Montclair University's P-3 MAR Program

As teacher’s we are committing to a life time of learning and development of ourselves and our learners.

As every individual is unique, getting to understand the students’ characteristics, knowledge and cultural background are essential requirements for encouraging their development and learning (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2012). In order to achieve the above requirements, a strong and positive relationship with students is the effective way for teachers to build up a holistic picture of a student (Groundwater-Smith, Ewing & Le Cornu, 2015a; Nixon & Gould, 2005). The various recorded interactions and observations between teachers and students made during the professional experience, have helped me to understand how students learn and have strengthened my ability to plan and implement lessons (Arthur et al., 2012).

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry B. Adams. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to play a big part in children’s education, which is why I have decided to enroll for an education course. I believe that educators have a lifelong impact on their students and on the development of resilience. Thus, I aspire to inculcate my love for learning into the next generation, by influencing and inspiring children all through their formal education.

Today, teachers strive for the creation of positive and influential learning environments for all students. Moreover, they aim at increasing children’s chances of succeeding. They constantly re-evaluate their teaching strategies for educational improvement of students. Teachers create supportive and respectful school environment that makes students strive for more prosperous and eventually rewarding lives. According to Deborah Tannen, the teacher’s encouraging and

As a future middle school teacher, I know I have much to learn. I have to learn how to effectively make engaging lesson plans that meet the academic standards of my content, I have to educate myself on how to efficiently and promptly determine all of my student’s different learning styles and motivation, and I have to learn how to professionally build classroom management and a safe classroom environment, while still developing a sincere relationship with my students. However, of all the things I still need to learn, there is just as much that I have already learned which has helped build and strengthen my beliefs on what I believe a middle school teacher is and my responsibility as such.

Rhonda Haus started her career in the secondary school system where she has seen and been a part of many changes. She gave a unique perspective into Regina Public Schools and highlight the systems specific goals along with their successes and failures. Underlining it all was her message to put the students and to provide the best education for all kids. These goals were measurable and attainable. Kaylan Gazda spoke about the elementary school system and her experience in a variety of grades and schools. Her time in an experimental classroom and in another country provided many challenges. However, those challenges and obstacles made her a better teacher for her current job in a split classroom. Jordan McFarlan was able to provide insight in process of building a new program in a high school from the ground up. He was able to list challenges he faced and ways to respond to those challenges. Jesamy Unger presented what is was it is like to be a student taking education and the lessons she learned throughout her journey. She gave us useful advice for our field experiences and the tip that not everything you need to know about being a teacher will be taught in school. Every member of the panel highlighted you need to make relationships and networks with students, colleagues and even

Teaching is one of the most underrated professions in the workforce, without the guidance of a teacher writing this paper would have been impossible. I believe the Teacher Cadet program is a truly significant program that not only teaches but gives first-hand experience in the importance of being a teacher, As well as show the set of challenges that many academic professionals face in the classroom environment. I believe taking part in such an outstanding program will help me gain many attributes, learn a certain level of professionalism, as well as develop social skills that will help me understand how to deal with different kinds of people that hold different types of perspectives. Taking part in this will, in turn, make my goals more obtainable in the future.

I am the proud mom of four AMAZING kids, a wife to my supportive and hard-working husband, and a dedicated educator with 19 years of creative, effective, and engaging teaching experiences. I LOVE teaching…from the moment you step into my warm, welcoming, themed classroom, to interacting and guiding every student toward personal success, to sharing in their triumphs and challenges, to fostering the “real-world” connections, and most importantly…fostering a love of learning! I work endless hours planning, researching, preparing, and implementing in order to be creative, effective, engaging, and fun for every student. I pride myself on being able to connect and build strong relationships with all of my students each year. I believe in the importance of knowing each student’s learning style, and truly understanding their personal strengths and weaknesses, as like every adult, each child is unique and learns differently and at their own pace! Further, I believe that ALL kids can LEARN! I teach each of my students the importance of taking ownership, involving

As a student in the Education Department at Saint Mary’s College, I have been assigned a set of eight standards to fulfill before graduation. Having these standards guides all students in becoming the necessary well-rounded teacher candidates needed to go into the field of education and ultimately becoming a successful teacher in the future. Each standard relates to a different area, including having a broad and comprehensive understanding of learning processes, the professional environment, and content. Throughout the last two years, I have had a number of opportunities, both in the field and in my classes at Saint Mary’s, to meet these eight standards.

As I take on the challenge of being a middle school teacher. My goals will be to understand no two students are the same, provide a secure and safe environment for my students to learn and create a classroom where my students can grow intellectually and socially. My hope as I begin instruction in my classroom is that I can make each student feel safe and they will participate often in classroom discussions, because they will not be afraid of judgment from me or other students. If I see the way I am currently teaching is not helping my students I will make sure I ask a veteran teacher for help; what can I do differently. I will communicate frequently with parents, other teachers and the administration at my school. My classroom will be well

Through this past semester, we have heavily discussed the important aspects of a functioning classroom, from different theorists to helpful teaching techniques. We’ve debated what it means to be a great teacher. There are quite a few flaws in our education system today, but I believe most of the theories we discussed could be accorporated much more in the classroom. John Dewey, Friedrich Froebel, Maria Montessori, and Lev Vygotsky all understood the way children think and the importance of imaginative play. They also understood that children need to be active in nature. Also, we have discussed different forms of learning, such as project based learning, and outdoor classrooms. In my opinion, the education system should have minor changes that benefit the students more.

I have learned several lessons since I started at Augsburg University in September and more specifically in my “Teaching in a Diverse World” class. Furthermore, I have many hopes for the next three and half years of my college education here at Augsburg. As a future elementary teacher, I found my Augsburg Seminar important and useful in moving forward as a learner.

This paper explores the information presented to me in EDU 250 and it’s application toward my future endeavors as an educator. The purpose of this paper is to represent the material I have learned throughout the introductory course. Matthew Lynch’s, The Call to Teach (2014), helps guide my discussion and description of learned material. My goal is to discuss my reasoning for entering the teaching profession as well as to highlight upon learned strategies. These strategies include embracing student diversity, maintaining a positive culture and climate, engaging learners in analyzing their own progress and setting their own learning goals, integrating technology into instruction, and developing engaging lesson plans. In the process of reflecting upon learned material, I plan to set some professional goals to help direct my journey in becoming a certified Elementary school teacher.

In that class, the student learns about different teaching methods and how to care for children. As part of the curriculum, we volunteered at Long Elementary as teacher aides. Working with 4th grade students and observing an everyday class room was such an awe-inspiring experience. I had a completely new perspective about teachers. I have so much more respect as before. Teachers put so much time and effort into helping children for their benefits. I knew from the first day I helped with Ms. Williams’ 4th grade class, how much a teacher is a positive influence on children. There is an overwhelming feeling when you help a student with a problem and in return they give you the most heart-warming smile. The experience at Long Elementary helped me make my final decision on whether I wanted to teach elementary or secondary school. As much as I enjoyed helping elementary students, in my heart I knew secondary school was the path God had in store for me.

As children, we absorb information and learn from experiences that mold us into who we are. Many individuals impact a child’s life, but the most powerful and influential role lies in a devoted teacher, a teacher provides growth to students as a gardener would to a garden of flowers. Each child can bloom into a thriving flower so long as you water their garden with optimism, love, patience, and guidance. Throughout my educational experiences I was lucky enough to have educators who poured their knowledge and optimism into me, and now I would like to reciprocate that back to students who are in the position I was once in. Balancing life and school is hard enough for a student, but a powerful and caring teacher can steer you in the right direction. In this autobiography you will read about my educational background, experiences that influenced my decision to become a teacher, and what I believe the role of a teacher should be in a student’s life.