Education should be a child-centered, holistic pursuit, focused on educating the whole child and preparing them for life in an interconnected world. In order to accomplish this, an educator must set up a learning environment that allows students to feel welcomed, safe, valued, and able to take risks. The foundation of this learning environment is made up of the relationships an educator builds with students by connecting with them as humans, understanding their lives and interests, and building a sense of trust & respect that goes both ways. Through hands-on, integrated learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom, students develop an understanding of the complex connections that exist in the world and learn more effectively. Students should experience opportunities for free exploration and unstructured inquiry, especially in the natural world, to form their own ideas and engage their natural curiosity. Teachers should model how to make mistakes and change one’s mind based on the acquisition of new information, and should be a learner alongside the students, showing excitement and enthusiasm for learning and modeling lifelong learning. It is also vital that an educator is constantly seeking new perspectives, information, and methods to best serve students, while using teaching practices that show value to all students, from different cultures, socioeconomic statuses, and linguistic backgrounds. Teachers should be “warm demanders” of all students, setting up high expectations and expecting all students to learn and contribute, but committing to understand them as people, care for them, and connect with them, while being a constant figure of acceptance and support in their lives. Ultimately, the true value of an educator lies in the ability to build strong positive relationships with students, cultivate a classroom space where students can develop into compassionate, caring humans, and develop in them a lifelong desire to learn.
Selected Teaching Techniques/Pedagogies: Ambitious Science Teaching, culturally responsive/sustaining pedagogy, inquiry-based & project-based learning, TLAC, No Nonsense Nurturing, social justice education, environmental education, integrated outdoor learning
Selected Educational Theorists/Figures: David Orr, Richard Louv, Django Paris, Geneva Gay, James Banks
Julia Tandy Harnick 