John F. Kennedy Middle School

Ms. Case’s Web page

Contact Ms. Case: dawcase@spsk12.net

My Teaching Philosophy...

Teaching is a career that sends you home with the feeling that you have made a difference in someone else’s life.  I have always wanted to be a teacher because I wanted the opportunity to show children that they can become anything that they want to be and accomplish any goal that they set their minds to.  A teacher can open up new worlds to their students in all different subject areas and teach them which areas they have the greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses.  As a teacher, I attempt to take those strengths and weaknesses that students possess and teach them how to use them in all aspects of their lives.  I teach my students to grasp a hold of their strengths and weaknesses, learn from them and build upon them to meet their every desire, goal or dream.   The part of teaching that I enjoy the most is where I give the students the tools they need to take advantage of their strengths and weaknesses and open up students eyes to all the possibilities that life has to offer them.  It is the opportunity to touch a child’s life through knowledge and education that draws me to the career of teaching.

             I believe that all students are capable of learning despite their economic, social, mental or emotional backgrounds.   I firmly believe that there is no barrier that a student can come by that is too difficult that they cannot succeed in or learn from.  There is no obstacle that is too hard for any student to reach when they set their goals high. High standards and expectations make for high achievers.  Saying that you “can’t do something” makes you a quitter and quitters never prosper.

             People remain students throughout their entire life because we are forever learning something from someone.  I inspire my students to be lifetime learners, to learn from everything around them.   Learning never stops.  Teachers are placed within classrooms to instruct and nurture learning.  Teachers are tour guides, giving directions and explanations to concepts that students must analyze, synthesis and evaluate through their lifetime of learning.  It is the student’s responsibility to utilize the information that is given to them through teaching and apply it to all situations they may encounter in the future.

Students are responsible for their own learning, which is why I believe they should have an active part in their learning.  I believe in setting class missions and visions along with personal student goals to help them achieve the maximum potential in their education.   I rely on student’s opinions and reflections of lessons heavily to tailor my lessons to meet the needs of the students as individuals and as an entire class.   Student’s interests are also important in my classroom.  If they are not interested, how can I expect them to learn?  Student involvement in the design of my lessons actively contributes to high performance.           

I have also learned through my experience that a child should be educated not only through subject matter, but also through character education in order to ensure high academic achievement.   I believe that a teacher should educate the "whole" child.  As a teacher, I try to teach my students to be a part of a community that cares for themselves and for one another and to value honor, knowledge, character and integrity within themselves and others. I am a firm believer that when students respect themselves, they will perform at a higher rate.