My philosophy of education has developed and coalesced through education, research, mistakes, success, and reflection.  It is built upon the ideas of the progressive, behavioral and humanist adult educator.  Whereas some may find these philosophies in conflict, I find that they complement each other.  I believe in facilitating the growth of my students to problem-solve, collaborate, transfer skills from one situation to another, set goals, master skills, grow in self-awareness and self-regulation.  Progressivism centers on pragmatic work-force centered skills, but I find my teaching would not be complete without addressing behavior, attitude, authenticity, and individuality. “Behaviorisms offers the technology for changing behaviors and attitudes… while humanism offers that states or experiences needed in people to increase their propensity to actively care…” (Geller, 1995).

Knowledge is constructed, discovered and transformed by students.  Students actively construct their own knowledge.  Learning is conceived as something a learner does, not something that is done to the learner (Vygotsky, 1978).

     I believe the student is an active participant in their own learning.  That is, the student constructs discovers and transforms their own knowledge.  Learning is an active and dynamic process, not a passive one.

     I tend to lean more towards constructivism and progressivism in teaching math for my GED students and lean more towards behaviorism and humanism in teaching study-skills and character education to my freshman students.  

     I seek to be a student of my students, teaching, guiding, nurturing and cheering my students towards their goals to learn about, interact with, wrestle with, and find meaning from the world around them.  As an educator of adults entering into community college or seeking to gain their GED, I see my role as coach, teacher, instructor, cheerleader, and facilitator to foster a life-long love of learning.

     Coach/teacher:  I believe the adult educator identifies the needs of the adult learner, provides practical knowledge in problem-solving skills, provides purpose for the learning, incorporates learner interest and experience into learning, serves as a resource to the learner, and is responsible for providing learner, as Dewey, espoused in his groundbreaking Experience and Education, "with experiences with tangible and immediate value to the student to engender competence and contribution to society" (Dewey, 1938).

     I believe the role of the coach/teacher is to propagate and encourage motivation and competence in students through real-life situations and authentic application in order to encourage generalization of skills and concepts and to encourage the transfer of learning to different contexts beyond the initial lesson and classroom (Wlodkowski, 2008).

     Instructor/cheerleader: I believe the adult educator encourages curiosity, inquiry, and experimentation in the learner, providing a framework of systems and methods, whereby the student can set goals, practice skills, build mastery those skills, through timely, effective, and compassionate feedback.  I believe that for skills and concepts such as math and goal-setting, learning tasks must be broken down into specific measurable tasks, and when repeated, will become the habit (Rostami & Khodjooi, 2010).

     Facilitator:  I believe in the ability for each of us to reflect, grow and change.  I believe that the foundation of learning is respect and trust between the learning facilitator and the adult learner.  I believe the facilitator guides the learner to become self-directed, develop creativity, take responsibility for learning, become a critical thinker, and learn to regulate one’s emotions and actions.

     Each of these dimensions and attributes of a teacher, coach, instructor, cheerleader, coach, and facilitator engender an environment of safety, engagement, and authentic relationship.  It is in this space where the real fun begins and the lightbulbs of the mind begin to burn brilliantly.