For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a teacher to help the next generation learn and grow. After school and during the summer I would practice my teaching with neighborhood friends. I would observe and model the way my elementary school teachers were teaching me and would implement those ideas into my own ‘lesson plans’. With each year, I became increasingly interested in teaching. This interest quickly grew into a passion I pursued at Michigan State University. Recently, I have realized one of my favorite qualities of teaching is the opportunity to learn something new everyday and therefore be a lifelong learner.
In working to ensure that the next generation has the necessary skills and knowledge to progress their learning, it is important to acknowledge each student as an individual and unique learner. I strongly believe that every child is a unique learner with different strengths and weaknesses depending on the subject matter. In my teaching, I have found the most effective way to acknowledge each student is to conduct the majority of my instruction in small groups through the use of centers. I have had the opportunity to experiment with small groups composed of similar and mixed ability students and see the value in each of them. In these smaller groups with 4 or 5 students in each group, it is more manageable to know where each student’s thinking and misunderstandings in regards to the material. Through this smaller, individualized instruction, I am able to let my students know that I care about their success by taking into account both their strengths and weaknesses.
One of the most important aspects of teaching is a mutual respect among students and the teacher. I feel that fostering a classroom environment where each student feels safe, respected and loved is crucial for students to do their best work. As I look back to my elementary school experiences I will forever remember the teachers that inspired me to succeed and made me feel important. It is my goal to create a classroom where students are comfortable enough with each other to work collaboratively to complete a task. A positive and productive learning environment provides students with opportunities to talk often with the teacher and with each other. Of course, there are situations in which students should have the opportunity to work individually but in most cases, students should look to each other for help and support. Through student to student exchanges, concepts or ideas may be explained in different and unique ways.
Learning is curious and should be treated with a sense of awe and wonder. Another part of creating a positive classroom environment is ensuring that all students have a voice and encouraging students to ask questions. One of the ways I can instill the idea of becoming a lifelong learner among my students is through this sense of awe and wonder. For example, during my instruction this past year my students and I were talking about extreme weather. During our conversation, several of my students brought in their own experiences and wonderings about what we might learn about. I was amazed at the information that my students knew and interested to hear what they would like to learn about.
The last way that I can help ensure that my students are learning in a safe, respected and loving environment is to celebrate the differences among each other. During my time at Michigan State University, I was able to study abroad around Europe including the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Through this experience I was able to meet all different kinds of people and learn more about their cultures. I have fallen in love with learning more about different cultures and hope to incorporate my travels in my teaching. One of the ways I plan to do this is through a classroom where we celebrate each other’s unique backgrounds. I hope that the curiosity that I model for different cultures will help my students develop an appreciation for others as well.
Teaching is one of the few careers in which you have the opportunity to shape the lives of the future. In order to ensure that my students are academically and socially ready to progress from my classroom onto the next, I will provide a safe, respectful and loving community where each student’s story is celebrated. I will incorporate small group instruction so students receive the support that they need based on their individual and unique learning personas. I will encourage a community where students are allowed and encouraged to be curious and to collaborate with each other. Through these classroom qualities, I will share the love of learning that I have.