Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Results of Last Day of Service
Today was a fun, but sad day because it was my last day of service. I will truly miss the girls and everything we did together. Mrs. Jackson thanked me for coming and helping her in the classroom and hopefully when I go loking for jobs, I will be able to work somewhere that allows me to interact with children. I enjoyed doing service here at Warner Girls and I cannot wait until next semester to see what other service sites will be open and what I can participate in.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Last Day for Service November 30th, 2010
On Tuesday, November 30th, my service learning placement for Warner Girls School will end. Tomorrow is the last day for service and I am wondering how the girls will take the news about me being there for the last time tomorrow. I know that I am definitely going to miss the girls and I hope and pray that my schedule will allow me to be able to go back next semester and do my service here again. I have seen many of the girls grow and learn in the weeks that I have been there. I have also watched some of the girls struggle to read and how to write and spell their names, but for Pre-K young girls, they are very smart and they know so much as opposed to some children at that same age who do not have the resources to learn. The girls at Warner Girls are very special to me and I feel that with the teaching of Mrs. Jackson, their Pre-K teacher, they will be able to excel and learn many exciting things. I cannot wait for tomorrow and see what is in store for my last day of service!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
service for 11/9/2010
This past Tuesday I finally returned to my service site after two weeks of not going because of my son being sick and elections being held at the school last week. I really do enjoy going to my site. This week I helped the girls color in a turkey for Thanksgiving. The feathers of the turkey were to be colored in an ABB pattern because that is what the girls were practicing on for the week. They were also on the letter D of the alphabet. The girls have really made a lot of progress with their alphabet. Patterns are exactly where the girls should be according to the curriculumm of the school. The girls also represent Notre Dame College as future college prospects. Every class of girls represents a different all girls college and hopefully by informing the girls of colleges they can attend, they will be enthusiastic about finding out more info about the colleges. I have really enjoyed my time here at my service site and it will come to an end in two weeks, unfortunately. I will really miss the girls but if everything goes according to plan with my schedule for next semester I might be able to return to my service site.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Service blog for 11/4/2010
There was no service this week at my service learning site because they held elections there at the school. This allowed people from the community to come and vote that was closest to them. I think it is great that schools offer their time and space to allow the people of the community to vote there and it also gives the school public attention as well because people are able to venture into the school and see all of the wonderful artwork on the walls and see what the school is like. I cannot wait til service next tuesday.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
weblog in response to chapter 9
Chapter 9 dealt with how many schools and school districts deal with the limited resources that they have to deal with and how some teachers even state that they are only given $300 to use for the entire school year. Some teachers cannot deal with this financial strait and worse yet some teachers refuse to keep teaching under these conditions. Many teachers on average only last about 5 years as a teacher. Schools have to handle the frustrations of parents and students alike and are under constant pressure to live up to the standards of the school district. There will always be problems in the school system and no matter what happens, students will have to pay the ultimate price.
Service blog for october 26th
This past Tuesday, October 26th I did not go to my service site because my son Antonio was sick with a cold and cough. Instead I spent my morning dealing with my sick son and hoping that he would be okay. This week on Tuesday, November 2nd we will not be having service because the school I do my service at will be used for the voting elections. Unfortunately I will not get to see my girls in the pre k class for another week, but when I do see them I will be so happy. And I cannot believe that the semester is almost over and the service will be coming to an end.I will miss the girls terribly when I am done with my service.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Using Chapter 6 for My Blog
When I started reading chapter 6 in our textbook, I saw that this chapter dealt with the measures that were used back in the early days up until now. Some of those measures included: report cards, written examinations, oral examinations, and many others. When I started reading about the recitations part of the chapter, it brought back a memory of when I was in grade school.
This memory that I had triggered by the "Recitation" section brought me back to 3rd grade when I was in class and the teacher told the class that everyone would have to get up and recite the lesson. Now the lesson had to do with science facts, which when I look back should have seemed easy to remember, but as a 3rd grader, the last thing I wanted to do was get up and say a bunch of facts from memory. This "recitation" from everyone in the class was supposed to show the teacher who was actually doing their work and paying attention and who wasn't. When it was my turn to get up, I immediately froze and coudl not remember any of the science facts we had been learning about. So the teacher made me sit down and she sent me home with a note saying that I was not paying attention in class. I was so mad when I read it, but I still had to give it to my mom because the teacher required the note to be signed by a parent to make sure I had given it to her.
When I got home, I explained to my mom and dad that I was scared and I did not want to get up in front of the class and say a bunch of stuff about science. Luckily they understood and they did not punish me like I thought they would. They just told me that the next time I had to do somehting like that, I should ask the teacher to maybe give me some time before I had to get up and recite.
This experience of recitation was not one of my best performances in class, to put it subtly. I knew that I never wanted to have to get up again, but as time went on I was not as nervous anymore because I knew that I would not be the only one that had to get up....everyone did and that is what made me less worried about it all.
This memory that I had triggered by the "Recitation" section brought me back to 3rd grade when I was in class and the teacher told the class that everyone would have to get up and recite the lesson. Now the lesson had to do with science facts, which when I look back should have seemed easy to remember, but as a 3rd grader, the last thing I wanted to do was get up and say a bunch of facts from memory. This "recitation" from everyone in the class was supposed to show the teacher who was actually doing their work and paying attention and who wasn't. When it was my turn to get up, I immediately froze and coudl not remember any of the science facts we had been learning about. So the teacher made me sit down and she sent me home with a note saying that I was not paying attention in class. I was so mad when I read it, but I still had to give it to my mom because the teacher required the note to be signed by a parent to make sure I had given it to her.
When I got home, I explained to my mom and dad that I was scared and I did not want to get up in front of the class and say a bunch of stuff about science. Luckily they understood and they did not punish me like I thought they would. They just told me that the next time I had to do somehting like that, I should ask the teacher to maybe give me some time before I had to get up and recite.
This experience of recitation was not one of my best performances in class, to put it subtly. I knew that I never wanted to have to get up again, but as time went on I was not as nervous anymore because I knew that I would not be the only one that had to get up....everyone did and that is what made me less worried about it all.
No Service
Well this past Tuesday, October 5th because of standardized testing in the school district. Overall, I have enjoyed my time here at my service site. This school seems almost out of place because it is such a beautiful school, but at the same time when you look out the window, all you can see are dilapidated buildings and rundown neighborhoods. Unfortunately, many schools inside of the Cleveland Municipal School District are falling apart and rundown. These types of conditions are the everyday struggles that these children deal with. This is one of the main reasons why I want to become a teacher because I want to help as many children as I can excel and be all that they can be. And I understand that this may sound cheesy to some people, but I do what I do in life so that others may benefit. I am your shoulder to lean on and all of the children I have ever met know this and they know they can talk to me about anything. I look forward to seeing my class of preschoolers next Tuesday and hope they are as happy to see me as I am to see them.
My Fourth Week of Serice- Service Blog This Past Tuesday
This past Tuesday, my service learning teacher, Mrs. Jackson at Warner Girls Leadership Academy, had me do an activity with all of the girls in the classroom that involved M&M's and predictions. What she had me do was sort out six different colors of the M&M's and place no more than 10 of each onto the different plates labeled with the color: red, yellow, green, blue, brown, and orange. Then she gave me two number lines to help the girls point to the number of M&M's that they thought were on each plate for each different color. This was what we did for the whole class and their predictions were relly good...and they are just pre-k students....and that to me is amazing! I am so thrilled that the girls are so eager to learn and please all of the "big people" as they call us.
I also just wanted to mention that in a room full of girls, it can be overwhelming, but at the same time, I have never had to scream or yell and shout at them to let them know that I was in charge. All I have ever had to do with children, who want to do different activites all at the same time, was to redirect their attention and show them that we all were going to do an activity together and it has worked for me every single time. I understand that for some people, small children are not their forte', but just like Dr. Shutkin said in class yesterday, "You have to love all the children, not just the ones who behave well, but the ones who don't behave well either." There is no reason to have to stand on a soapbox and yell at these young children because THEY ARE CHILDREN AND THEY ARE GOING TO ACT AND BE CHILDREN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! A LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE AND EFFORT GOES A LONG WAY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH KIDS...
I also just wanted to mention that in a room full of girls, it can be overwhelming, but at the same time, I have never had to scream or yell and shout at them to let them know that I was in charge. All I have ever had to do with children, who want to do different activites all at the same time, was to redirect their attention and show them that we all were going to do an activity together and it has worked for me every single time. I understand that for some people, small children are not their forte', but just like Dr. Shutkin said in class yesterday, "You have to love all the children, not just the ones who behave well, but the ones who don't behave well either." There is no reason to have to stand on a soapbox and yell at these young children because THEY ARE CHILDREN AND THEY ARE GOING TO ACT AND BE CHILDREN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! A LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE AND EFFORT GOES A LONG WAY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH KIDS...
Proposal Commentary
I have read over both of Rachel's and Britney's service proposal and I really think that they have good proposals. I know that we will definitely need to get together and work on more indepth perceptions on all of our papers, but for now I do feel that they both have viable paper topics. I like how they both wrote about something that is meaningful and important to each of them because in what they wrote I can also relate because the three of us have been through some of the things that we are writing about. It is very easy to relate to many of the problems that the students and school systems face to day because faced them when we were in school as well. Having the voices of the children who are affected by all these conditions that prevent them from learning and acheiving higher has always been and will always be a struggle. Not knowing what the future holds for some individuals is a daunting reality that many face.
Writing Circles Blog
My writing circle in ed 253 consists of two other young ladies, Britney and Rachel. I have known them for some time before this class and I enjoy working with them. Since we are now a group, we have responsibilities to one another. Each of us signed a contract yesterday before class ended stating the following:
1. We would give positive criticisms of our writing styles to one another and be willing to give feedback.
2. We would contribute equally to one another and make sure that any additional resources needed would be found to ensure the writing assignments would be completed to the professors approval.
3. We wanted to make sure that if we are stuck with writer's block, that we would all brainstorm ideas and help each other develop a good paper.
I am happy that we have writing circles because I used to have the same in my English 111 and 112 class which were called "peer editing groups." These groups much like our own in this class really helped us to see the flaws of our paper and how we could make it better. It was nice to get feedback from others as well because you cannot write a paper on your own and feel that it is complete. Everyone needs help and shoudl not be afraid to ask for it if it is readily available which it is.
Our groups are meant to be a support system for one another not just in writing, but for anything else as well. I look forward to working with my group and seeing what wonderful ideas we can come up with.
1. We would give positive criticisms of our writing styles to one another and be willing to give feedback.
2. We would contribute equally to one another and make sure that any additional resources needed would be found to ensure the writing assignments would be completed to the professors approval.
3. We wanted to make sure that if we are stuck with writer's block, that we would all brainstorm ideas and help each other develop a good paper.
I am happy that we have writing circles because I used to have the same in my English 111 and 112 class which were called "peer editing groups." These groups much like our own in this class really helped us to see the flaws of our paper and how we could make it better. It was nice to get feedback from others as well because you cannot write a paper on your own and feel that it is complete. Everyone needs help and shoudl not be afraid to ask for it if it is readily available which it is.
Our groups are meant to be a support system for one another not just in writing, but for anything else as well. I look forward to working with my group and seeing what wonderful ideas we can come up with.
My Third Week of Service- A Fun Day at Service
This past Tuesday at service was really exciting. When I arrived I was able to join the girls in their Spanish lesson and it was nice to see them all engaging in learning a new language. I sat dow next to the educational aide, Ms. Jackson, and I started conversating with her. We spoke of all the things that were taking place in the classroom since we had no service last week. She told me that the girls were beginning to decorate the classroom with pictures they had drawn or painted for the fall season.
When we got back to the class, I found myself cutting out cards that had pictures of things that began with the letter "M" because that is the letter they were on this week. Mrs. Jackson, the teacher, asked me to practice enunciating the M sound and practice saying the words with the girls in my group. So we started making M sounds and I had all the girls say what the picture was. After that, we started playing the Memory Game with the cards to see who could get the most number of matches. As my time came to an end at 11:10 am, I asked Mrs. Jackson if she would not mind having me come in to do my service with her class next semester, and she told me that she would be thrilled to have me back. It made me feel quite good to see that just my presence really meant a lot to both the girls and Mrs. Jackson. I finally feel that I have found my ideal service site and I plan on continuing to work with Mrs. Jackson at Warner Girls Leadership Academy for the duration of my time here at John Carroll University.
When we got back to the class, I found myself cutting out cards that had pictures of things that began with the letter "M" because that is the letter they were on this week. Mrs. Jackson, the teacher, asked me to practice enunciating the M sound and practice saying the words with the girls in my group. So we started making M sounds and I had all the girls say what the picture was. After that, we started playing the Memory Game with the cards to see who could get the most number of matches. As my time came to an end at 11:10 am, I asked Mrs. Jackson if she would not mind having me come in to do my service with her class next semester, and she told me that she would be thrilled to have me back. It made me feel quite good to see that just my presence really meant a lot to both the girls and Mrs. Jackson. I finally feel that I have found my ideal service site and I plan on continuing to work with Mrs. Jackson at Warner Girls Leadership Academy for the duration of my time here at John Carroll University.
My Second Week of Service
Well this past Tuesday, October 5th because of standardized testing in the school district. Overall, I have enjoyed my time here at my service site. This school seems almost out of place because it is such a beautiful school, but at the same time when you look out the window, all you can see are dilapidated buildings and rundown neighborhoods. Unfortunately, many schools inside of the Cleveland Municipal School District are falling apart and rundown. These types of conditions are the everyday struggles that these children deal with. This is one of the main reasons why I want to become a teacher because I want to help as many children as I can excel and be all that they can be. And I understand that this may sound cheesy to some people, but I do what I do in life so that others may benefit. I am your shoulder to lean on and all of the children I have ever met know this and they know they can talk to me about anything. I look forward to seeing my class of preschoolers next Tuesday and hope they are as happy to see me as I am to see them.
Reading on Service Learning
1. How does service learning differ from country to country?
2. Do people have different definitions of the words "service learning"?
3. How can people who participate in service learning help those less fortunate feel like they have options and choices in life?
4. Do you think that service learning is beneficial to both parties?
5. Can service learning really make a difference in someone's life?
2. Do people have different definitions of the words "service learning"?
3. How can people who participate in service learning help those less fortunate feel like they have options and choices in life?
4. Do you think that service learning is beneficial to both parties?
5. Can service learning really make a difference in someone's life?
My First Day of Service Learning
So today was my very first day at Warner Girls Leadership Academy. It was absolutely amazing. I selected to be in a pre kindergarten classroom. The unique aspect of this school is that it is an all girls school. The young girls ages 5 to 7 were so anxious for me to do activities with each of them and were so happy to meet me. I am estatic that I will have the opportunity to work with these young girls because pre-k to 3rd grade is what I want to teach. I am looking forward to connecting with the girls and developing friendly relationships with all of them.
I also want to point out that I was supposed to do service at this site last semester but my schedule did not allow me the flexibility to accommodate this service site. I am upset though because the school is so nice and the people there are wonderful that I'm hoping that I will be able to return for the rest of my years at John Carroll. I know it is only been one day that I have been there, but I feel like I finally found the right fit for a weekly service activity. I can't wait to go back and see the girls again. I hope everyone else has a great experience at their service sites as well.
I also want to point out that I was supposed to do service at this site last semester but my schedule did not allow me the flexibility to accommodate this service site. I am upset though because the school is so nice and the people there are wonderful that I'm hoping that I will be able to return for the rest of my years at John Carroll. I know it is only been one day that I have been there, but I feel like I finally found the right fit for a weekly service activity. I can't wait to go back and see the girls again. I hope everyone else has a great experience at their service sites as well.
service learning blog- WARNER GIRLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
This semester I have three service requirements for this education class, psycology and development, and my OAI requirement. I have done service every semester since I began here as a student at John Carroll. My service site this semester will be done at Warner Girls Leadership Academy in the culturally diverse neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Every time I have done service, I usually take on service sites that have to do with tutoring young children. I really enjoy helping the children that I am fortunate enough to tutor because it allows me to go back week after week and develop a relationship with that child or children when we work in groups. I feel that being able to come back and see the actual progress that you have made with a child really means something to me and the child as well.
One experience that I would like to share would be when I was at a previous site last semester and it saddened me to see how young children who had so much potential were being let down by the amount of damage their school had. I mean there were not enough chairs or paper. And the teachers tried their very best to give the children the upmost care and when I had to go up there for service I made sure that I gave every student my undivided attention. Do you know why I feel that this was so important to the children? It was because they felt that because the school was in such a bad condition that they were not as smart as other children and they were not worth much. I find it amazing how in every chapter I read in our text for this class, how many of the same things they speak about in other teachers situations with their classes, it is very much the same all over the Cleveland Municipal School District. It is going to take a very long time before our school systems will even measure up to the health and safety standards that the government insists on having for schools. If we could all take responsibility for our actions, and help others who are less fortunate than ourselves, we can come up and beat all these obstacles against us.
One experience that I would like to share would be when I was at a previous site last semester and it saddened me to see how young children who had so much potential were being let down by the amount of damage their school had. I mean there were not enough chairs or paper. And the teachers tried their very best to give the children the upmost care and when I had to go up there for service I made sure that I gave every student my undivided attention. Do you know why I feel that this was so important to the children? It was because they felt that because the school was in such a bad condition that they were not as smart as other children and they were not worth much. I find it amazing how in every chapter I read in our text for this class, how many of the same things they speak about in other teachers situations with their classes, it is very much the same all over the Cleveland Municipal School District. It is going to take a very long time before our school systems will even measure up to the health and safety standards that the government insists on having for schools. If we could all take responsibility for our actions, and help others who are less fortunate than ourselves, we can come up and beat all these obstacles against us.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Timeline WebLog
This Timeline project that we have to do over the course of the semester seems like it will be challenging, but im sure it won't be!
I believe that I would like to include my sons birth and the experience in my timeline because I feel that without including my son, Antonio, in the timeline, this project would not have real significance for me. This is a very important event for me.
I believe that I would like to include my sons birth and the experience in my timeline because I feel that without including my son, Antonio, in the timeline, this project would not have real significance for me. This is a very important event for me.
Friday, September 3, 2010
WebLog 1
WebLog Queries
WebLog 1: Class Survey
1. My name is Jennylee Gandarilla and I was born and raised in my hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut. My email address is: jgandarilla12@jcu.edu.
2. I would prefer to be called, "Jenny".
3. I want to teach Pre-K to the 3rd grade and I do not really have a specific area of interest that I want to teach at the moment.
4. I love to read all kinds of books and my two favorite hobbies are collecting quarters for my coin collection and taking in part in arts and crafts. What makes me unique is that I am a mother of a two and a half year old named, "Antonio", and he is the love of my life. I am also very organized, I do not mind working in group projects, and I do NOT like to procrastinate. I like to get things done ahead of time.
5. For me to feel comfortable in a classroom setting, I like rules to be posted so I know what is expected of me and I also like the classroom to look engaging with posters and signs that show that learning in this particular environment will be fun, intriguing and educational.
6. I will honestly say that I am not going to be the first person to raise my hand for a discussion, but I will still participate. I am a hardworking and determined individual and I like that my work shows the kind of person I am and the characteristics I possess. I am also an honest, but a blunt person, in a polite way. I am open to other students learning abilities and their methods and approaches to teaching. When I feel that I do not understand something, I will always ask either my peers or the instructor for help. I feel that if I had been more proactive in my approach and raised my hand in other classes, I know that I could have done better.
7. In confidence with Dr. Shutkin, my life hasn't been easy and it has taken me quite a long time to reach this point in my life. I have been through plenty of obstacles and I feel that even though those times are trying on me, I do learn to overcome these harsh times. I feel that our negative experiences make us stronger as individuals and we would do well to learn from our mistakes. My parents are divorced so it is hard to get the emotional support that I sometimes need. My parents divorce impacted myself and my younger siblings in a way that makes me want to be a better person and a better mom for my son. Family is the first and most important aspect in my life and even though my family "stands divided", I still feel that it is within my power to help us unite once again. My schooling was affected for a short period of time when all of this took place, but I still graduated and I went on to succeed. Because of these issues that I have dealt with, I see that I am not the only person to deal with issues like these. Young children deal with even worse situations and I feel that school should be a child's home away from home and that they should feel safe when they are in this environment. That is exactly why I wanted to become an educator in the first place. I want to give my students a sense of well being and show them that even though things may not be working out at home, that there is a place where they can come to and feel safe.
8. Looking back on one experience when I was back in high school....I had a history teacher who I felt absolutely hated his job. If he wasn't screaming and telling the class to do their work, he was busy mumbling about how he hated his job and how he should have sought a different career path. So it was obvious that he did not like us as students because he had to deal with us and he made it clear that he hated his job. This was a horrible combination and the people who suffered were the students. I feel like I did not learn anything being in his classroom. It felt like an enormous waste of time and space. I hope that when I become an educator that my students will enjoy themselves and be happy and motivated to learn.
9. The school system today is in dire need of new people on the committee and hearing board. Cutbacks in afterschool programs, money problems, and layoffs have all resulted in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and less one-on-one attention for students who need it. I feel like educators are the people who should be getting paid millions of dollars a year instead of athletes because without educators, how would we have learned all that we know today? Who would have showed us our ABC's and our 123's? It takes people who have the passion and a love for teaching to become educators. You have to be able to have the mindset and be able to teach those who do not know that learning can be fun and it is supposed to be educational. Teachers have to deal with inequalities and limited resources everyday and still strive to promote a just learning environment. It is a difficult struggle that many see every day. Why do some schools have everything students need and more in one district and then in other low-income and poor neighborhoods, we have students who are struggling just to have the same resources that other students already have?! People need to wake up and start taking action because our children are suffering and their educational needs are not being met. Teachers can only do so much to help their students, but that is only half the battle. Parents must also be willing to take initiative and help their children succeed at home and engage in activities for the children whenever possible.
10. I believe that service learning projects are extremely helpful because we can get to know the environment in which we would like to teach, but also engage with students who look forward to our guidance and our help. These projects help bridge gaps and help to form new relationships within different groups of people. Projects like these motivate both the students and future educators to get hands on with learning and open new doors for different methods of teaching. While having to learn about numerous topics depending on what grade level will be taught, I feel that an overall general knowledge is necessary for any educator about to step into a classroom because it would better help the students learn more effectively. While not overdoing it, we as educators can also help our students explore different ways of thinking and analyzing topics. Educators should be passionate, understanding, and patient when teaching because not everyone will understand the topic of discussion the first time it is brought up and patient teachers, I feel, do better with their students. Students should feel that the teacher is a good person and they only want to help them be better individuals while still actively taking part in the learning environment. Every teacher should avoid negative reinforcement and never use name calling or any such behaviors as an excuse for a learning environment. Teachers should instead show students how to deal with problems and show them what the consequences will be for their actions. Teachers should attack the problem and not the student. That way both students can see how things can be solved in a nice and friendly manner.
11. I would like to know how long have you been teaching? What made you want to become a teacher? Do you think the need for educators will increase as time goes on?
WebLog 1: Class Survey
1. My name is Jennylee Gandarilla and I was born and raised in my hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut. My email address is: jgandarilla12@jcu.edu.
2. I would prefer to be called, "Jenny".
3. I want to teach Pre-K to the 3rd grade and I do not really have a specific area of interest that I want to teach at the moment.
4. I love to read all kinds of books and my two favorite hobbies are collecting quarters for my coin collection and taking in part in arts and crafts. What makes me unique is that I am a mother of a two and a half year old named, "Antonio", and he is the love of my life. I am also very organized, I do not mind working in group projects, and I do NOT like to procrastinate. I like to get things done ahead of time.
5. For me to feel comfortable in a classroom setting, I like rules to be posted so I know what is expected of me and I also like the classroom to look engaging with posters and signs that show that learning in this particular environment will be fun, intriguing and educational.
6. I will honestly say that I am not going to be the first person to raise my hand for a discussion, but I will still participate. I am a hardworking and determined individual and I like that my work shows the kind of person I am and the characteristics I possess. I am also an honest, but a blunt person, in a polite way. I am open to other students learning abilities and their methods and approaches to teaching. When I feel that I do not understand something, I will always ask either my peers or the instructor for help. I feel that if I had been more proactive in my approach and raised my hand in other classes, I know that I could have done better.
7. In confidence with Dr. Shutkin, my life hasn't been easy and it has taken me quite a long time to reach this point in my life. I have been through plenty of obstacles and I feel that even though those times are trying on me, I do learn to overcome these harsh times. I feel that our negative experiences make us stronger as individuals and we would do well to learn from our mistakes. My parents are divorced so it is hard to get the emotional support that I sometimes need. My parents divorce impacted myself and my younger siblings in a way that makes me want to be a better person and a better mom for my son. Family is the first and most important aspect in my life and even though my family "stands divided", I still feel that it is within my power to help us unite once again. My schooling was affected for a short period of time when all of this took place, but I still graduated and I went on to succeed. Because of these issues that I have dealt with, I see that I am not the only person to deal with issues like these. Young children deal with even worse situations and I feel that school should be a child's home away from home and that they should feel safe when they are in this environment. That is exactly why I wanted to become an educator in the first place. I want to give my students a sense of well being and show them that even though things may not be working out at home, that there is a place where they can come to and feel safe.
8. Looking back on one experience when I was back in high school....I had a history teacher who I felt absolutely hated his job. If he wasn't screaming and telling the class to do their work, he was busy mumbling about how he hated his job and how he should have sought a different career path. So it was obvious that he did not like us as students because he had to deal with us and he made it clear that he hated his job. This was a horrible combination and the people who suffered were the students. I feel like I did not learn anything being in his classroom. It felt like an enormous waste of time and space. I hope that when I become an educator that my students will enjoy themselves and be happy and motivated to learn.
9. The school system today is in dire need of new people on the committee and hearing board. Cutbacks in afterschool programs, money problems, and layoffs have all resulted in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and less one-on-one attention for students who need it. I feel like educators are the people who should be getting paid millions of dollars a year instead of athletes because without educators, how would we have learned all that we know today? Who would have showed us our ABC's and our 123's? It takes people who have the passion and a love for teaching to become educators. You have to be able to have the mindset and be able to teach those who do not know that learning can be fun and it is supposed to be educational. Teachers have to deal with inequalities and limited resources everyday and still strive to promote a just learning environment. It is a difficult struggle that many see every day. Why do some schools have everything students need and more in one district and then in other low-income and poor neighborhoods, we have students who are struggling just to have the same resources that other students already have?! People need to wake up and start taking action because our children are suffering and their educational needs are not being met. Teachers can only do so much to help their students, but that is only half the battle. Parents must also be willing to take initiative and help their children succeed at home and engage in activities for the children whenever possible.
10. I believe that service learning projects are extremely helpful because we can get to know the environment in which we would like to teach, but also engage with students who look forward to our guidance and our help. These projects help bridge gaps and help to form new relationships within different groups of people. Projects like these motivate both the students and future educators to get hands on with learning and open new doors for different methods of teaching. While having to learn about numerous topics depending on what grade level will be taught, I feel that an overall general knowledge is necessary for any educator about to step into a classroom because it would better help the students learn more effectively. While not overdoing it, we as educators can also help our students explore different ways of thinking and analyzing topics. Educators should be passionate, understanding, and patient when teaching because not everyone will understand the topic of discussion the first time it is brought up and patient teachers, I feel, do better with their students. Students should feel that the teacher is a good person and they only want to help them be better individuals while still actively taking part in the learning environment. Every teacher should avoid negative reinforcement and never use name calling or any such behaviors as an excuse for a learning environment. Teachers should instead show students how to deal with problems and show them what the consequences will be for their actions. Teachers should attack the problem and not the student. That way both students can see how things can be solved in a nice and friendly manner.
11. I would like to know how long have you been teaching? What made you want to become a teacher? Do you think the need for educators will increase as time goes on?
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