My third grade teacher, Mrs. S, mesmerized her class. Every day, we sang catchy songs that helped us memorize a part of speech, a math concept, or our states and capitals. We moved. We danced. We played silly musical chairs only to learn concepts that were hidden under that last seat. We assisted in the planning of our school beauty pageant which was a well-disguised activity for elapsed time and some juicy descriptive writing. We carefully watched, measured, and wrote about our butter bean embryos that grew almost surreptitiously between two plates of glass on the window sill. One day, Mrs. S introduced a new student to our class, a sweet quiet girl named Beth who came to Alabama via Hawaii. Within a few short weeks, our class had constructed grass skirts and leis, learned the Hukilau dance, and performed that cultural dance for our entire school. Experiences and lessons that will never be forgotten from a teacher that made an indelible mark on her students and on me. I look back fondly at the many educators who have touched my life in some way. Mrs. S is a giant among them. She did so much more than just educate. She inspired, encouraged, sparked, influenced, motivated, awakened, and most importantly, she loved.
When I made the decision to become a teacher, the memories of this caring woman and her engaging classroom gathered strong in my mind. I wanted to enlighten, encourage, and motivate children in the same ways that Mrs. S had done for me. I aspired to create that same safe learning environment in my own classroom so that students knew that it was acceptable to be a little silly as long as there was constructive learning occurring at the same time. I remembered how she brought a far away place like Hawaii to our tiny classroom and how the cultures learned in that lesson echoed throughout the entire school and community. I desired to be that same catalyst in my own community. I wanted to become a teacher.
As I complete my eighth year as an educator, I am amazed at how classrooms and students have changed over the years. With advancements in technology occurring every day, students of all ages still need an engaging curriculum to motivate, create, and foster their intrinsic desire to learn. I am extremely fortunate to teach in a school system which places a high value upon educating students with new technologies. I teach in a blended learning environment using 1:1 laptops. My fifth grade students are involved in online discussion forums, blogs, and wikis about artists and inventors such as Leonardo daVinci and Michelangelo. They have created digital posters and online digital dioramas about the discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic. They have researched the Holocaust, 9-11, and the Great Depression and have created podcasts about their experiences. Through challenge-based learning, my students studied the history of our school system. They created online brochures that advertised our amazing school district and the opportunities available through our emphasis on technology. As a teacher, I helped in guiding these learning experiences by showing students how to focus, learn, create, and self-assess. With my desire to create the classroom of my past, I have created a classroom for the 21st century. A classroom where students are engaged and motivated through the use of technology. A classroom where learning occurs while sharing information with each other and the world. A classroom in which learning transcends those four walls and hallowed halls of our school and travels enthusiastically throughout the community, the country, and the world. I believe Mrs. S would be proud.
When I made the decision to become a teacher, the memories of this caring woman and her engaging classroom gathered strong in my mind. I wanted to enlighten, encourage, and motivate children in the same ways that Mrs. S had done for me. I aspired to create that same safe learning environment in my own classroom so that students knew that it was acceptable to be a little silly as long as there was constructive learning occurring at the same time. I remembered how she brought a far away place like Hawaii to our tiny classroom and how the cultures learned in that lesson echoed throughout the entire school and community. I desired to be that same catalyst in my own community. I wanted to become a teacher.
As I complete my eighth year as an educator, I am amazed at how classrooms and students have changed over the years. With advancements in technology occurring every day, students of all ages still need an engaging curriculum to motivate, create, and foster their intrinsic desire to learn. I am extremely fortunate to teach in a school system which places a high value upon educating students with new technologies. I teach in a blended learning environment using 1:1 laptops. My fifth grade students are involved in online discussion forums, blogs, and wikis about artists and inventors such as Leonardo daVinci and Michelangelo. They have created digital posters and online digital dioramas about the discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic. They have researched the Holocaust, 9-11, and the Great Depression and have created podcasts about their experiences. Through challenge-based learning, my students studied the history of our school system. They created online brochures that advertised our amazing school district and the opportunities available through our emphasis on technology. As a teacher, I helped in guiding these learning experiences by showing students how to focus, learn, create, and self-assess. With my desire to create the classroom of my past, I have created a classroom for the 21st century. A classroom where students are engaged and motivated through the use of technology. A classroom where learning occurs while sharing information with each other and the world. A classroom in which learning transcends those four walls and hallowed halls of our school and travels enthusiastically throughout the community, the country, and the world. I believe Mrs. S would be proud.
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