My philosophy of teaching wouldn’t include the necessity for cooperating with students if I didn’t care about my students. Care is probably the single most important aspect of my teaching philosophy.

The process of writing a philosophy of teaching is a long and arduous journey. In this journey I uncovered many things about myself and about how I think about others. My reflections have spawned the potential for new inquiries that will develop my criteria for teaching even further – an evolutionary process. What did come out of the formation of a philosophy is the realization that I care very much about children and want to help them be prepared for the world ahead.

For example, there was an art student that was my TA for one of my Photography classes. He was assembling his AP portfolio and asked for my advice. I noticed that adding some color and computer graphic skills would strengthen his portfolio. I put together a simple graphic design assignment, which gave him the opportunity to incorporated his digital photography and his thinking during his process. I already see my students as unique and wonderful people with so much potential, but sometimes they need help getting there. As Nel Noddings says, “There is nothing

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mushy about caring. It is the strong resilient backbone of human life” (Noddings, 1992 p. 175) and that makes me feel good. As a woman and mother, I could not have had success parenting if I didn’t consistently show my affection to my children.

Another example that demonstrates my commitment and care for students is an independent project I am working on with an 8th grade student. This student was having a real hard time with the Realistic Portrait Unit. Although this student has already demonstrated a mastery of skills in tonal drawing, she did not want to commit a whole semester to carefully drawing her face using a grid. I worked with my cooperating teacher to come up with a solution that would meet the goals of all of us. I knew that the student was interested in painting and could use the grid technique in the Chuck Close style. I was in the process of looking for a process to use for my own midterm project that would be something that was new to me. Working independently with this student on a large gridded portrait painting seemed to meet many different ends. If I were not committed to each individual students learning and care about their own interests, this project would not have been possible.

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Another way that I can show that I care to my students is by getting to know each student individually. I know that every teacher probably say this, but not only do I think that this is important to be a good teacher, but it is my greatest joy in teaching. I learn so much from my students that I couldn’t have gotten through ordinary school activities. I am able to connect with them on another level - as people instead of students. I find that the students that have the least to say in class can be the ones that are the most interesting. Once I can find a connection with each student, I find this insight to be very helpful when they have difficulties in the classroom, or just when I am just trying to make conversation with them. Not only do I talk to them, but I really make the effort to listen. You never know when you might be the only person that they can talk to and just knowing that someone cares and remembers things what they said can mean the difference between a positive instead of negative self image.