Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work as an educator in a variety of environments with a diverse range of individuals. What started as a passion for conservation education has developed into a desire to help guide the new generations in a classroom of my own. From my experience, I have developed a philosophy based on the belief that both the environment and the students will play a significant role in the learning experience of the entire community. At the heart of my philosophy are three main factors. First, students will learn best when they feel they are in a healthy, supportive classroom climate. Second, students will learn best when they are engaged with the material in a way that is meaningful to the individual. Third, students will learn best when they are promoted to take intellectual risks and work towards solving problems.These factors influence how I plan my lessons, interact with students, and approach problems. First, I strive to ensure that all students feel welcome in my classroom. Additionally, it is important to not only have the teacher's support, but also create an environment where each student feels supported by his or her classmates. The classroom needs to be a place where students can feel safe to identify as any gender, culture, ethnicity, or religion. Second, students learn best when they are engaged with material in a way that is meaningful to the individual. By providing personalized learning opportunities, students with all learning styles will have an opportunity to succeed within the lesson. It is important to inspire students to pursue their own education and provide the necessary opportunities for this. Third, students learn material best when they are promoted to take intellectual risks and work towards solving challenging problems. Students need experience solving through challenging problems with the right amount of support and scaffolding. In my classroom, I hope to create a safe environment that gives students the confidence to participate in new and challenging activities.