Experience Summary
After graduating from Trinity University, I joined Teach For America. I received an intensive training while teaching fifth grade math in summer school and then moved to Miami to teach second grade. I taught an inclusion classroom, which helped me become comfortable working with English language learners, as well as students with both learning and emotional disabilities. My students grew an average of 1.1 years in their reading level in seven months, and averaged an 80% on their end of year math assessment. I then moved to rural Nicaragua where I taught English as a second language, developed and initiated a literacy program for primary students, and helped ready secondary students for college.
Teaching Style
From my experience, I have learned that every child has the ability to succeed when given the proper tools and taught at the appropriate skill level. Often in the school system, a child struggles because they are given general class work that is too difficult or above their current level, not because they are unable to learn. I believe that a child must first have a solid foundation and the belief that he/she is capable. I work patiently with my students, employing different approaches to find the best technique for that student in order to build this foundation. I gently challenge students to continually push themselves, while celebrating in the small successes of learning. I fundamentally believe that each child is capable of learning.