My Core Convictions About Teaching and Learning

I believe that teaching and learning go hand & hand. To be a truly successful and empowering teacher, you have to be willing to learn, whether it be from students, faculty, parents, what have you. This willingness is vital, as it lets your students know that you, too, are still a work in progress. This, in a sense, humanizes you as a teacher, making you more of an empathetic and compassionate figure. 

Additionally, teachers need to be there for students, to be someone to offer love, answers, respect, and safety. They need to be there for their students no matter what their background (socioeconomic, religion, sexuality, etc) is. Teachers in a lot of ways are havens for their students and exist as the bright light at the end of the dark tunnel. It would be such a shame for that light to go out. With that mind, as much as teachers must be willing to teach, students must be willing to learn. There has to be, in some capacity, a mutual understanding between the student and teacher, where each agrees to fulfill their responsibilities for one another. If this unspoken agreement is honored, I do believe that the relationship between the two parties will flourish, nurture, and better both involved. All in all, my core convictions are simple: be willing, be loving, be understanding, be THERE.