G r a c e M i n o r

✿Who Am I?✿

my name is grace,

I'm a junior this year at ODU, and I'm majoring in English with the intent to complete the 5-year master's program to teach high school English!

I've always seemed to enjoy English and writing. When I was a junior in high school, my AP English teacher (who is also my great aunt) was one of the best teachers I've had and also had a big influence on me and my interest in teaching English. I eventually decided I wanted to become a teacher myself, striving to have an impact on my future students' lives like she did for me. I also remember the many other great teachers/coaches I've had in the past and how much they really helped me in my educational and personal life, and want to be able to do the same for others as a teacher!

I've always found joy in being able to help people, working to make a change to move my community towards a more positive future- and I don't think that's more important anywhere else than teaching. With the current state of the world along with how little resources teachers are currently given, the world is in dire need of educators who care enough to try to make a difference. I hope to not only have this impact on my students' lives, but also on the current state of our education with my ambition to make it better!

a little bit more about me:

fun fact: the picture of me shown above is from my most recent trip to colorado!

✿My Educational Philosophy✿

Existentialism

As a facilitator of learning, I want to not only help my students understand who they are as individuals, but also know that they are in charge of their own academic destiny and have the ability to decide their own path. Advocating for creativity and self-expression, I want to help teach my students to have the power to become their most authentic selves.

Social Reconstructivism

I believe that students should know about the world in which they live in, using their knowledge to help shape their opinions about the outside world and who they want to become as individuals. I want my students to have this knowledge of their society, but also know that they have the power to change it through sparking interesting dialogues/conversations.

Student-centered

The students are the ones who will truly be affected by what they learn within my classroom, so I believe that they should definitely have influence as to how they will be learning. Through cooperation, discussion and trust, I want my students to use what I teach them to facilitate lifelong learning throughout their lives.

✿What I Know✿

✿What I Have to Learn✿

While I understand the basics of what kind of a teacher I want to be, I still don't know the specific techniques towards becoming a great teacher, such as classroom management and what kinds of teaching methods work best for different learners. While my time management has gotten a lot better, improving on these skills will definitely help me as a future teacher.

I plan to work on gaining confidence not only in my writing, but in my presentation skills, since a big part of being a great educator is being able to clearly present your ideas/lessons. While I always have been on the shy side when it comes to sharing ideas, I have definitely gotten better at it in college so far and plan to continue to work on it as I gain confidence in myself throughout the semester.

I still need to figure out which schools hold the same educational philosophy I do, gain some experience by observing within a classroom setting, and the general in's and out's of teaching as a whole. I know that all of these skills will come with time, but I approach this semester eager to advance forward toward becoming the best teacher I can be!

✿What I Will Become✿

I will become a teacher who empowers her students to succeed academically and within their personal lives.

I will be able to teach lessons with confidence and in a way that students will be able to stay engaged.

I will gain a more in-depth look into what my educational philosophy is, and how exactly to find a school that shares these values, and how to apply this to how I teach.

I will become a teacher that helps her students grow their love of learning as a whole, not just with the intent of "passing the class".

I will be able to teach students how to develop their own ideas about the topics they learn, showing them how to think critically about the world around them.

I will sharpen the necessary academic skills needed to be able to teach students how to grow within their reading and writing abilities.

I will create an engaged, welcoming learning environment where students can learn to develop and debate their ideas in a respectful manner.

I WILL become the teacher I always wanted to be!

Hi, Grace! I admire you for wanting to go straight into high school and teach English. I'm not confident enough and will need to practice on the younger ones before I attempt that myself. I also hope to grow in my presentation skills and know that it will help to be actually in the classroom watching others and building upon the skills I have already learned. Have a great semester! -Cheryl H.

Hey Grace I think it is so cool that your great aunt was your teacher and inspired so greatly. English was my second choice because I also love writing. The color theme on your page I feel truly reflects your personality as well. - Noah Shepherd

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