My Philosophy of Education

“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6


My responsibility as a Lutheran teacher and coach is to assist parents in their God-given role of nurturing and educating their children to approach life from a Godly perspective. The most important goal for a student or athlete to achieve is a personal relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While we need to develop skills and abilities to function well in society we must recognize that, [t]he fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7) As the children in my care develop a relationship with God they are then able to benefit from wisdom and discipline.
In my classroom contributing to the success of my students is essential. I am committed to providing a variety of age appropriate learning experiences in safe and secure surroundings. My job is to convey knowledge and teach skills to enable my students to be productive, contributing members of society. I provide opportunities for my students to practice the skills necessary to interact with society constructively. My classroom is a happy, healthy, nurturing Christian environment, which promotes physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. I encourage problem solving and critical thinking so children will find joy in discovery and are well equipped to be life-long learners. I provide instruction, encouragement, assessments and feedback to all students corporately and individually. I recognize the importance of appropriate, detailed instruction that will allow each child to experience success. I model the behaviors and attitudes I wish to see in my students. Furthermore, I attempt to commend the quality use of God-given talents, skills and abilities. I am in a unique position of influence when I consistently demonstrate appreciation and reinforce the value of using these gifts to God’s glory.

There is a huge responsibility associated with teaching and coaching. This is an area of undue influence and this influence must be used judiciously. When I have the opportunity to give counsel to my student athletes I must be very conscious of the possible implications of my suggestions. Often I find that I am a confidant and I can help guide and direct in areas my students or athletes are uncomfortable to share with a parent. It is essential therefore; that I develop a relationship with my student’s parents and that we are able to communicate so that I am able to reinforce the attitudes and ethics they wish to teach their children. Partnering well with parents requires regular open communication in the form of newsletters, displays, emails, telephone conversations and as often as possible, face-to-face. In addition, I solicit and welcome feedback from my student’s parents in the form of an anonymous questionnaire in order to best ascertain what I am doing well and the areas I need to focus on for improvement.
I believe Lutheran Schools should be governed by and filled with faculty exuding the love of God. To develop a climate of loving acceptance for our students we must focus on positive reinforcement. It is necessary to encourage behaviors, attitudes and ethics we wish to see. Negative behaviors, which must be addressed prudently, often demand attention so it takes determination to focus on the positive behaviors and give them the attention they deserve. Above all, Lutheran Schools must share Christ. The faculty and support personnel who are selected to guide the students in a Lutheran School must enjoy a personal relationship with God. In order to teach effectively, the teacher must know the material. If I want my students to have a personal relationship with God I must continually seek to develop and grow in my relationship with God along with continuing to study curriculum design, mapping and strategies; best practices; learning theories; and cognitive development.