"The goal of education is not mastery of subject matter but mastery of one’s person. Subject matter is simply the tool" (Orr, 1990, p. 243). This quote exemplifies my fundamental beliefs about the role of education. My belief is that the purpose of education is to support students to discover and develop their best selves. Ultimately by supporting our students to reach their full potential, they will be able to use these skills to create a better world for future generations. This connects to my values regarding social justice and ensuring that we create a more equitable world for all people. The most fundamental way we can model this behaviour is in the relationships we hold with our students.

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 “Teachers are responsible not only for the education of our students but also for their overall well-being and social inclusion within our school communities” (Luzius-Vanin & Butler, 2019, p. 93). This quote provides further support for my beliefs regarding a teacher’s responsibility. We are not simply present to ensure that students retain knowledge, rather our purpose goes beyond that to ensure that all students feel a sense of belonging within their school community. Everything is built on relationships between people. If our purpose as teachers is to support students in the mastery of themselves, the simplest way to do this is by showing them that you genuinely care. An important consideration in this is the unconditional acceptance of students, no matter their race, cultural background, gender identity, or weight; the classroom should be a space of belonging and acceptance for all students. I believe that all students have the potential to make a positive impact on the world, even though this may not fall in line with the traditional measures of success such as wealth and prestige. My belief in the ability for young people to discover and achieve their full potential is my primary motivation as a teacher.