My philosophy of education is to develop children's faith within themselves. I believe that in order for a student to be successful, he or she must have the confidence to accomplish their dreams. As an elementary teacher, I have learned the depth of children's vulnerability. They cannot have faith in themselves if we don't have faith in them as educators. Regardless of what learning styles a child possesses, I do believe that each student is capable of reaching his or her potential. It is up to us as teachers to instill students' full capacity and celebrate their unique personalities while inside the classroom. My goal is to teach with authenticity. Faith in my students is an expression of my love for them. Each child has something to offer. It is up to a teacher to allow students to explore their gifts.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
My Heart and Soul Poured Out Into Words
In my senior year at Baylor, I have the opportunity to work with a group of incredible fourth grade students. During my experience in the classroom this year, I have begun my lifelong journey in becoming the educator that I dream of being. An interaction with a student that touched my heart was with a boy who has Asperberger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism in which the student lacks appropriate expression and has difficulty interacting with peers. One day in class, I was searching for an overhead sheet with math vocabulary and he came up from behind me. I asked him if he needed anything and he stated that he just wanted to give me a hug. As he was running back to his seat, I realized why I had chosen this profession as a career.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
New Year, Goals are in Place, Dreams Waiting to be Reality
Today is my last day in Plano. I leave for Waco tomorrow. It's has been a superb Christmas break. Confession. I was a little apprehensive at the beginning of the break. I was technically done the Tuesday before Thanksgiving so I thought it was going to move slow like pond's water (that's a common phrase that comes out of my mom's mouth. Something moving as slow as pond's water. I've never personally sat by a pond to see how slow the water actually moves but I'm taking my mom's word on it. She's usually right about things).
Like others, I have tried to make a list of New Year's Resolutions to accomplish before I'm doing another countdown and wondering who is going to be the lucky man to receive a New Year's kiss. Here is what I have come up with so far.
1. Graduate - I feel like this is a given. Something that is sitting on a silver platter that I will pick up on May 16th. But it's not! I still have 15 weeks of my internship, science seminar, Teacher Work Sample and evaluations done by mentor teachers.
2. Find a Job-this is one of my resolutions that is dicey. I know, there are so many teaching jobs in every district, you have nothing to worry about, blah blah blah. But mind you, there are thousands of college graduates doing the exact same thing I am doing right now. Fighting for the same jobs that I am. Everyone dreams of having their perfect job. Being in an elementary school that feels like a hand in a glove. But you have to stand out a little bit more than the rest. That's what I've been picking my mind at during Christmas break. What can make me, Claire Chambers, stand out a little bit more than the others?
I think the fact that I have had a year long internship at a elementary school for student teaching will get the ball rolling for being unique in a line-up of college graduates. Many education majors only work with a class for merely 15 weeks. But Baylor seeks to have college graduates from the school of education to work with a class for a school year. While in my internship, I have worked with 80 kids (4 different homeroom classes rather than one), and also have taught different subject to another 60 kids (the other 3 homeroom classes at Spring Valley). This makes teaching 140 kids (soo many names) and working alongside 7 different teaching styles. Pretty neat, eh?
Since I've been at Baylor, I have working in every area of my degree. Freshman year, I worked with a 1st grader named Stephanie Nava, Sophomore year, I worked in a kindergarten class at Bells Hills Elementary, Junior year I taught 2nd grade (the best grade) in the Fall, and 3rd grade in the Spring. And this year, I'm teaching 4th grade. So my EC-4 degree will show evident that I've dapped into each area.
Whew, maybe one of my new year's resolutions should be to move onward. Not freak out but take what I have and run with it.
Sounds good.
O, something yall can think about. In an elementary class, there is a theme to the room. When I think back to what I enjoyed in elementary school, I think of ballet, the color pink and American Girl dolls. Not too great for a class theme. Do you guys have any ideas on what could be fun for an elementary school class???
Like others, I have tried to make a list of New Year's Resolutions to accomplish before I'm doing another countdown and wondering who is going to be the lucky man to receive a New Year's kiss. Here is what I have come up with so far.
1. Graduate - I feel like this is a given. Something that is sitting on a silver platter that I will pick up on May 16th. But it's not! I still have 15 weeks of my internship, science seminar, Teacher Work Sample and evaluations done by mentor teachers.
2. Find a Job-this is one of my resolutions that is dicey. I know, there are so many teaching jobs in every district, you have nothing to worry about, blah blah blah. But mind you, there are thousands of college graduates doing the exact same thing I am doing right now. Fighting for the same jobs that I am. Everyone dreams of having their perfect job. Being in an elementary school that feels like a hand in a glove. But you have to stand out a little bit more than the rest. That's what I've been picking my mind at during Christmas break. What can make me, Claire Chambers, stand out a little bit more than the others?
I think the fact that I have had a year long internship at a elementary school for student teaching will get the ball rolling for being unique in a line-up of college graduates. Many education majors only work with a class for merely 15 weeks. But Baylor seeks to have college graduates from the school of education to work with a class for a school year. While in my internship, I have worked with 80 kids (4 different homeroom classes rather than one), and also have taught different subject to another 60 kids (the other 3 homeroom classes at Spring Valley). This makes teaching 140 kids (soo many names) and working alongside 7 different teaching styles. Pretty neat, eh?
Since I've been at Baylor, I have working in every area of my degree. Freshman year, I worked with a 1st grader named Stephanie Nava, Sophomore year, I worked in a kindergarten class at Bells Hills Elementary, Junior year I taught 2nd grade (the best grade) in the Fall, and 3rd grade in the Spring. And this year, I'm teaching 4th grade. So my EC-4 degree will show evident that I've dapped into each area.
Whew, maybe one of my new year's resolutions should be to move onward. Not freak out but take what I have and run with it.
Sounds good.
O, something yall can think about. In an elementary class, there is a theme to the room. When I think back to what I enjoyed in elementary school, I think of ballet, the color pink and American Girl dolls. Not too great for a class theme. Do you guys have any ideas on what could be fun for an elementary school class???
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Getting Through The Growing Pains
Happy 2009!!
I cannot believe it's 2009. I'm still in a state of shock. I remember being a senior in high school and saying, "Yes, I DO know where I'm going. Baylor University, class of 2009!" And here we are, in the last semester of college. I can't believe it and I don't think I will ever be able to believe it.
I'm heading down to Waco on Friday. My little sister, Grace, is transferring to the best place on Earth that day and has transfer orientation so I'm going down to help her move into Collins. (Yes, she will be a Collins girl. Let's see how she does, eh?)
I've applied for Certification over the break and got fingerprinted as well. I've been working on job applications for Plano, Frisco, Richardson and Highland Park. It's so surreal though. It's definitely exciting because I'm getting closer to achieving one of my dreams but also it's closing a chapter of my life that I have loved so much and beginning the next.
I've also began working on my Teacher Work Sample. It's a project that as Education majors we have to turn in and get a particular grade on it before we graduate. If the graders do not believe that we have earned the grade that is needed to pass, we have to write another one. Lame, I know.
There are 7 steps to the entire project.
1. Contextual Information and Learning Environment Adaptations. Here, I need to explain relevant factors nad how they may affect the teaching-learning process. Include any supports and challenges that affect instruction and student learning (ie. gender, achievement level, racial backgrounds, etc.).
2. Unit Learning Goals and Objectives-listing the learning goals (which are TEKS, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that will guide planning, delivery, and assessment of my unit. Objectives for each goals, types/levels of goals, how they are appropriate with pre-requiste knowledge, skills and other student's needs.
3. Assessment Plan/Rubric
4. Instructional Design and Implementation
5. Instructional Decision-Making
6. Analysis of Learning Results
7. Reflection and Self-Evaluation
And they say education is the least amount of work when it comes to majors. Bahahahahaaha
I cannot believe it's 2009. I'm still in a state of shock. I remember being a senior in high school and saying, "Yes, I DO know where I'm going. Baylor University, class of 2009!" And here we are, in the last semester of college. I can't believe it and I don't think I will ever be able to believe it.
I'm heading down to Waco on Friday. My little sister, Grace, is transferring to the best place on Earth that day and has transfer orientation so I'm going down to help her move into Collins. (Yes, she will be a Collins girl. Let's see how she does, eh?)
I've applied for Certification over the break and got fingerprinted as well. I've been working on job applications for Plano, Frisco, Richardson and Highland Park. It's so surreal though. It's definitely exciting because I'm getting closer to achieving one of my dreams but also it's closing a chapter of my life that I have loved so much and beginning the next.
I've also began working on my Teacher Work Sample. It's a project that as Education majors we have to turn in and get a particular grade on it before we graduate. If the graders do not believe that we have earned the grade that is needed to pass, we have to write another one. Lame, I know.
There are 7 steps to the entire project.
1. Contextual Information and Learning Environment Adaptations. Here, I need to explain relevant factors nad how they may affect the teaching-learning process. Include any supports and challenges that affect instruction and student learning (ie. gender, achievement level, racial backgrounds, etc.).
2. Unit Learning Goals and Objectives-listing the learning goals (which are TEKS, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that will guide planning, delivery, and assessment of my unit. Objectives for each goals, types/levels of goals, how they are appropriate with pre-requiste knowledge, skills and other student's needs.
3. Assessment Plan/Rubric
4. Instructional Design and Implementation
5. Instructional Decision-Making
6. Analysis of Learning Results
7. Reflection and Self-Evaluation
And they say education is the least amount of work when it comes to majors. Bahahahahaaha
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