I have come to realize a few things now that I am almost finished with college. Over the past 3 years I have really grown into a completely different person that I was when I arrived here. I have grown spiritually much stronger than I ever was before, I have really prioritized my life in all aspects, I have learned to never settle for less no matter what, I have learned that flexibility is really the key to happiness, and most importantly, I have learned a much stronger sense of realization about myself and my role as a person. When I first started teaching a year ago, I had a completely different aspect on the classroom. I understood that the students were important, but not to the extent that I do now. I also learned that there are other people besides myself...who knew! ha...I came into this whole scenario very self-centered. I thought about how I could become a better teacher, how I could make the classroom cuter, how I could get the best location, how I...I...I...I. I thought about the students, but not how I should have. Over the past year I have really taken the attention and focus off of myself and put it all on my students. THEY are the reason why I am doing what I'm doing! It has nothing to do with me! I am serving them. I am serving their families. I am serving my community. And most importantly, I am serving God by living out my purpose. How could I have ever thought that the better classroom location or cuter classroom was more important? Now, granted, I know that these were also my first time teaching excitements, but it just didn't feel complete to me. I made some really huge strides and now I feel like I am REALLY where I am supposed to be: SERVING others, not myself. It is the best feeling. I love not thinking about myself! It's so relieving! I exhausted myself before...good grief! So, thank you for also those who were in my life over the past year for helping me with everything and helping me to be a better person and better servant! :)
I already shared with you all that I met my teacher yesterday for the first time, and like I said, it was wonderful. I know that a bunch of people are curious about what we talked about, the things that I asked her, and some pointers as to what they should do when they meet their teacher for the first time. So, here is a quick little summary of what we talked about. We started off the conversation with a lot of questions. She was asking me where I was from, a little bit about my family, and then the big question - why I became a teacher. I knew that if I tried to make up some really awesome, phony answer just to impress her that she would probably pick up on it, so I was completely honest. (If you want to know why, it is in my first blog entry). After she realized that teacher really is my passion and my dream, she lightened up and we started to have a more easy-going conversation. I asked her about how long she has been teaching, how long she has been teaching 6th specifically, how long she had been in Auburn, and about her family. She was very impressed that I wanted to know about her life and was eager to hear about her personal life as well as the school aspect of it. After our "get to know you" talk, we started to get down to business. I brought my planner, pen, and paper to write down anything that I needed to know. I asked her when school started/ended, when I needed to be there everyday, how a regular day looked, and most importantly, what to expect from the kids. Obviously, from my "Uh Oh" blog, you all know that 6th grade intimidates me a little, but she completely calmed my nerves. She told me that her reputation in the school is more of the "mean" teacher, but that really she just has rules that students don't like to follow. I had a teacher in high school that had the reputation of being the hardest and meanest teacher in the school and he ended up being my favorite teacher of my entire school experience. As long as people do what they are supposed to, the teacher will not be mean. Anyway, sorry...kind of got off on a tangent there..., I also asked her about any topics of History, which is my concentration, that she would like me to teach. She said that there are so many great things that I could teach and that WWII may be a possibility. That is my favorite part of recent history!!!! I was so excited. We are also going to do a whole unit about the election since it is this November. She was so excited that I love history as much as she does and by the end of the conversation we knew that we are going to work great as a team. Hopefully, this helped a little bit. I would just say BE YOURSELF. Don't put on a face that you think might look better. You are who you are and your teacher should be happy with that. Ask lots of questions and show interest in the teacher, they are people, you know! Good luck!
So, I have great news to share with you all. Today, I finally got to meet my internship teacher. Like I've shared already, I have been really hesitant about working with 6th grade and all I kept thinking was...how terrible would it be if my teacher was not good?! We arranged to meet at Starbucks at 10am this morning. Every time that we have talked on the phone she has been so nice and has a great sense of humor. However, I could tell that she was all about business. So, when she walked into starbucks today I was pleasantly surprised to see a huge smile and open arms coming towards me to hug me. She was so welcoming and excited to see me. We sat for 45 minutes discussing our lives, why I want to be a teacher, what I will be expecting, and things that we love. We both love US History. We both are extremely organized. We are both firm, yet love kids. We are also both so excited about the fall. I came to realize that we really are so similar and that we get along so well. When she was speaking I just absorbed everything she was saying. I took notes and listened, so eager to hear more and more about what I will be expecting. And when I shared my thoughts, stories, etc. she listened and seemed so interested, which I did not experience last semester. So, I just wanted to share with you all how excited I am about my teacher and how great I believe this fall and my internship will be!! Praise God!! :)
I've heard from other teachers that there are always teachers that don't mix well in the school. I remember being at my preteaching school and one of the younger teachers didn't get along with one of the older teachers. Obviously, this is almost inevitable in the work place, but here is my question: what do you do about someone that is going to be aroud you all the time that you really don't work well with? What if your team teacher is just so hard to get along with? I understand that you have to make sacrifices and learn to get along with others, but some personalities just don't mix. What do you do when you are about to embark on an entire year working side by side with this person? What should you do to make it a more pleasant experience?
One thing that my boyfriend and I really have butted heads about it public schools vs private schools. I have been in public schools my entire life. I felt prepared when I got to college and will leave college with a high GPA and a bunch of great accomplishments. He is the same way. He has fairly good grades and a sports accomplishment to accompany them. Here is the difference: social experience.
I have met so many people since I've come to Auburn. People of all kinds of backgrounds, towns, families, etc. Many went to public school, but a lot of them went to private school. Whenever this discussion is brought up, the most common thing I hear is "I was really calm and behaved in high school, but when I got to college I let loose". I can't tell you how many people I know that went to private school and were 'goody-goodies' in high school and then got to college and they didnt know what to do with themselves. They go buck wild and party like there's no tomorrow. I'm not saying that public school doesn't breed things like this, but I do have one statement that I believe is true. In public school, you are exposed to different things at an earlier age. This helps prevent students from going crazy when they get to college because they have already seen these things before.
When I got to college, it was exhilerating, but it was not brand new to me. There are a lot more things exposed during high school in a public school vs a private school. Don't ask me why because I'm really not sure, but I left high school with great grades, and a lot of life experience already under my belt. I had seen, NEVER DONE, but seen drugs, alcohol, different issues, pregnancies, etc. I had a lot of stories to tell by the end of my senior year that most of the private school kids had never dreamed of when they were in high school. So, I would love to hear other opinions on this issue. I think private school is wonderful, especially Christian-based schools. They have great programs and really have the best intentions (I believe). But I am the strongest advocate for public school. What do you believe?
Help! I cannot figure out how to make my blog into paragraphs. I will space it out in the body area under the "Write a Blog Post" and put indentions, paragraphs, etc. and it will not do it. It is a huge paragraph, just like my philosophy is. How can I fix this? Help!
I have been trained to teach elementary children. I have wanted to teach elementary children most of my life. However, my internship placement is for 6th grade, which is middle school. I have never imagined myself teaching at a middle school, so I am hesitant to complete this job. There will be class changes, lockers, class periods, and not to mention the hormones flying through the school! So, coming from any middle school teachers, what should I be preparing for? Any words of wisdom?
I am really worried about applying for jobs just because I really don't know much about it. So, I am going to post my teaching philosophy in hopes that if it needs corrections that someone will let me know. Hope you like it!
Education is the gateway to the success of our students, opening doors to unique opportunities. Teachers are the leaders in the educational system and help guide children to become active learners. By instilling life-long learning skills, fostering critical thinking skills, and preparing students to function outside of the classroom successfully, the educator has achieved the most important goals of teaching. With these objectives in mind, teachers can reach these goals by allowing the students to become a part of the learning process. My emphasis on student-centered learning is derived from constructivism, which is mainly attributed to Jean Piaget. Constructivism promotes a hands-on approach to learning where students are actively engaged in the lesson as well as with one another. (Jean Piaget, 2007) This theory stresses the importance of assimilation, where students construct meaning through prior knowledge and their involvement in learning. (Constructivism, 2007)
I have encountered different schools, educators, and teaching methods throughout my college career. These experiences have motivated me to incorporate the many strategies I have gathered over the years into my educational philosophy. My constructivist position on teaching has inspired me to focus on creating different educational environments in which learning can be incorporated into the classroom. Informal environments, such as gardens and nature trails, and pavilions are some of the ways that schools can create a setting that is different from the traditional classroom.
Using these informal environments, I will alter the curriculum in order to incorporate them into a standards-based curriculum, while meeting the requirements of the course of study. However, my lessons will veer away from the traditional behaviorist approach and will focus more on social-constructivist lessons. Students will learn problem solving skills and life long learning skills by experiencing for themselves. The students will use inquiry exercises not only in science, but in all other subjects as well. They will form a foundation of self-learning where it will become natural to have a critical thinking approach.
Not only is the interaction between students and the lesson important, but social interaction among students is essential to learning. By students constructing knowledge, questioning one another, and challenging one another, students learn how to interact among their peers and are pushed beyond their normal limits. A higher level thinker may help stimulate a lower level thinker. The higher level thinker benefits by teaching the lower level thinker and gaining a deeper understanding of the material through their explanation. The lower level thinker benefits by seeing the thinking process of the other student and gaining the knowledge that is being given to them. The students also learn how to work out real-life issues, such as disagreements, when interacting with one another. Social interaction will help prepare the students for situations that may be presented to them outside of the classroom and in the future.
My objective as a teacher is to provide a comfortable and inviting learning environment for all students. All students have the ability to learn; however, the pace at which students learn can vary. I plan to create a creative environment where all students feel accepted and never intimidated because of their learning abilities. I will achieve this goal by implementing different teaching strategies in my lesson plans.
Through these strategies I will vary my assessment for each activity. The assessments will include notebooks, journals, reflections, and projects which is imperative for creativity in the classroom. The students will have access to different websites and other uses of technology to enhance their learning, such as, computer games or smart board activities. These activities will permit constructivist learning and the students will decipher the information independently.
Students should be provided with an approach to learning that places emphasis on the students’ learning abilities. By allowing students to build knowledge through experience, inquiry, and other hands-on activities, the student forms life-long learning skills for the future. Basing the lessons on prior knowledge of students and their learning abilities, I plan to create an environment compatible for all students. I accept the challenges that come along with this approach because I am a teacher, leader, and guide through the educational process.
References Hurwitz, Al & Michael Day. (2007). Children and their Art: Methods for the Elementary School.USA: Thomas Wadsworth. Constructivism (Learning Theory). (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2007, fromhttp://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Constructivism_%28learning_theory%29. Jean Piaget. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Piaget.
Since I am at school in Alabama, I was required to take the APTTP. I also had to take the Praxis. My concern is if these certification tests will transfer over to Georgia schools. What do I need to teach in Georgia? Is there a Georgia State test that I must take in order to teach there, or is my certification set in stone thanks to the Alabama test and the Praxis? I am just not sure of this and I want to apply for a job for January, so I figure I need to get this straightened out soon!
My family lives in Alpharetta, GA and I plan on going back there to teach after I graduate. So, I was wondering what the great places were to get supplies? I have been to The School Box at North Point Mall, but are there other places nearby? I also heard a recommendation from my teacher to go to garage sales and yard sales to get old furniture, bins, etc. What would you recommend?
We have all been told many times about the guidelines for our first year as a teacher. Be respectful of the entire staff, always ask a ton of questions, stay away from the teacher's lounge, etc. But there is part of me that feels slightly unprepared still because I feel like there is more than just the guidelines that I need to be aware of. I would love to have feedback about things that I WILL encounter, not might. For example, Andrea Daniel is a teacher in Georgia that I was under during my week of pre-teaching. She was incredible. She had everything handled perfectly, even the unexpected. She told me so many great things that none of the books or professors have told me. She talked to me about parents and how to get them involved in different ways. She talked about issues with the teachers that I never thought would be an issue. She gave me wonderful advice. Real-life advice, not maybe advice. Obviously, I understand that every school is going to be different, but I feel like I'm still missing something. So, as teachers right now, what would you want to tell a teacher getting ready to start in January? I know the basic stuff, but what do I REALLY need to be prepared for?
School House Rock. Where should I start? This is something that is really close to my heart. I attended an elementary school that strongly believed in School House Rock. I loved it. Watching it brings me right back to being young again. I wanted to share this because I have a great story about School House Rock that will hopefully inspire teachers to continue to use these great videos...even though they are old. My favorite video growing up was America Rock. Some of the songs you may know would be "Elbow Room", "Shot Heard Round the World", and "How a Bill Becomes a Law". They are SO great! My favorite is called "The Preamble" and I watched it over and over and over again growing up. I know the song perfectly. This sounds like a meaningless video, but it really came in handy when I was a junior in high school. Junior year in high school is US History and I had an extremely intense teacher. His passion was history and he wanted it to be ours as well. We were assigned to memorize the preamble to write out on our test. Everyone struggled and most people messed it up terrible, except for me! I sang that song in my head that I learned in America Rock and aced it. I had it written perfectly. And to this day I can still sing all of those songs. I can remember dates, events, and the entire preamble perfectly because of this video. I believe that if students are given great, catchy songs and videos to go along with important events they will have a higher chance of remembering them. So, if I can say one thing to anyone teaching now and will be teaching in the future: USE SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK. It is proven to work with me and I'm sure it will with other students as well!
For an assignment that I had in my technology class I had to find 2 videos and 4 websites that were educational. The websites had to be 2 for teacher use and 2 for student use. I found a few helpful resources that I wanted to share with everyone. Teachnology is a website directed to help teachers really get their feet on the ground when it comes to lesson planning. There are lesson generators, worksheet makers, lesson plans, theme ideas, rubrics, tips, etc. It really is a great website. Another website that I thought was wonderful was Ben's Guide to US History. This is a website designed to help students with US History. This is not directed towards just elementary students though, it is applicable to ages 5-18! It has tons of information about our country as a whole and it also breaks it down into little parts, such as what is in a community, about the different states, etc. The information provided depends on the grade, but it is wonderful. It is definitely a site that my future students will be using. But I would love to get some more recommendations for websites, so if anyone knows any great sites, please let me know!
I am the type of person who has to be organized at all times. If things do not have some sort of order, I lose my ability to function normally. So, when I think about my first year of teaching, my main concern is: How in the world am I going to organize everything? How am I going to keep their files in order? How am I going to keep their work in an orderly manner? How am I going to remember all of the things I learned in college? Websites like http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/classmanage/teachorganization.htm help me a little with the small things, but I really want to get a teacher's, who has been teaching for a couple years, plan for what they do. I get nervous that I will have a hard time my first year because a lot of my focus will be on keeping things organized. This is unhealthy, I know. So, I would love some suggestions. One thing that I started doing at the beginning of my student teaching was keeping what I call "My Teaching Binder". I created tabs for each subject, tips, books, etc. In each subject tab there are worksheets, notes that I took about that subject while teaching and throughout class, recommended books, activities, etc. This gave me a sense of calm at the end of the semester when the binder was full. However, I cannot remember what is in the binder whatsoever. Plus, the binder is completely full after just one semester, so do I just have multiple teacher binders? What is the best way to stay organized the first year?
I have always been the type of person who loves to plan ahead, usually years in advance. This habit began when I was 5 years old in Ms. Cowles kindergarten classroom. She was perfect. She was beautiful, caring, accepting, and so enthusiastic about teaching. I wanted to be just like her. From that point on I made it my goal in life to become just as good of a teacher as Ms. Cowles. As I went throughout elementary school I had more and more teachers that became inspirations in my life. I convinced my mother that I had to have a classroom in my house in order to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher. She conceded that it was necessary and gave me a big room in the basement. She bought me posters, a chalkboard, desks, and even an overhead! She knew it was serious. I would go on the last day of school to my teachers and ask for worksheets and papers that they were going to recycle so that I could use them in my classroom. I loved to teach. I taught my neighborhood friends, my friends younger siblings, and especially my stuffed animals - who were usually the best students. I was in my element and loving it.
As I got older, "playing school" became slightly uncool and movies, makeup, and Britney Spears became the new trend. I placed my love for teaching in the backseat and let teenage life take the wheel. It wasn't until the summer before my first semester as a freshman at Auburn University that my dream of being a teacher came back to me. I had already been accepted to Auburn at this point with the hopes of becoming an interior designer. I was placed in the interior design school and couldn't wait to get started, or so I thought. The summer before attending, I was a camp counselor at Camp Skyline Ranch, which in my opinion is by far the best camp in the south. I attended Camp Skyline when I was a younger girl, around 8 years old, and fell in love with the camp and my counselor. She was so nice to me and helped me feel better when I was homesick. I decided, once again I had to plan ahead, at that point that I would become just like Amy and be a counselor here when I grew up. Sure enough, I did it! My assignment for the summer was with 2nd grade-4th grade girls in the cabin named Trah. Believe it or not, this is the cabin that I was in as a camper when I told myself I would be a counselor here. To top it off, I stayed in the exact room that Amy was in when she was a counselor. Once again, I was back in my element. I wasn't completely sold however, until one day. The girls were the sweetest girls I had ever dreamed of having in a cabin. They were enthusiastic, independent, reliable, and so much fun to be around. During free time one day 2 girls, Sullivan and Ella, came into my room and asked if I could play the Shrek CD for them to dance to on my CD player. I said "Of course!" and turned it on. They bounced around the cabin and laughed and screamed. I went back into my room to finish getting my things prepared for the next activity. Suddenly, I heard "Miss Lauren....ppssttt...Miss Lauren!" in a whisper voice. The walls were cut off at the top with about a foot of space to the ceiling open to the other room. Bunkbeds backed up to that wall, so if you were standing on it, you could look over the wall into my room. I look up and see 3 smiling faces looking down at me and waving. When they realized I saw them they screamed and hopped back down. For some reason, that struck a special part of my heart that made me realize that this is what I needed to do for the rest of my life. I woke up every day with the best feeling...I get to see those sweet faces again. I couldn't wait to wake them up so I could talk to them and help them and love them. It was wonderful. So, when I think of teaching, the only thing that comes to mind is that when I am doing it, I am in my element and loving it.