Rachel Maureen Sanborn’s Teaching Philosophy

Classroom Management
As students come from all different walks of life, it is important to be aware of the broader community that my students are com-
ing from. It is critical to meet students’ fundamental necessities in ensuring each child has a safe environment where they feel
loved, before being able to teach them. I will do this by working every day to strengthen my relationship with each student, as
well as with their families, in order to promote a loving classroom community.

While relationships are number one in regards to classroom management, I also use positive incentives, classroom cheers, teacher
vs student point systems, and positive emails home in order to encourage students to always try their best, both behaviorally and
academically. Additionally, I use student reflections and word goal planning in order to allow students ownership in their own
growth. I use an “action plan”, “think sheets”, student-teacher conferences, and parent involvement in order to address concerning
behavior as soon as it arises. “And if those children are unresponsive, maybe you can’t teach them yet, but you can love them.
And if you love them today, maybe you can teach them tomorrow.” – Jeffrey R. Holland.

In addition to relationships and a classroom management plan, I also believe in hands on minds on engaging lessons. I believe that
with structure, organization, clear expectations, that a lesson that is hands on minds on and student-led/teacher-facilitated will
minimize behavioral concerns as it focuses the class energy on wanting to learn. I have been, and continue to, research and incor-
porate new teachings such as works by Anita Archer, Kevin Feldman, Whole Brain Teaching, and more, in order to best teach my
students.

Global Awareness, Cultural Sensitivity, and Differentiation

I believe in empathy and equity. To me, it is critical to see children in my classroom not only as “students”, but as children. When
children enter the classroom, they come in with experiences and memories, some positive and some difficult. In my classroom, I
strive to promote inclusivity both from myself and amongst the classroom members, whether there be difference in race, culture,
gender, ability, learning needs, socioeconomics, family structure, family beliefs, etc. I believe that it is important to discuss with
children that all people are unique… and that unique is good. It is important for students to be able to look at different situations
through multiple lenses, and see how someone from a different perspective (especially one that has been historically silenced or
marginalized) might perceive a scenario differently. This encourages empathy and works towards embracing different cultures. I
strive for equity and appropriate differentiation within the classroom. Equity and appropriate differentiation can be accomplished
by being open minded, caring, patient, genuine; using scaffolding, gradual release, graphic organizers and different modes of in-
put/output; and working closely with families, resource teachers, school social workers, school behavioral teams, and other teach-
ers and staff.

Organized
Organization is crucial for teachers. In learning communities, there are papers to grade, data to collect and use, unfinished work,
folders, notebooks, books, glues, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and so much more. For a classroom to feel safe and consistent, it is
important for there to be spots for each classroom material and a strong organization system. In addition to the physical classroom,
I also believe that it is important to be organized in thought. To me, this means giving clear and simple directions, keeping the
learning objectives on the board for students/parents/administrators to easily find, and having a consistent schedule and set of
classroom rules/expectations. While organization is a strength of mine, I also believe it is necessary to be flexible and able to
adapt to the ever changing situations that arise within a classroom and school community.

Strong Communication Skills and Collaboration

Communication with families, students themselves, co-workers, and administration is important to create and maintain the best
classroom possible. I make sure to provide contact information at the beginning of the year to all families and respond to emails
within 24 hours on weekdays. It is vital to not only open the dialogue with families at the beginning of the year, but also to main-
tain open communication with families throughout the year and consistently keep them informed of what is going on in the class-
room both academically and behaviorally. I do this by sending weekly newsletter emails home about what is going on in the
classroom and in the school, using “Family Communication Folders” that students bring back and forth in backpacks, as well as
updating classroom pages (like Seesaw) with up-to-date photos, videos, and classroom activities. In addition to communicating
with parents on student progress, I use parents as a fundamental resource of knowledge and create an open dialogue with families
in order to work together to support their child the best way possible. While communicating with families, I also make sure stu-
dents have an input in their own learning and have student conferences to reflect with them on their progress and areas for growth.

I believe in Professional Learning Communities because working with other teachers is valuable in sharing ideas, hardships, and
successes. Learning about students from their past teachers and communicating my knowledge to their future teachers will better
help students be successful in each grade level. Sharing and borrowing lesson plans, materials, and ideas from other teachers al-
lows us all to better serve our classroom, the community, and ourselves. Clear and direct communication with administration is
also important in order to make sure everyone is on the same page and has access to the same information.
Open-Minded and a Lifelong Learner
Beyond the classroom, I am a strong believer in open-mindedness. While I feel confident in my education through MSU and in
my experiences, one of my most valued skills is my drive to be a lifelong learner. In order to do this, it’s important to be open-
minded. No matter how much one knows, they can always learn more. Research changes, best pedagogy changes, and I am pre-
pared and eager to change with it. I will do this by seeking out professional development, having conversations with other educa-
tors, and reflecting upon my own teachings and classroom data.