I am sharing the following statement as a reflection of my teaching philosophy and approach to education. While my resume outlines my experience, I believe this gives a more authentic picture of who I am as a teacher and how I engage with students of different ages and learning levels. It illustrates the values I bring to an individualized homeschooling environment, including flexibility, creativity, and a deep commitment to fostering both academic growth and a love of learning.
Teaching Philosophy and Approach
While a resume provides a summary of experience and qualifications, it does not adequately give insight into who I am as a teacher and what I bring to the classroom. During the pandemic, I had an opportunity to teach a very small group of first graders, and that experience reinforced my belief that teaching, whether with very young students or those working at a more advanced level, is as much about building trust and confidence as it is about academics.
Before any substantial teaching begins, I make it a priority to get to know my students and to help them become comfortable being with me. The one thing, above all else, I want my students to know is that in our classroom, it is perfectly okay to make mistakes. Not only is it okay, but mistakes are celebrated because they let us know what we need to learn and where we need to work just a bit harder. When I first share this with my students, they often look at me with a bit of suspicion, but it is a mantra I repeat often. After a month or so, they will finish my sentences. I say, “I see you’ve made a mistake...” or “It seems you’re struggling a little with this. I love this because...” and they chime in with, “...it tells us what we need to learn!” I never want my students, regardless of age, to be afraid to take an academic risk out of fear of having the wrong answer. I want them to be brave and feel empowered, not only in the classroom but out in the world.
As students get older and academic work becomes more complex, this mindset becomes even more important. Whether a student is writing longer pieces, tackling challenging math, or grappling with abstract ideas, the ability to take risks, tolerate struggle, and revise thinking continues to be essential.
Along the same lines, I am quick to point out my own shortcomings. I am a teacher, but I do not have all the answers. Often, we learn and grow together. One shortcoming students notice right away is that my handwriting, while neat and legible, is not “teacher perfect.” When I write quickly on the whiteboard, it can get a bit messy, which almost always leads to giggles. Learning to laugh at oneself is a good quality at any age. There is no need to take everything so seriously.
The benefit and joy of homeschooling is the freedom it allows. I approach education with flexibility as the underlying premise. Of course, I want my students to excel academically, but it is equally important that they develop skills such as self-direction, creativity, critical thinking, and the confidence to communicate effectively in all circumstances. My approach to teaching all subjects is centered on my students’ interests, their individual learning pace, and a goal to make
learning an enjoyable process. With that being said, I also provide a bit of structure so that we have a routine to the school day.
As students mature, that balance naturally shifts. Structure becomes more purposeful, expectations increase, and students are encouraged to take greater ownership of their learning, while flexibility and joy remain central.
We begin each day by coming together in a morning meeting to share ideas and experiences, set goals, check the progress of existing goals, give mutual feedback, discuss what is working and what we can improve on, socialize, and have a little fun. Our discussions are meaningful and provide us with an opportunity to plan our day, although we are always mindful that our plans may change if we find something that sparks our interest and want to dive deeper into it. My goal is to listen to my students and follow their lead as much as possible, while guiding them through the learning process. I also aim to enhance and encourage their natural curiosity. Childhood is fleeting. It is a magical time that should be honored. Having fun while learning is of paramount importance. I want children to absolutely love the learning process, all day, every day.
For older or more advanced students, this same spirit often shows up through thoughtful discussion, deeper questioning, and longer-term projects, where curiosity is expressed through sustained focus and increasingly independent thinking.
Reading, Phonics, and Spelling
My goal in teaching reading is, of course, to advance my students’ skills, but more importantly to develop within them a true love of reading across all genres. Reading needs to be taught somewhat systematically. You cannot jump from level 5 to level 15 just because you might want to. A teacher must weave a thread of continuity between learning activities, building skills thoughtfully and intentionally over time.
That progression begins with associating letters with their sound values and understanding how sounds work together to form words. Phonics and spelling are closely connected, and I teach them side by side. Learning how words are built, broken apart, and spelled reinforces both reading and writing in a very natural way. This process can be as boring as dry toast, or it can be an exciting adventure to uncover new ways we can use the 26 letters we are provided with. I prefer the adventurous route.
I keep phonics and spelling materials nearby as touchstones to introduce new sounds, spelling patterns, blends, digraphs, vowel teams, and word structures. These are helpful for isolating individual concepts, but after a brief introduction, we quickly move into games, hands-on activities, and real application. We apply what we are learning immediately to reading, writing, and spelling, search for patterns in books, and use new skills right away so they stick.
We build word walls filled with both sight words and spelling patterns we are working on and play games with those words regularly. Each time we add something new, we celebrate it. We

read widely across genres, focusing on books that genuinely interest the students. Our days include read-alouds, time for independent or shared reading, and plenty of opportunities to talk about books.
As students grow, instruction naturally expands beyond decoding into fluency, comprehension, and deeper discussion. We explore story structure, character motivation, setting, and theme, learn to differentiate between fact and opinion, identify main ideas and supporting details, use context clues, and support ideas with evidence from the text. For more advanced readers, this progression leads to thoughtful analysis and conversation, while the joy of getting lost in a great book remains just as important.
Writing
Writing is one of my favorite subjects to teach. I love encouraging students to stretch their imaginations as they write original stories, poetry, rhymes, informational pieces, persuasive writing, plays, and more. There are endless opportunities to write, and they are all valuable. The overarching goal is to build strong writing skills and to develop confident writers who feel comfortable expressing their ideas across a variety of genres.
Learning to write in a meaningful way is closely tied to learning to read. Once letters are connected to sounds, we are off and running. Sound spelling is often the first real writing technique students use. Even before that, children communicate through drawings that tell stories and share ideas, and then dictate their words while I write for them. Over time, phonemic awareness, learned sight words, spelling patterns, and sound spelling come together to support writing simple sentences. As this happens, we naturally begin paying attention to punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, and clarity.
As students grow, writing becomes more structured and intentional. We work on organization, voice, revision, and clarity of thought, while still honoring creativity and individual style. The progression from early writing to “publishing” original pieces can take an entire year and beyond. It is a joyful process that allows students to see their own growth in very tangible ways.
Handwriting is an important component of writing in the elementary years. I enjoy making this practice playful and hands-on, while also using a structured program such as Handwriting Without Tears to support proper letter formation and strong habits. The goal is fluency and confidence, not perfection.
Math
Math, like reading, benefits from a thoughtful and systematic approach paired with flexibility. Over the years, I have used a wide range of math curricula, including Math in Focus, Singapore Math, Bridges, Go Math, and many others. I am not married to any single program. Instead, I draw from different curricula and resources based on the needs of the students in front of me and the concepts we are working to master.

I often use Math in Focus as a touchstone because of its strong conceptual foundation, but it is never the only tool. Concepts are introduced carefully and then explored through hands-on activities, discussion, and problem solving so students can experience the math in a concrete and meaningful way. We return to written work to apply what we have learned and deepen understanding through reasoning and critical thinking.
This approach allows for great flexibility in pacing. If students grasp a concept quickly, we move on. If something requires more time, we slow down and explore it more fully. Advanced students are encouraged to notice patterns, test ideas, and stretch themselves with more complex problems. Many grow to genuinely enjoy challenging math and often ask for “hard” problems simply for the joy of it.
Science and Social Studies
Science and Social Studies are often taught together, as my approach to both is similar. My goal is to introduce students to these subjects and help them understand why they matter, without being bound to a rigid curriculum. I prefer to teach these subjects organically, following questions, curiosity, and real-world connections as they arise.
This often happens through reading, nature walks, conversation, and current events. When interest is sparked, we take the opportunity to dive deeper. Some of our most meaningful learning experiences have grown directly from student curiosity and shared exploration.
Art
My approach to teaching art is to provide a wide variety of materials, basic instruction on how to use them, a bit of inspiration, and then step back and let students’ imaginations take the lead. Art is a form of self-expression and should not be limited to steps or rigid outcomes.
I imagine an art space filled with blank canvases, watercolor sets, oil pastels, clay, model magic, yarn, weaving looms, beads, and a range of papers and textures to explore. Sometimes we experiment with needlework, sewing, or ceramics. I am a willing participant in all of this, though not an expert in any one medium, and I enjoy learning alongside my students. I also love the idea of occasionally bringing in artists to inspire new ways of thinking and creating.
Music and Movement
Music and physical movement are natural parts of our days, especially with young children. While I am not formally trained in music or movement instruction, I believe both play an important role in learning, regulation, and joy. I approach them with curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore alongside my students.

Music often shows up through listening, rhythm, and exposure rather than formal instruction. We might explore different genres, notice patterns and moods in music, experiment with rhythm, or play with simple instruments. Sometimes music supports learning directly, and other times it simply adds calm, energy, or richness to our day. I am less focused on performance and more interested in helping children experience music as something to enjoy and respond to.
Physical movement is an essential part of each day. Children are not meant to sit still for long stretches, and learning improves when bodies are allowed to move. Sometimes this means going outside to run, climb, and explore. Other times it is as simple as stopping to stretch, take a movement break, or “get the wiggles out” when focus starts to fade. Especially for young children, movement supports attention, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
I see movement not as a break from learning, but as a support for it. Paying attention to when students need to move, reset, or shift gears is part of creating a healthy and responsive learning environment.
Curriculum Philosophy
Across all subject areas, including reading, writing, and math, I have worked with many different curricula over the years. In ELA alone, I have used a wide range of phonics, reading, spelling, and writing programs. Experience has taught me that no single curriculum works perfectly for every child. I value strong materials, but I value responsiveness even more. My role is to choose, adapt, and combine resources thoughtfully so instruction fits the learner, not the other way around.
Collaboration
Finally, I welcome input from parents, caregivers, and even siblings. Often, they share insights or ideas that lead to some of our best projects and lessons. I see collaboration as a key part of creating a successful and joyful learning experience.
I hope this helps to paint a picture of what I bring to individualized education. I truly love my occupation, and I hope that has come through.
Warm regards, Betsy