My personal belief on what the definition of learning is, is obtaining new information, storing that information, and gaining the ability to use that information. I want my students to be excited about this process. Learning can be tiresome and hard at times, but in the right environment, we should all be willing to learn things that we didn’t know before. Students will need to be exposed to new and unfamiliar concepts, followed by application to best understand and learn. Reviewing should take place frequently so that the students can master the content. “Practice makes better” as my Grandmother always says. The more reviewing the more familiar the students will be with information and the better the learning process becomes.
I believe that teaching is a privilege. Helping young minds shape their ideas about life and subject matter is one of the most important jobs with lasting effects. We are creating the next generation and therefore my students need to be as informed as possible. Teaching is helping students learn to think critically. The world is going to come at them full force and it is our job as teachers to help them look at each and every situation analytically. They should learn to examine the world around them as well as their own thoughts so that they can better go about their lives in a way that is not only productive for society, but also beneficial to their own well-being. Teaching should be about showing others how to understand and interact with the world around them. We as teachers should strive for our students to be knowledgeable in as many subjects as possible. A mastery of those subjects and skills is the ultimate goal of a teacher for his or her students. Understanding that this is the crowning achievement as an educator, should drive what we teach.
I want my students to feel free to be who they are. As they learn and grow, I hope that they learn and stay strong in their beliefs as well as allowing themselves to learn about their peers and their beliefs. Each student will be so different; I want them to feel like they can be nothing but themselves in my classroom. I also want my classroom to be an open, safe space and a place where kids are excited to go and feel understood. I also want all of my students to be successful in their academic careers. I yearn to give them inspiration to go to college and study subjects that interest them. To do this, I will need to be intentional with getting to know who my students are, what their interests are, and which teaching strategy is best suited for them. I will have to constantly be engaged in conversation and relationship building with them. By doing this, I will be able to learn what kind of families and communities they come from and will more likely be able to cater my lectures and activities to their needs.
In my classroom, I will use a wide variety of teaching strategies. I will use “old fashioned” tactics such as simply taking notes with a pen and paper. I see value in hand written notes rather than writing notes on a computer. I will, however use technology when I think it is useful. We will use videos and media to make class interactive and engaging. To communicate with my ELL students, social media will be used as well as any other new updated technology to help engrave information into their minds. Theatre of the oppressed will be integrated into my class room as well. Theatre allows students to get outside of their comfort zones and really take on the subject matter head first. Group work and class discussion will be key in working to create meaningful conversation about each topic.
I want to have a positive relationship with my students because for many students, a teacher is their only adult leader in their life. This of course is not the case for every student, but I need to understand and prepare myself for the fact that I may be the most reliable adult with a positive influence in their life. Therefore, I need to be that person for all of my students, no matter what their home life is like. I want my relationship to be upfront and honest with my students. My desire is for them to learn by example. By making myself constantly aware they are looking up to me, will force me to be that role model they deserve.
I will work to create a fair and obtainable rubric that I use for all of my students. I want them all to be treated fairly, so by using one rubric to grade everyone, the entire class will be held to the same standard as their peers. I also love the idea of having the students create their own rubric. This is a great activity that will cause the students to think about their actions and the outcomes. When discussed thoroughly, the students will be able to hold themselves accountable because we all worked together to decide which parts of their grades are more important. Everyone will be on the same page and there will be no excuses for not knowing the criteria for completing an assignment correctly.
I want to make acquaintances with my fellow teachers and co-workers. I would work to create a real relationship with them so that we can work together to grow more. Being willing to learn from teachers who have more experience than myself will be the key to personal growth. The first year is very difficult for a new teacher. Knowing that I will not be perfect and will be subject to mistakes will help me be more willing to hear from my peers and take their guidance. As I continue to grow over the years, I will want to be held accountable as well as hold others accountable. Through each other we can grow exponentially.
Becoming a teacher for middle school students is very important to me. Middle school is a difficult and awkward time for almost everyone. Although the students are still at a relatively young age, important decisions that affect the rest of their lives will be made during this time. I want to work with these kids because I want to make a difference in their lives. I want to be a great role model that student come to for advice and guidance. I also wish to instill in these young mind a burning desire to learn. No matter how old they get, I want them to know that they can never stop learning.
Natalie Wallace 