Teacher profile

Theoretical framework

Piaget’s view that children construct knowledge by actively engaging with their environment and Vygotsky’s emphasis on the social nature of learning together provide a foundation for understanding how young learners grow through interaction and exploration. Gardner’s recognition of multiple intelligences and Bruner’s focus on scaffolding and meaning-making further inform my belief that children learn in diverse ways and benefit from guided discovery.

Additionally, Ryken’s insight that teaching inevitably reflects one’s worldview and Wolterstorff’s understanding of education as oriented toward human flourishing shape my conviction that education is never value-neutral. These perspectives together form a coherent framework that emphasises development, meaning, purpose, and the dignity of each child.

Teaching philosophy

Guided by this framework, my practice centres on offering learning experiences that are meaningful, developmentally appropriate, and accessible to all learners. I work to create a classroom atmosphere where children feel supported, curious, and able to engage with ideas at their own pace. Play, interaction, and exploration shape the way learning unfolds, allowing students to build understanding in ways that make sense to them.

Approach to teaching and learning

In day-to-day teaching, I draw on Bruner and Gibbons’ early-years-appropriate forms of scaffolding—modelling language, supporting brief exchanges, and gradually extending independence—so that all children can participate confidently. This approach informs how I plan, teach, assess, and reflect, helping me respond to students’ needs while encouraging steady growth and increasing autonomy.

Teaching context

I enjoy work in smaller rural schools as well as larger urban institutions. In each context, teaching practices and learning goals are shaped by institutional expectations, student profiles, and the resources available. This approach aims to balance immediate classroom needs with broader, long-term educational and personal objectives.

Goals

Over the next five years, I aim to consolidate my practice with very young learners while gradually expanding my work into upper-primary levels. I also hope to contribute more actively to school-wide initiatives, including curriculum revision, cross-age projects, and well-being programs where my chaplaincy and legal experience can inform practices of care, mediation, and procedural clarity. Ultimately, my goal is to develop a professional profile that combines strong pedagogical grounding with the capacity to support learners and colleagues across different age groups and institutional needs.