Debra Biggs
I am an AACPS: Teacher, Pasadena Elementary School | 2017 Teacher of the Year Nominee
My educational philosophy has been influenced by the challenges and experiences my own daughter faced as she entered the school system. My daughter, Melissa, has a profound, bilateral hearing loss that significantly impacts her expressive and receptive language skills. Her dedicated teachers differentiated instruction to optimize Melissa’s learning potential. Their dedication to my child’s learning experience inspired me to enter the teaching profession and has molded my educational philosophy as well as my instructional practices. It is my role to develop the “whole child,” especially their love of learning. I believe that emotional growth is as important to the learning process as cognitive and developmental abilities. In addition, I view each child as an individual with diverse needs that align to their unique emotional, cognitive and developmental levels. All students, regardless of ability, are entitled to the same common curriculum, with adjustments made for individual needs. When student diversity is accounted for, all students will succeed. I believe that learning is best achieved through active participation. I provide opportunities for students to engage in hands-on-learning and to participate in collaborative groups. In addition, I develop tasks that challenge students to think critically which facilitates interpersonal growth. I expose all students to child-centered learning that encourages active participation, scientific discovery through experimentation and activity-based learning with the use of concrete manipulatives, visual representation and repeated opportunities for practice. I focused on student interests, developmental levels and styles of learning while planning. I make it a priority to develop positive and supportive relationships with students and their families. In order to facilitate these relationships I run before and after school clubs, hold “lunch bunches” and communicate consistently with parents. I also believe that all students can acquire depth of understanding by planning for student abilities and interests. I use backward mapping and differentiation strategies to plan for the needs of each student. I strive to make learning enjoyable for students while developing a love for learning.
