Education Philosophy Statement By. Jasmine Joseph
The African symbol of Sankofa comes from the Akan people in Ghana. It can be depicted in different variations; 1) as a bird craning its neck to place a pebble on its back, and 2) as a decorative curlicue heart. The English translation of Sankofa means “to go back and gather.” These two visual representations symbolize the notion of reflecting and honoring one's history to move forward to build a stronger future. It is this symbol that I look to as a depiction of my educational philosophy. I believe it takes a faithful community with confident and well-equipped educators to empower the next generation of children who will learn and become inspired agents of change.
Understanding my students and their families heritage and background enables me to be a trusted partner and resource. The literacy practices of parents are essential to their child’s development. Family and school partnership is paramount to creating a positive experience for all educational stakeholders. I aim to teach the whole child and empower them with the knowledge and life skills they will need to improve their lives as they reach adulthood. Working with parents to recognize and nurture their child’s spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual gifts will help foster a happier and healthier generation of people who believe in living mercy and seeking justice for their fellow man.
As an educator, I am committed to assisting my school in developing school-wide initiatives that celebrate and incorporate the culture of all students. I believe that schools should be well equipped with established policies and curricula that are easily accessible so teachers are prepared and empowered to teach students who come to school from varying home, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds. As an educational leader, I believe in providing practical and relevant professional development opportunities for teachers to obtain the necessary resources to keep them aware of the cultural diversity within their student body. This includes providing teachers with effective lesson-planning strategies, mindful classroom management methods, and appropriate assessments that guide instructional decisions.
As a descendant of three generations of teachers, I have been called to be an educator. It is my passion to look back and uplift future generations ascending into the subsequent phases of leadership. Culturally sensitive and appropriate pedagogy must become a model that is more prevalent in the field of education. The socio-political climate of this century thus begs the fact for our children to be more culturally engaged than ever before. It is up to educators to advocate for their students so that they become culturally competent citizens and well-rounded individuals.