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My educaLlonal phllosophy has evolved as l have galned new experlences each school year. As a school
counselor, my lens ls of Lhe whole school, noL [usL a slngle classroom. l belleve every sLudenL should have Lhe
opporLunlLy Lo learn ln a safe and nurLurlng envlronmenL.

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l belleve LhaL chlldren learn ln unlque ways, Lherefore, l approach Leachlng wlLh an assorLmenL of learnlng sLyles
ln mlnd. l sLrlve Lo lncorporaLe a varleLy of lnsLrucLlonal sLraLegles ln order Lo meeL boLh lndlvldual and group
learnlng needs. Learnlng should be fun! ln classroom guldance, l love Lo plan acLlvlLles LhaL provlde sLudenLs wlLh
cholce. l Lhlnk Lhe lesson ls more en[oyable Lo sLudenLs as well when Lhey have several opLlons.

Chlldren learn besL when Lhey feel safe and have Lhelr needs meL. A warm and welcomlng school envlronmenL
ls key. lL ls lmporLanL Lo me LhaL everyone feels lncluded and accepLed. 1haL ls one reason LhaL l am commlLLed Lo
maklng school a bully-free zone.

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l feel LhaL lL ls lmporLanL Lo develop a comprehenslve counsellng program LhaL lncludes classroom guldance,
counsellng groups, and lndlvldual counsellng. 1he Amerlcan School Counsellng AssoclaLlon (ASCA) provldes a
model for school counsellng programs Lo whlch l adhere. l belleve LhaL lL ls lmporLanL Lo uLlllze boLh Lhe ASCA
naLlonal SLandards and Lhe vlrglnla SLandards for School Counsellng rograms when sLrucLurlng my classroom
guldance currlculum. 1he lessons LhaL l Leach lncorporaLe Loplcs from Lhe domalns of academlc, personal/soclal,
and career developmenL.

1hrough my currlculum, l sLrlve Lo help sLudenLs obLaln Lhe aLLlLudes, knowledge, and skllls LhaL Lhey wlll need
for academlc success ln Lhe presenL and for Lhe fuLure. l also alm Lo engage sLudenLs ln acLlvlLles LhaL help Lhem
undersLand Lhelr personal LalenLs and sLrengLhs ln ways LhaL allow Lhem Lo acqulre skllls for explorlng Lhe world of
work and make lnformed career declslons.

As an educaLor, l belleve LhaL lL ls my [ob Lo faclllLaLe llfe-long learnlng. l wanL Lo lnsplre sLudenLs Lo have a love
of learnlng. lL ls my hope LhaL my lessons Leach sLudenLs:
how Lo be Lhlnkers and problem-solvers,
how Lo work well LogeLher wlLh oLhers,
how Lo effecLlvely communlcaLe wlLh oLhers,
Lo be aware of Lhelr personal sLrengLhs and weaknesses,
Lo ldenLlfy Lhelr areas of lnLeresL,
Lo become self-aware and geL Lo know Lhemselves,
Lo be self-confldenL and Lo Lhlnk for Lhemselves, and,
Lo be Lhelr besL, healLhy selves!
l deslre Lo educaLe Lhe whole chlld!

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AdulLs wlLhln a school seLLlng should encourage sLudenLs. We are here Lo offer supporL and scaffoldlng Lo help
chlldren achleve. l also belleve LhaL lL ls approprlaLe for adulLs Lo offer pralse Lo sLudenLs for Lhlngs LhaL Lhey have
done well. l embrace Lhe bellef LhaL lL Lakes a vlllage Lo ralse a chlld. l wanL Lo modlfy LhaL LhoughL and apply lL Lo
educaLlon and say LhaL lL Lakes a communlLy Lo educaLe a chlld. WlLh a communlLy of adulLs, each worklng
LogeLher Lowards Lhe common goal of: whaL ls besL for chlldren, l belleve LhaL we can succeed as educaLors. We
can make sure LhaL Lhe needs of our sLudenLs are meL. 1hls ls why when lmplemenLlng Lhe guldance currlculum l
seek collaboraLlon wlLh sLaff members. AfLer all, Lhey are all of our chlldren!

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llnally, l belleve LhaL learnlng ls a llfe-long process. 8ecause l embrace Lhls bellef, l value collaboraLlon wlLh
oLher school counselors ln a professlonal learnlng communlLy. Membershlp Lo my professlonal organlzaLlons of Lhe
Amerlcan School Counselor AssoclaLlon and Lhe vlrglnla School Counselor AssoclaLlon are lmporLanL Lo me. l also
seek ouL besL pracLlces ln currenL research and alm Lo aLLend conferences on a regular basls. 1hese resources allow
me Lo conLlnue Lo grow ln on-golng professlonal developmenL so LhaL l can be Lhe besL school counselor for klds.