the text or apply the text to their own lives. One strategy I frequently use is anticipation guides, where students respond to provocative statements or dilemmas that mirror the conflicts and themes of a story. These activities not only help students tap into their prior knowledge and personal values, they also create a natural bridge into the story’s conflict and plot development. By engaging with these dilemmas, students are drawn into the text and encouraged to see its relevance to their own lives and the world around them.

Building trust and relationships with students is crucial in facilitating activities and discussions that engage students at a personal level. Students must feel valued and respected to engage deeply with literature and the learning process. In my own middle school experience, I can recall how my willingness to engage in discussions about books or complete assignments often depended on whether I felt a connection with my teacher. As a result, I strive to build relationships with students that are founded on mutual trust, respect, and genuine care for their success. This means taking the time to learn about their interests, cultural backgrounds, and personal experiences, which allows me to recommend books or structure lessons that feel meaningful and relevant to their lives. Trust-building also extends to creating a classroom culture where students feel safe sharing their perspectives, exploring difficult topics, and making mistakes without fear of judgment. When students see that their voices matter, they are more willing to take academic risks and engage fully with the curriculum. By cultivating these relationships, I aim to not only enhance students’ literary skills but also foster a love for reading that extends beyond the classroom.

Building these trusting relationships is not just foundational—it is essential to navigating the complex balance between institutional demands and my teaching philosophy. When students feel seen, valued, and respected, they are more likely to engage with even the most rigorous aspects of the curriculum. This connection creates the foundation for bridging the gap between meeting standardized requirements and fostering meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. While balancing mandates like standardized tests and curriculum pacing can be challenging, I firmly believe that self-selected reading and relevant literacy instruction can coexist with these requirements. Independent reading goals, reflective journals, and creative assessments provide opportunities to align with state standards while still prioritizing students’ personal growth.

Ultimately, my goal is to foster a love of reading by creating a space where students feel inspired, curious, and connected to literature. Through self-selection and meaningful connections to their own lives, I strive to show students that reading is not just an academic requirement but a powerful way to understand themselves and the world around them. By encouraging them to see stories as reflections of their own experiences and opportunities to explore new perspectives and experience success through various means of assessment, I hope to cultivate lifelong readers who approach literature and life with curiosity, empathy, and a passion for learning.