My Philosophy of Education

I believe that the aim of world language education should be to provide students with a knowledge of the language, culture and history of people from backgrounds that are outside of the students’ own cultural experience.  By first gaining a firm linguistic foundation, the students will learn to appreciate and respect the differences that they see in others so that they will become understanding, caring and productive members of the global community.

Due to the globalization which characterizes today's world, every student needs to learn another language and should reach a level of competency in that language at which the student is able to effectively communicate with others.  Speaking someone else’s language is the first step toward building a relationship with that person.  Since world language skills require human interaction, attention should be given to developing oral and aural communication skills between students.  The best curriculum is one in which the student will not only learn more about a specific subject area, but also learn about him or herself and the world in which he or she lives.

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Technology is a useful tool in world language instruction.  Although not a substitute for human interaction, technology can bring people together and facilitate interactive learning.  Audio programs can provide additional practice for listening skills.  Videos can show students the world and get them excited about language learning.  Games, audio books, links to recipes, music, and more can all be shared with students via a website which gives them access to the world without leaving their home.  Technology can be seamlessly integrated into the world language classroom to greatly enhance second language acquisition.

The teacher is to be the best model after which the student can pattern his or her own life.  This is demonstrated through respect, care, and love for the students as well as a concern for the success of the student.  Peace, patience and self-control should be reflected in effective classroom management in order to provide the best atmosphere in which to learn.  Learning and fun should take place simultaneously as students discover that the classroom is a safe and inviting place to practice their newly acquired language skills.