Maria Kioussis
"Know your world."- Thomas Anstett
Teaching Philosophy
At the heart of my teaching philosophy are six main concepts: Relationship-based Teaching, Pluralistic Pedagogy, Digital Literacy, Global Citizenship, Critical Questioning, and Lifelong Learning.
Relationship-based Teaching
I believe that I go to work every morning for my students. My classroom is based around them: what they need, what they want, what they find interesting. Then, standards and curriculum are worked into this focus to foster motivation and engagement.Knowing my students' interestests helps me show them that the world really is theirs to experience and change, and, most importantly, it allows me to show my students that I care.
Pluralistic Pedagogy
I grew up in an immigrant family, as the daughter and grandaughter of immigrants. At home, I was exposed to a rich culture, rooted in hard work, love, and hospitality. I found that I learned best when differences were celebrated, rather than ignored. Following the work of Django Paris, David Kirkland, Gloria Ladson-Billings, GloriaAnzaldua, and countless others, I have researched and applied ways to create a pluralistic classroom environment, through writings, reading, and discussing in an English language and literature classroom.
Digital Literacy
So much of what I do as an English teacher revolves around words: what they mean, who said them, and how they were said. The answers to these questions have always changed, but technology has ignited a rapid contimuum of language evolution. I dedicate myself to learning from and adapting to these constant changes in order help my students unlock the potential of digital literacy as a tool for social change and participation. I harness the power of Twitter, Google Apps, Smartphones, eBooks, and anything I can get my hands on in order to connect beyond my classroom.
Lifelong Learning
I believe that in order to help my students become lifelong learners, I must make my learning transparent. I am constantly reading, tweeting, and attending conferences, but I also do one very important thing: make my classroom a safe space to make mistakes.
Critical Questioning
There is not only one correct answer is my classroom, and there is not only one person asking questions. I believe in encouraging students to think differently and to share those thoughts with others. This makes my classroom a space where questioning, based on critical thinking, is modeled, scaffolded, and practiced.
Global Citizenship
Part of this new digital age is that students have access to global perpectives at their fingertips. I don't only aim to give my students acess to this global wealth of knowledge, but I also aim to make them contributors to this larger society. I model this with my own experiences (to the right I am pictured with students from a class I taught in Mexico as part of a study abroad experience), and by focusing on developing skills in reading, writing, and speaking that empower my students through increased global awareness and confidence.