Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited with beating heart for something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbor was. "Light! Give me light!" was the wordless cry of my soul, and the light of love shone on me in that very hour. - Helen Keller My personal educational beliefs are non-authoritarian. I believe that the classroom should be student-centered, that all people have dignity, worth, and value, and should be treated fairly and respectfully. I believe true success is seen in an all inclusive school setting where student-centered learning is ideal. I also agree with the Humanistic viewpoint that education is the development of the total person. All students can learn and must be taught effectively, according to their individual needs. With this belief comes the acknowledgment that cultural and individual diversity enriches the learning environment. School programs should reflect the diversity and uniqueness of the student body represented in the district.
Education helps to develop thoughts that are unique to each child. Students should never be thought of categorically as being the same, as their individual needs and abilities are as varied as could be imagined. Each child will learn at a different pace, making individual attention needed. Group participation activities and one-on-one activities should be used interchangeably while implementing a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile approach to reinforce the topics being taught. In addition, students receiving special education services should be provided as many opportunities during the day as possible to interact with and learn