*I believe the
purposes of education are to teach people how to become productive members of
society. By learning literacy, math,
history, science, social science, and similar subjects people gain the skills
needed to be informed critical thinkers and to provide for themselves. It is also important to learn social skills
and moral values. A man who is smart but
has poor moral character can become dangerous to society. Truly the goal of education is to teach
people to be critical thinkers and have high morals and values. This will make our society a stronger,
better, and safer place to live.
*I believe that
children learn best when they are taught under certain conditions and in certain
ways. Children learn through play, experimentation, and example. Play involves creativity and
imagination. Play is fun, active, and
spontaneous. Through play children
develop physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Play assists children in learning skills, establishing self-identity,
and creating social relationships. Through
experimentation children learn firsthand about choices and consequences. In a safe controlled environment children can
push boundaries without serious repercussions.
For example, a four year old who takes something from his friend then
has the opportunity to learn that it is not acceptable to do that and that
actions have consequences. An adult that
makes that mistake can be thrown in jail.
So it is very important that children have the opportunity to explore
and learn from mistakes when they are young.
Another way children learn is through example. As a mother I can tell my children all day
how they should act, but then I turn around and see them mimicking me. As teachers it is so important that we model
the behavior we expect from our students.
*The curriculum, all of the activities and experiences, of my classroom should include certain "basics" that contribute to children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. These basics include learning in all modalities. I do not want my students to just sit in one spot and listen to me talk. They need to experience it in every way possible. To touch, move, see, hear, and explain the lessons they have learned. This will insure an optimal learning experience where students understand and internalize their learning.
*Children learn best in an environment that promotes learning. A good learning environment is organized and individualized to fit the needs of the students. An organized environment is the foundation to create a positive learning environment. Learning cannot take place amidst confusion. Students require consistency, enforced rules, established schedules, and a clean organized classroom. The children must be taught to put things away quickly and correctly. There must be established locations for coats, back packs, lunch bags, and school supplies. They must have accessible organized spaces for pencils, papers, and crayons. Children must be familiar with the routines for cleaning up and putting things away. These organizational plans are the foundation to create a positive learning environment.
*All children have certain needs
that must be met if they are to grow and learn at their best. Some of these
basic needs are structure and consistent consequences. Children naturally test limits and push
boundaries. When there are structure and
consistent consequences children find a sense of security and understanding. Children react well when they know exactly
what is expected of them. When they
understand the exactly what will happen when they choose to act appropriately
and when they know exactly what will happen when they act inappropriately they
learn to make better choices. I would meet these needs by developing clear
nonnegotiable rules and consequences for following rules and breaking
them. I think this should be done on the
first day of class. Speak to the
children about rules they think are important.
Ask what the consequences should be if the rules are obeyed. Ask what the consequences should be if the
rules are broken. Help guide the discussion then when all the rules are
established post the written rules somewhere where they can be seen and
remembered. Then be consistent in fairly
and justly enforcing rules.
*A teacher should have certain
qualities and behave in certain ways. Qualities I think important for teaching
are fair, loving, and tough. It is
important that children know that you care about them. Treat students with respect. This does not
mean go easy on them. Some of my favorite
teachers growing up were teachers who expected a lot and gave very difficult
work. But I knew they cared about me
personally. They were tough but they
believed in me and they gave me the tools and the confidence I needed to
succeed. They were fair. They did not demand anything of me that they
would not be willing to do themselves. I
think those are very important qualities to have as a teacher.
The qualities I have
that will help me be a successful teacher are the skills I developed when I was
studying to be a Music Therapist. I finished all my coursework but never did an
internship so I didn’t receive my degree. I used to feel that these years of
school were a waste. However after spending time around children and in schools
I realized that I did not just memorize facts and pass classes then move on
with my life. Those classes became part
of who I am and I still use knowledge and skills I learned in the music therapy
program. For example, my training and
experiences with child victims of domestic violence gives me unique insight on
how to spot warning signs and how to assist troubled children. I spent several
months working with special needs children, assisting in the development and
implementation of individualized education programs. I realize that I now find myself
automatically assessing each child, asking questions like “Where is this child
developmentally?” and “What do they need to get to the next level?” I think these previously learned knowledge
and skills will assist me immensely as a teacher.
The qualities I feel
that I need to develop to be a successful educator are greater patience and stress
management skills. I feel I need to
learn to be calmer and allow things to roll off my back more easily. I understand that being a teacher is not an
easy job. There will be times and there
will be students that try my patience.
Now is the time for me to prepare so I am able to effectively deal with
those challenges. Another thing I think
I need to develop is more basic classroom teacher skills. I need to observe great teachers and develop
the skills to become a great teacher.
