PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

APOLINARIA CORNEJO My philosophy of education derives from the opportunities that were once provided to me by the many dedicated teachers that at some point in my life helped mold who I am today. The challenges along the way also contributed to my beliefs of education. My belief is that all children are capable of learning when provided quality education. It is a matter of assessing where the children are and meeting them at that level as a starting point to scaffold instruction. I believe that every child has a right to quality education and deserves to be educated in a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth are fostered. There are two metaphors that come to mind when I think about my commitment as an educator and future leader. The first metaphor is a lighthouse. I am committed to serving as a guiding light through the process of learning and leading. Just as a light house assists a captain and crew members in a ship to figure out their location, I will assist myself, my teachers, and my students in figuring out where we stand in order to grow in every aspect. As a guiding light, I will embark in the educational journey as a resource and not as an over ruler of power. By providing opportunity for everyone to have a voice to share their thoughts, embark in self-discovery, offer contributions, and take ownership of their role in the campus education, we will come together in a shared vision and mission to provide quality education in an environment conducive of learning. The second metaphor that describes my commitment to education is a river. A river bends and keeps flowing until it reaches a larger body of water to empty out. In order to lead, ensure that quality education is delivered, and keep the rivers of knowledge flowing, I will have to adjust my leadership and instructional methodology to ensure that the teachers are on board with best practices and the students understand what is being presented to them in each learning opportunity. Through the use of differentiation, I will scaffold and provide support as a method of differentiated leadership to ensure that teachers and students are successful. My goal is to convert stumbling blocks into stepping stones by making adjustments when necessary. This will allow me to meet my teachers at their professional level and my students at their instructional level. My commitment to education originates from the love of learning that I hope to instill in my students as an educator and in my teachers as an aspiring administrator.