Jamie Lauren Barrett

 

 

Philosophies of…

 

Education

 

All children can learn.  Differentiated instruction and Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences are both tools used within my classroom; however, encouragement, compassion, and knowledge of the student as an individual remain the cornerstones of my teaching.

 

English

 

English is a window into the world.  Through literature, writing, and reading, we, as a society and as individuals, come to know ourselves and our world more intimately.  Hopefully, with the English classroom as a springboard, we can all become more productive, more critical, and truly make a difference in our school, local, national, and international communities.

 

Reading

 

All children can read and should be given every opportunity to strengthen this important life skill.  Reading strategies such as predicting, summarizing, connecting, imaging, inferring, and questioning all have a integral place in my classroom as do encouragement and just plain fun.

 

Giftedness

 

The definition of giftedness often evades both students and teachers alike, but I feel that teaching the gifted class here at Schaumburg necessitates that I teach personal responsibility and purpose.  As we explore questions and topics that are not covered in the general curriculum, gifted students should try to better their world and use their gifts to do so.

 

Theatre

 

I believe in educational high school theatre and, as such, I feel that my responsibility is to involve as many students as possible; I also strive to share my passion and love of the art with the students involved and the community.