Mission Statement
It is my mission to be the most effective teacher I can possibly be for each unique student that I have the privilege to teach, regardless of circumstance. I aim to not only set the stage for each student to excel in and master their field of study, but also employ methods of self-development to ensure their success inside and outside of the classroom. I use a blend of classic and innovative teaching approaches in the classroom to give my students the highest quality instruction that can be offered. I also work to shape my student's dispositions towards the field of study, and towards their own learning process. Helping students discover the joy and transformative power of education makes them better students, and as well as instilling in them the value of being a life long learner.
Educational Philosophy
I believe education has a purpose which runs much deeper than many of the surface level reductionist views seen in society today. Underneath the obvious function of the imparting of knowledge, and the economic practicalities of vocational training, lies a more essential core which is often overlooked, ignored, or in some instances, invisible to the individual and society. I believe that education, when viewed from its highest potential, is the sole process by which a human being grows toward greater happiness and mastery of all fields of life. At its heart it is the means by which any person can be said to make any progress in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of their existence. The process of education, and the administration of it on a local, national, and global basis, has the ability to help develop a human being to their highest potential, and should not merely be reduced to its grosser ends of preparing a person to take part in temporary social, political, and economic systems. While these aspects of education are highly valuable, they are the exterior manifestations of a holistic education that empowers the individual to live life at their highest potential. Society has magnified, glorified, and desperately clung to these shells of what it believes education has to offer, while never harnessing its true power to transform the individual and society from the inside out and endow them with deep wisdom, virtue, and happiness. Though education has this potential, it should not be mistaken as merely a means to this goal. Education is an ends in itself, as engaging in it fulfills one’s natural desire to expand, evolve, and self actualize. The appreciation for the simple joys that come from learning, as well as the more profound moments of happiness and fulfillment born of epiphanies and skill mastery, are not emphasized enough in education today. Also deemphasized, if not altogether missing, is education on the topic of happiness! Happiness is the singular goal in life that every human being strives for through every action, yet the philosophy and science behind how to obtain this goal are rarely, if ever, focused on in scholastic setting. Many times the most seemingly obvious, yet most essential truths are the ones that are most overlooked and difficult to identify. However, education need not turn a blind eye this most essential human aspiration any longer.
Education, when approached from this view, should first seek to build upon a solid foundation from which the total development of the student can unfold. This is why I believe the practice of Transcendental Meditation by each student is imperative, as consciousness is the foundation of all mental, emotional, and physical phenomena. With each student deeply established in their own inner being, they will more masterfully, effortlessly, and joyfully assimilate all the other aspects of their self with the experiences provided to them either inside or outside the classroom boundaries. Knowledge of the dynamics of consciousness, either through Maharishi’s Science of Creative Intelligence or otherwise, should be part of the student’s curriculum so they will have useful tools in understanding and assimilating their own subjective experiences. Beyond this, I believe that a balanced approach which borrows from the two pedagogical extremes of essentialism and existentialism is needed in shaping school designs, teaching methods, and curriculum. If the strictures of essentialism be too rigid, the student’s innate curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn will be suffocated, and if the freedom provided to the student by existentialism be without guidance, they risk never encountering or mastering knowledge that would greatly aid them in their understanding of life and happiness. This balanced approach will be guided by the wisdom of science, which in our modern day has revealed an incredible wealth of knowledge of how children and adults develop and learn. Using this objective knowledge rather than pedagogical belief and superstition, age appropriate teaching techniques and curriculum will be used to ensure that each student is most effectively receiving knowledge while developing higher cognitive functions. Such a method would necessarily include differentiated instruction, as a particular level of cognitive skill and dominant modes of intelligence are unique to each student. Progressivist methods that champion learning through doing will be employed whenever possible, as science strongly backs the effectiveness of active learning. Through this approach, the student will develop an intimate connection with their inner self, and their own learning process, allowing them effectively learn from all their life experiences, and not just those in the classroom. Students will also develop an intimate collection with their fellow students through regular collaborative learning activities, as well as with the earth through a high frequency of outdoor learning projects. Finally, their physical well being is also necessary for their success as students and human beings, so basic knowledge of health, nutrition, and physically enlivening activities must be incorporated.
Education, when approached from this view, should first seek to build upon a solid foundation from which the total development of the student can unfold. This is why I believe the practice of Transcendental Meditation by each student is imperative, as consciousness is the foundation of all mental, emotional, and physical phenomena. With each student deeply established in their own inner being, they will more masterfully, effortlessly, and joyfully assimilate all the other aspects of their self with the experiences provided to them either inside or outside the classroom boundaries. Knowledge of the dynamics of consciousness, either through Maharishi’s Science of Creative Intelligence or otherwise, should be part of the student’s curriculum so they will have useful tools in understanding and assimilating their own subjective experiences. Beyond this, I believe that a balanced approach which borrows from the two pedagogical extremes of essentialism and existentialism is needed in shaping school designs, teaching methods, and curriculum. If the strictures of essentialism be too rigid, the student’s innate curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn will be suffocated, and if the freedom provided to the student by existentialism be without guidance, they risk never encountering or mastering knowledge that would greatly aid them in their understanding of life and happiness. This balanced approach will be guided by the wisdom of science, which in our modern day has revealed an incredible wealth of knowledge of how children and adults develop and learn. Using this objective knowledge rather than pedagogical belief and superstition, age appropriate teaching techniques and curriculum will be used to ensure that each student is most effectively receiving knowledge while developing higher cognitive functions. Such a method would necessarily include differentiated instruction, as a particular level of cognitive skill and dominant modes of intelligence are unique to each student. Progressivist methods that champion learning through doing will be employed whenever possible, as science strongly backs the effectiveness of active learning. Through this approach, the student will develop an intimate connection with their inner self, and their own learning process, allowing them effectively learn from all their life experiences, and not just those in the classroom. Students will also develop an intimate collection with their fellow students through regular collaborative learning activities, as well as with the earth through a high frequency of outdoor learning projects. Finally, their physical well being is also necessary for their success as students and human beings, so basic knowledge of health, nutrition, and physically enlivening activities must be incorporated.