Jennifer Harper
Vermont Teacher of the Year
Cavendish Town Elementary School, Ludlow
Grade 4, All subjects

My teaching philosophy
My philosophy of teaching is simple. If students are engaged, they are thinking, which means they are learning. How do I know they are engaged? In my opinion, if they are asking questions, making predictions and actively communicating with each other, then they are engaged and learning.

I love to learn. It is a complete rush for me when I discover something new. When I can see that same thrill of learning in a student’s face, I know I have been successful. Teaching provides me with the opportunity to nurture that love of learning for myself and for my students. I am amazed how much I learn from my class every day. I want my students to know that learning never ends. Whenever I am out of the building, I always share with my students what I learned while I was out. It is my goal to assist my students in developing the necessary critical thinking skills so that they can take learning beyond the classroom.

The field of education is always changing and progressing. As an elementary teacher, I have to be open to change and to updating my methods of teaching to newer and better ways of teaching. It is my responsibility to remain abreast of these changes and to determine how to best implement them in my classroom to improve student learning.
I like to think of my classroom as one that involves flexibility of space, student choice, rich learning materials, integration of curriculum areas, frequent and timely feedback, and more individual or small-group instruction rather than large-group instruction. I work hard to make sure my students feel safe to learn and to participate. I integrate “Brain Gym” activities throughout the day to reenergize, release stress, and bring a bit of balance into my students’ lives. Hopefully, these activities will shape my students’ lives into healthier ones.

It is my belief that students who learn through experience, will retain the material longer and understand it better than if it is just presented to them. The majority of children truly enjoy experimenting on their own. I work hard to provide an environment that enables students to make mistakes and learn from their mistakes without being intimidated. My style of teaching strongly supports many small-group hands-on activities. This allows them to explore and learn more freely. I feel that this is extremely beneficial for learning to take place, and for the development of the child.

Social skills are equally as important as academic skills and should be recognized as such. So many students today lack basic social skills. This can really impede their ability to communicate effectively with others.

The student must also develop as a “whole child.” This means that the school not only has to provide for the child academically, but the school also has to provide a proper social and emotional learning environment. A student needs to be socially and emotionally ready before she/he can be successful in her/his life’s goals.

It is essential to remember as a teacher, that all actions and speech are constantly being monitored by my students, supervisors and co-workers. As a teacher, I am an authority figure as well as a collaborator. It is important to me that my students realize that I don’t have all of the answers to their questions. In life, working collaboratively can really enhance everyone’s understanding of a subject.

Most importantly, an outstanding teacher has high standards - high standards for herself and her students. Students will step up to the bar that you set if given the encouragement and support in a safe learning environment.

My philosophy in action
If you were to visit my classroom, you would see many things. First you would see me as a facilitator or coach, using interactive discussions and “hands-on” approaches to help students learn and apply concepts in subjects such as science, mathematics, or language arts. I utilize manipulatives, cameras, and computers to help students understand abstract concepts, solve problems, and develop critical thought processes.

Frequently, students are in small groups working collaboratively, having active discussions and solving problems. Students are historians, scientists, mathematicians, journalists, and readers throughout their day. Putting them in these roles helps to prepare them for the future workforce where collaboration is essential. Students must be able to be flexible, adapt to new technology, and make connections between different situations. I provide students with the tools and the work environment for them to refine these skills.

It is very important to me that students not only develop academically while they are with me, but I also provide opportunities for students to grow emotionally, socially and physically. What children learn and experience during their early years can shape their views of themselves and the world, which certainly impacts who they become as an adult. My classroom is equipped with fitness balls that are sized for each child, and I intertwine “Brain Gym” activities and polarity yoga exercises throughout our day. This allows for students to move energy. Some students need to release energy, while others need to activate themselves. If a student is physically and emotionally balanced, great academic gains can be made.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest accomplishment was winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2002, and completing my masters program from the University of Vermont through the Vermont Mathematics Initiative in 2003

The most critical issues facing educators today
I see three major issues in today’s public education. The first is funding. The second is time, and the third is the health of our students. In my opinion, there is no easy answer for funding. I believe that there will always be a funding crisis for education. The same goes for time. Teachers need time to teach students. Most schedules are so interrupted it is difficult to get a flow going before you have to stop and take your students to art, music, physical education, library, or foreign language. I believe that these classes are vital to our students, but more work needs to be done on scheduling them so students can have fewer interruptions. Teachers need time to collaborate and network with teachers at their grade level, within their building, within their district, as well as with educators around their state. They need to be given the same opportunities as other professions to communicate. Most importantly, teachers need time to be able to reflect on their practice, and be given time to take those reflections and make the necessary adjustments to their students’ program. With the current NCLB law, teachers have increased demands placed upon them, and teachers need the time to make adjustments to their teaching to meet the new demands.

With that being said, I think what is really plaguing our schools today is the health of our students. I am talking about the entire health picture. Millions of students in our country are overweight. It’s not just the pudgy pre-teen picture any more. The preschool obesity rate has risen from 3% to 10% since 1994 according to the American Heart Association.

"If kids aren't healthy, their learning suffers," says Jerry Newberry, executive director of the NEA Health Information Network, "and research shows that sedentary kids who eat high-sugar, high-fat meals may have poorer cognitive skills, higher anxiety levels, and problems with hyperactivity."

Overweight kids suffer just as much emotionally as they do physically. These students are usually targets for bullies. Most do not participate in sports or physical activities so they tend not to build as many relationships and usually suffer from depression. Plus, they have a tough time using the same chairs, tables, and equipment that their peers use. The lack of involvement in sports or physical activities just makes their situation worse.

What caused our nation’s children to get to this point? My theory is the fast-paced, high-tech world we live in. Kids would rather watch tv or play a video game than be outside getting some exercise. How often do kids sit down with their family to eat dinner? How often do kids arrive at home and no one is there to greet them? Parents are stretched to the max. Most are working two jobs just to make ends meet. Even when they can sit down with their child for dinner it usually consists of fast, processed, or prepackaged foods. Parents have very little time to spend “playing” and doing physical activities with their kids. They rush home from work, make dinner, help with the homework and then the day is usually gone. Kids are left to motivate themselves to get some physical activity.

It’s not all just parents who need to change. Schools have to take a look at what they are offering students. How is the students’ day scheduled? How much physical activity are students getting? Is it daily? Do they even have a physical education class? What is being served for lunch? Are there healthy snacks being provided for students? What healthy habits or unhealthy habits are being modeled by educators? I know it is expensive to provide a high-fiber, low-fat, low sugar hot lunch menu, but we need to start considering the consequences of not providing healthier choices. What we serve students should model a healthy meal.

As a 4th grade teacher, I am also fully aware of the pressures in trying to meet the academic requirements of NCLB and state standards. To think of interrupting my schedule or losing academic time for physical activity seems impossible. However, this year I have had the opportunity to work weekly with two occupational therapists due to the needs of my students. They have given me great ideas of how to incorporate spurts of physical activity that not only increase energy, but also release extra energy. Some of the exercises release stress and others bring focus for the student.

If students are healthy, both physically and emotionally, it is surely to have a positive impact on their ability to learn. Many schools claim that when students start making positive changes in their physical and emotional health, discipline issues drop. Teachers have no control over what students do at home, but we can certainly try to influence their decisions. First, schools need to have physical education as a regularly scheduled class. Secondly, teachers can serve as role models as well. Incorporate quick physical activities that release stress, strengthen focus and enable students to become more aware of themselves. Use physical activity as an incentive. Reward your students with a hike or some other physical activity. Thirdly, model healthy eating habits. Give frequent water breaks. Write a mini-grant to provide healthy snacks for your class for the year. Create health challenges for your class to meet each month. Lastly, form a team in your building that includes parents and students that meet regularly to discuss health issues and brainstorm solutions. The team could create school-wide or community-wide health challenges. They could give input to the lunch menu and they may even work on initiatives to improve the health of the whole child. Improving the health habits of our students now will lead to healthier adults which in turn will make us a healthier country.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed

Whose Child is This?
Author Unknown

"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should”

"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school"

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door
"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the little child
"Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever."

One lesson every student should learn
Every child should learn to dance - to dance to their own beat.
They should come to appreciate the many beats around them,
to find the beat that moves them forward at their own pace and allows them to spin around and around when they so desire, a pace that causes some disequilibrium.

This disequilibrium will allow them to be pushed into new learning.
They need to learn that dancing can be done alone or in partnership, or in group, to learn that dance is nothing more than becoming comfortable in their own beat, at their own pace.

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