Amy Murnaghan's

1. Amy Murnaghan's PersonalTeaching Philosophy "Deep understanding is ultimatley related to what we mean by wisdom. To understand the world we must first understand ourselves." (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p.100 )

2. Teach Responsively Personal Teaching Philosophy

3. How… ♥ Connect with students on a personal level ♥ Foster students ability to relate and connect with other students ♥ Unite with parents/guardians ♥ Bond with administrative staff and colleagues ♥ Promote a relationship with God Why… Theorists have indicated the following: Bronfrenbrenner: (Ecological Model) Every person develops within a Microsystems (family, friends, school activities, teachers), inside a Mesosystems (the interactions among all the Microsystems elements), and through an Exosystem (social settings that affect a child, such a religious affiliation). Positive interaction within our ecological model supports the development of positive beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Vygotsky: (Socioculutral Theory) Through peer and adult relationships, children learn the culture of their community (ways of thinking and behaving). Maslow: (Hierarchy of Needs) One of the lower-order needs includes love (a deficiency need) and in order for individuals to meet higher-order needs, the lower-order needs must be fulfilled. Personal Philosophy Build Relationships

4. Personal Phiolosohy Create A Safe Environment How… † Promote students capacity to feel someone cares † Allow student’s to grow † Foster students ability to feel a sense of belonging † Encourage students to take risks while promoting mastery-orientated students Why… Theorists have indicated the following: Maslow: (Hierarchy of Needs) The lower-order needs include safety and belonging (deficiency needs) and in order for individuals to meet higher-order needs, the lower-order needs must be fulfilled. If school is a fearful, unpredictable place, students are likely to be more concerned with safety and less with needs to know and understand. Convingtion: Mastery-Orientated Students tend to value achievement and see ability with an incremental view. When we encourage students to take risks, they will not be fearful of failure, because failing does not threaten sense of competence and self-worth. These students assume responsibility for learning and have a strong sense of self efficacy. Bandura (Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory): “We all may know more than we show”. Even though learning has occurred it may not be demonstrated until the situation is appropriate or there are incentives to perform.

5. Personal Phiolosohy Teach Responsively How… ◊ Teach curriculum-as-planned while incorporating curriculum-as-lived-experience ◊ Think like a student and be attuned to their needs and interests ◊ Awareness of students cognitive developmental level and zone of proximal development ◊ Listen to students ◊ Provide a variety of teaching strategies while acknowledging different learning styles Why… Theorists have indicated the following: Vygotsky: (Zone of Proximal Development) The zone of proximal development is the area between the child’s current development level by independent problem solving and the level of development that the child can achieve through adult guidance. If we are aware of our students zone of proximal development, needs and interests, we as teachers can provide appropriate scaffolding methods. Piaget: (Stages of Cognitive Development) Piaget has indicated there are four stages of human cognitive development. The cognitive stages of development are the following : sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. When teachers understand and acknowledge each students cognitive developmental level, appropriate teaching strategies are implemented to compliment the students cognitive level of development.