Vanessa Robertson

WHO AM I?

HI! My name is Vanessa. I am 28 years old, married and a mom to a four year old, Siberian Husky named Mako. I am studying to become an Elementary School Teacher with hopes of teaching either, 2nd or 5th grades.

I was class of 2013 in high school, so it has taken me quite a bit of time to get back to college. Over the last 10 years, I have toyed with the idea of coming back to school but not knowing what I what wanted to do, so instead I worked and actually joined the Navy. I got hurt about two years in and ended up getting out. When I got out, it took me awhile to choose what I wanted for my future. Was it nursing, cosmetology, culinary, photography, or teaching?

I ended up with teaching because I wanted to be that influnece for young minds like I had.

I am a HUGE Disney Adult, I absolutely LOVE Disney.

WHAT I KNOW

I know that I want to be the type of teacher that I had. I had one teacher out of my entire educational career who stood out from all the rest. My second grade teacher, Mrs. P. Mrs. P. was an absolute angel. She was understanding, patient, a kind hearted woman who would give anyone the shirt off her back if necessary. Mrs. P. has passed away in the last 10 years, but I still think about her often.

I want to be that teacher, my future students want their children to have. I want them to be able to talk to me without the fear of getting judged or belittled, because I have had that type of teacher, it makes for a misreable time.

WHAT I HAVE TO LEARN

I have much to learn, from my peers, teachers and future students. No single person can ever not learn something new. I look forward to learning all of the things. I can't wait to see what the next 2.5 years at Old Dominion have to teach me so I can be better prepared for my future.

THE TEACHER I WILL BECOME!

I want to be that teacher who is a safe space for those who aren't lucky enough to have that at home. I want to be that person those kids look forward to having and to look forward to coming to school for. I will be a fun, loving, *hopefully* patient, trusting, supportive and understanding. I will bring creatitivity to the classroom.

COMMENTS:

Hi Vanessa! I'm so glad that you were able to find your passion coming out of the Navy, I know it can take people a while! I like to remind myself that no two roads are the exact same. From reading your page, I see that we are both super excited to learn. I know ODU has amazing things in store for the both of us! We also are alike in the way that we want to be a safe space for our students. No student should come to school feeling like they can't talk to their own teacher. P.S., I also love Disney movies!! _ Sam Myers

Hello Vanessa! I loved reading your page! We have a lot of the same values when it comes to teaching such as being a safe space for our students and bring creativity into the classroom! I loved that you included padlets with questions to make it more engaging for us. I am a huge foodie just like you! I also love Mako! I have an Alaskan malamute/husky mix named Roscoe (you can see a photo of him on my page!) I look forward to learning along side of you and I know your future students will be lucky to have you as a teacher! -Taylor Bowers

Vanessa, what a great teacher you are aiming to be! Like you, I also had that 1 teacher that stood out to me, I was lucky that it happened in 5th grade and again last year at ODU. My 5th grade teacher taught all of her classes songs in sign language because we had a deaf family at our school. She was very much about making sure everyone felt included and like they belonged. Last year my ODU professor stood out to me because I could tell she truly has a passion for her job, cares about her student's success, and put in the work to create a unique learning experience for student even though we weren't face to face.
- Heather Johnson

Hi Vanessa! Your dog is soo cute!! I have a yorkie and a german shepherd. I want to first say thank you for your service. I think you're going to be an amazon teacher, I too want to be a beacon of inspiration for the kids. I also love food as well. I actually just had some really good Korean BBQ this past weekend. Your commentary on wanting to create a safe space for the kids in a few things we have in common. Making sure they know they are safe in the classroom and are able to be themselves while they learn, with no judgment is the goal.- -Sarina Caro

Hi Vanessa, I really like the way you set up a few polls to make your page more interactive. One goal of mine is also to create a safe space in my classroom for any students that need it, we have that in common. -Tara O'Neil

Hey Vanessa, I thought that you including the story about your former teacher Mrs. P was so touching. I love your optimism; it really helps shows you want and drive to be a good teacher. - Sarah Barkhurst

TEACHING PHILOSOPHIES:

I think I will be a cross between Progressivism and Social Reconstructivism! I learn best by hands on and lots of examples, I know that most people tend to learn that way. I want to incorporate a ton of learning games to make the classroom fun and exciting! I believe that kids learn best by the world around them and first hand experiences.

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