Philosophy, Approach, and Curriculum (Vanessa Pinto, August, 2025)

As I navigate through my memories, I encounter all the places and people that made me think the way I do now. Life is made of so many possibilities, and with each choice we make, a branch of infinite paths opens up to each of us. I was lucky—privileged, some might say—to be in mostly the right places at the right time. Teaching is not a job that can be done alone; it is only possible because of the network that carries us through.

Throughout my teaching career, I’ve met brilliant people who were kind enough to believe in me, share their experiences, and allow me to learn and make my own mistakes. Those were sometimes leaders, but mostly my partners. At every school I’ve worked at, I’ve made connections that I can proudly call friendships. This is how I want to share my story about the diverse experiences I’ve had with teaching philosophies, approaches, and curricula—by presenting the people who shared their expertise with me.

Right out of college, a classmate referred me to a classroom assistant position at the school where she had been working for a long time. It was a bilingual school discussing strategies to enhance bilingual teaching. At the time, the discussion focused mainly on how many hours should be spent teaching English and whether the second language should be taught as a translation of the content previously taught in the first. This was the first bilingual school in the state, and it had some of the best coordination and teachers I’ve known. It was there that I found people who inspired me to become a teacher and encouraged me to pursue a degree in education. It was also there that I first heard about the Learning Styles Approach. What an impact it made on my trajectory. Even though there’s not enough evidence today to fully support this approach, it still serves as a reference point for teachers who differentiate instruction. The main goal is to reach all students in the classroom, so using a variety of strategies to engage everyone becomes a powerful tool.

After a couple of years, a lot of research and learning, and a child of my own, it was time to look for new challenges. That’s when I was introduced to constructivism. I was amazed and overwhelmed at the same time. Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) operates on the principle that students actively participate in discovery-based learning, building upon existing knowledge to learn new concepts (National University). Isn’t it the perfect, ideal theory? I believe it could be—if done in partnership with the entire school community. Unfortunately, it took me a couple of years to learn how to manage a classroom that was truly student-centered. By the time I left that school, I felt like maybe I wasn’t cut out to be a teacher. I didn’t believe I could honor children as capable of leading their own learning process.

But education wasn’t done with me. I was given another chance to start fresh, now in a school that used a project-based methodology. The projects were already pre-determined and sequenced, but teachers mostly had to follow what had been done before. That I could do. I felt confident interacting with students and spent most of my time listening to the teachers and observing how they engaged their students. I learned that even though the projects were more teacher-directed, students were excited to be there because of their connection with the teacher. They truly believed they were learning the most exciting thing ever—we were studying Egypt, pyramids, and papyrus!

With my confidence restored, I decided to pursue a curriculum that had long intrigued me but that I had never worked with: the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. There are many benefits to the IB program for students. A few include:

• A focus beyond the classroom to real-world situations

• A holistic approach to education

• Highly recognized credentials accepted at universities worldwide (“International Baccalaureate IB Curriculum | IB Education Explained”)

From collaborative planning with all the teachers involved (it was a trilingual school—Portuguese, English, and Hebrew), to provocations and student inquiry, to the sharing-with-community piece, I saw how naturally curious students are and how they can take charge of their own learning. I saw how much more children benefit when we act as facilitators in the classroom, rather than the sole holders of knowledge. That’s where I truly learned about student-teacher exchange and mutual growth.

When I thought I had reached my teaching goal, life had other plans: my husband was invited to work in the USA. Even though I felt I had a strong foundation and was ready for the challenge, the idea of being a Brazilian teacher in the United States scared me. What could I possibly offer to an educational system that is informed by the best and most up-to-date research in the world?

Little did I know that my contribution would begin in a Catholic church, in a Pre-K classroom. By then, I had heard of the Reggio Emilia approach, but I had never experienced it in practice. The principal was a strong believer in children. She was so passionate about children’s ideas and connections, and she constantly reminded us that the environment is the “third teacher.” Everything we put out for students to explore was intentional. Yet, every day, they surprised us—with ideas we would never have had ourselves. Everything was guided by Catholic faith, and some days we had students reenacting Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Other days, they were building a maze out of huge paper rolls or creating detailed drawings of real lobsters. By the end of their Pre-K year, all students could identify letters and their sounds. They also knew their friends’ names and could write them—even though we never taught a “letter of the week.”

All of these experiences brought me to where I am today, the place I truly believe I’m meant to be. At a time when research on the Science of Reading and approaches like the Culturally Relevant Teacher are shaping education, I am a bilingual Brazilian teacher, working in an American public school, teaching Kindergarten.

Being exposed to so many philosophies, approaches, and curricula prepared me to thrive in a diverse classroom. The public school system has its own challenges, but also brings together many different types of teachers who learn from one another. I strongly believe that my path has helped me connect with my English Language Learners, reach and engage my gifted students, and has given me tools to differentiate for students who benefit from additional support.

Works Cited

“International Baccalaureate IB Curriculum | IB Education Explained.” World Schools, https://world-schools.com/ib-international-baccalaureate/. Accessed 23 July 2025.

National University. “Constructivism in Education: What Is Constructivism? | NU.” National University, https://www.nu.edu/blog/what-is-constructivism-in-education/. Accessed 23 July 2025.