Johnson, Saliyha

I center my teaching philosophy around helping children fall in love with learning. I aim to create an environment of mutual respect and collaboration so that teaching and learning can be as uninhibited as possible. Teachers are secondary parents. We are, in numerous ways, the "village" that people refer to when they speak of raising a child. Teachers are individuals who have taken on the enormous task of providing the world's future leaders with foundational education. I want to be the teacher that makes every child feel as though they can be anything because they know the joy of learning. Every time I was able to feel that way, my teacher captivated me and showed me that education happens when learning is intrinsic. Those teachers forced me out of believing that school was a chore, and that made me want to attend and want to learn. When I teach, that's the effect I make. Learning will know no limits with a teacher like that facilitating a classroom. The years that I recall showing the most growth were the years that I had teachers who inspired me by pushing me. They never gave up hope, showed endless enthusiasm, and cared much more than their energy levels showed. They made it through the 180 days like champions because they wanted to see each one of their students be successful. Learning should be collaborative, interactive, and fun. It should be diversified to reach diverse learners, and it should be reciprocal. Many people think that it is the teachers who do most of the teaching, but children have taught me much more than I've ever taught them. They have all of the tools and skills they need to be successful; I believe it's the teacher's job to help them hone those skills by providing them with building blocks.

As a teacher in a turnaround schools, I have had to be creative with my lesson plans. My teaching was adapted to my students. They weren’t always able to communicate their needs, but I was able to come to them and find commonalities to build from. It isn't fair to the students, if we expect specific results and not do our part by providing them with context, knowledge, and the skills they need to achieve those results. We expect more from children than we expect of ourselves and it’s in my opinion that we expect more from ourselves as well.

I approach teaching through a constructivist learner-centered lens because students should be the focal point of the learning that occurs in the classroom. They already have knowledge and experiences that will enrich their education, so we must reflect as much of them into their lessons as possible. It is when we do the opposite, ignore the students in front of us and teach them what WE think they should know; that we yield unsavory consequences. I do not view children as blank canvases, so much as a view them as valuable raw human potential. They have everything they need; they need to know what their tools can help them with, and that's where the teacher's job comes in. Children are apprentices honing the craft of living, so why not teach them how to live well?

I know that no two learners are the same in how they will receive information because each of them will bring different backgrounds and viewpoints into the classroom. I foster perspectives to build equitable alliances of teaching and learning. We will value teamwork, flexibility, and accountability because everyone will have something different to contribute. Or, in the words of my mentor, "we all do better when we ALL do better. I realized that no one method of teaching would work for each student in every classroom. I believe that if we work together, are flexible with learning styles, and hold one another accountable; there is no reason we won't be successful. The common Core standards were implemented to ensure students were college-ready, but an often neglected reality is, not every student wants to attend college. My classroom prepares its students on how to navigate the world around them using whatever is helpful to ensure the child's growth. I aim to focus on the building block of formal education (math, writing, and reading) and teaching life skills so that each student will have the knowledge they will need to be useful members of society.

"Hard work is a two-way street. You get back exactly what you put in" – Unknown

My classroom is a democracy. Each student has a job (line leader, board eraser, line caboose, etc.) and each student will pay taxes to contribute to classroom activities. I incorporate this mini-city model into my classroom because it will help students gain a better understanding of how communities work together and emphasize accountability and teamwork. It also show civics in a tangible and consumable way. My students are encouraged to welcome the differences of their classmates' learning styles through differentiated instruction. They are challenged to be leaders in the classroom so that they can help enrich our learning by sharing their experiences and perspectives. The goal is to find what will motivate each student to reach their maximal potential and provide instruction that adheres to their "why" as much as possible.

To some, my views on teaching may be idealistic and hard to accomplish, so far I’ve yielded great results. The biggest challenges I have faced have been poverty, learned helplessness, and egos. I am prepared to bridge any gaps by building relationships with my students, their caregivers, and the community I will be serving. I welcomed failures because they have better helped me serve my students. I realized that while my students will be learning, so will I.

I received my Bachelor of General Education before going on to work in higher education and mental health. Even after receiving my Master degree in teaching and learning, the best advice that I received was to diversify my teaching styles, or as Dr. Hanna, my former substance abuse professor put it, "Meet them where they are and make the journey with them". I teach to my students’ learning styles as often as needed and I adjust my lesson plans and my teaching style accordingly. They need me to be a “great teacher” exponentially more than I need them to be "great students." I am accountable for each student in my class and accountability will look like differentiated lessons, bringing in community members, personalized instruction, etc. No one person can be all things to everyone, so if I have a student who is not able to understand a concept after I have presented it multiple ways, I find another person who can reach that child in the ways that I can't. Why have a village, if you don’t put it to great use? My students know me because I bring my wealth of knowledge and present it to them in an age-appropriate methods while encouraging them to do the same.

My classroom is a safe space for anyone who enters because that's how healing and learning happens simultaneously. To close the achievement gap, to provide equitable education and to reach our potentials, we must welcome and honor diversity in every way that it presents itself in our learning environment. Intersectional 21st century education is what we need to cultivate a better and brighter future for everyone.