"The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards."
-Anatole France

I believe that teachers must strive to instill a love for learning in each and every one of their students. I also believe that teaching is an organic process that involves a variety of people from a myriad of backgrounds under a number of different circumstances. A teacher's job is to address all situations with compassion and patience - to reach out to each individual student and help him or her to identify both immediate goals, such as the mastery of state and district curriculum, and overreaching goals as well, such as the development of life ambitions and the implementation of short-term and long- term plans in which to achieve them. Teaching involves pulling from both the instructor and the pupil's total knowledge, a rich tapestry of heritage, formal education, and personal experience. I strive to be a teacher who will be able to reach students on this level and also contribute to individuals' personal and educational growth.