Teaching Statement

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education."
Martin Luther King Jr.

As an educator with over 25 years of experience at various grade levels (K - 12) and tertiary, my passion lies in inspiring students and fostering a love for learning thereby empowering students to reach their full potential. Throughout my years of attending school, my most effective teachers have instilled in me the passion they brought to their respective subjects. In my opinion, out-of-the-classroom education is the perfect complement to classroom learning and a way to help students learn the 21st Century skills to become better citizens of the world. Hence, I have been engaging my students in activities in and outside of the classroom that allows them to engage in critical thinking and the application of knowledge acquired to real life situations. I try to facilitate through thoughtful preparation of course content and its engaging delivery, as well as striving to make connections between abstract concepts and applications or demonstrations along with meaningful learning experiences. I have made concerted efforts to maintain a positive yet challenging classroom environment to foster students' confidence thereby encouraging active participation. I am always excited at the prospects to continue develop active teaching styles; following guidelines of a reflective practitioner with a desire to hone the craft over time. This I endeavour to execute to the best of my ability as I am committed to the holistic development of my students through effective and efficient collaborative efforts and continuous professional development.

Mentoring

I have mentored many students who pursued undergraduate degrees in primary education for over ten years of teaching practice supervision. Through these experiences and through observing my own mentors, I have found that the most effective mentoring style is different for each individual. Thus, I make it a priority to encourage and motivate my mentees and facilitate their learning from mistakes or errors made. Subsequently, I would schedule regular communication and feedback with mentees that fosters reflection. Additionally, I engage students in both group and individual consultation so as to assess personal and professional progress academically and professionally and make suggestions as to the best approach to achieving these goals.

Signed by: Kemesha Williams
Date: 06 - 28-2024