I believe that teaching is not in what you do to the students, but wat you do for the students.  I as a teacher can not force learning to take place, but I can do a great deal to create an atmosphere where students want to learn.  Learning is both personal and varied from person to person and it is unreasonable to believe that a teacher can use the traditional teacher-centered approach to effect real learning on a lare percentae of their classroom.

Real learning means that the student has internalized the concept and can apply it in other situations.  I once heard a great analogy about real learning and the future use of knowledge.  "Much as a tool once placed in a toolbox is reached for and used again and again in different situations, knowledge should be the same."

I believe that learning must be relevant so that students understand why the information is important.  If you can't answer the question, "When am I ever going to use thins again," then perhaps the amterial need not be taught.  To be included in relevancy is context.  Skills must be taught where the application is clear and understandable.

Learning must be personal and students must take responsibility for their own learning.  I ascribe to the belief that when a student is told something, it will soon be forgotten, but when a student discovers the answer for themself, they never forget it.  With this in mind, I make a serious effort to help students discover on their own and encourage them to go beyone what is asked of them.  

I want to make learning come alive for students.  That is my challenge and my reward is when I see them grasp the concepts and put them to use in everyday life.  Each student learns in a different way and it is my job to figure out what is best for them and encourage them to become all that they can.