Experience Summary
I have worked as an instructional aide, substitute teacher, small group instructor and tutor. I have taught all students from K-8th grade, as well as many disciplines. I have worked with small groups and individual students within the contexts of directed reading, math instruction, literature instruction, science projects and fluency testing. I have also completed all the coursework for my Masters Degree in Teaching and will student teach in the spring semester 2012. I will obtain my Masters, and Elementary Ed Cert with endorsements in Language Arts, Business and ESL in May 2012.
Teaching Style
I love working with kids because they have such a unique and unbiased view of life. They say what they are thinking and they have no hidden agendas or ill conceived motivation. They are eager to learn, to talk, to share what's on their minds. They are in a position to be molded and shaped constantly and my biggest mission is to inspire in them a love of learning that will last them a lifetime. Knowledge can not be taken away, not matter what the circumstances and it builds a self-confidence that nothing else gives. This I want to instill in my students.
So how do I accomplish this? I take the time to learn my student’s strengths, talents and special abilities and design our activities around those strengths. And just as I learn their strengths, I must learn about their weaknesses so that I can be persistent in efforts to strengthen them and encourage their confidence in these areas.
In my opinion, EVERY student has a capacity to learn and to be successful no matter what their prior experience. I believe it's my job to make sure they know I firmly believe in their ability so we can work together to achieve our goals. I believe that learning should be fun, creative and exciting. I care about my student's interests, experiences, background. I want to know what frustrates them and what excites them. Once I've learned these things, I will be able to push and challenge my student so that they can realize their full potential.