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Who am I?
My name is Brittany Rodriguez! I am 22 and I currently live in Chesapeake, VA. I am a junior year History major with a concentration in teacher preparation. My goal is to be a high school history teacher! Before coming to ODU, I started my educational journey off at Tidewater Community College. I recieved my associates degree in General Education back in May 2020 and quickly decided to take a gap year to reevaluate my long term goals since the Coronavirus hindered many of my previous goals and opportunities. Thankfully, I found my calling: teaching.
Underneath the skin, I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, an ally, a scholar, a lover, a risk taker, a person. I am human, and I am me, unapologetically.
What do I know?
I know how to encourage "outside of the box" thinking
I know not every student walks the same path and how to identify the paths with twists and turns to help them
I know classroom etiquitte for students begins at home
I know not all teaching techniques work for all students
I know I can teach my students to use critical thinking and evaluation to make the best decisions for theirselves
I know I can and will be a learning tool for my students academic and personal growth
What do I have to learn?
I have to learn classroom management
I have to learn how to instruct and educate my class through controversial topics
I have to educate myself on LGBTQ+ and other minority groups to be a better ally and educator
I have to learn how to teach in the most effective way for my students to comprehend material
I have to learn how to keep my students curious about subject material
I have to learn what teaching methods work best for both me and my students
What is the purpose of school?
What is the purpose of school?
I believe the purpose of school is to encourage and help structure the minds of students to further their overall growth and development.
The philosophies that best describe my views on teaching
The philosophies that best describe my views on teaching
Progressivism and social reconstrustivism are the two main philosphies I will follow as an educator.
Progressivism focuses solely on the student and teaches problem solving. Students learn by actively "doing" the work rather than a traditional lecture style method of learning. This is a more hands on approach and is meant to encourage students to use experimental (or trial and error) means as a way to solve problems.
Social reconstructivism acts as an eye opener for students. This philosophy includes intellectually informing and emotionally stirring students about the inequities surrounding them. This can be used greatly in History as most students only see one side of the story (typically the "winning" side) and not the negative aspects of the event such as how a historical event affected a specific geographical area or group of people.
What are the most important things your students will learn?
My students will learn how to be independent, critical thinkers. They will learn how to analyze the past with an unbiased eye. They will learn how to form their own opinions without external influences. My students will learn how to express themselves without fear of being judged.
How will my students learn these concepts?
How will my students learn these concepts?
My students will learn these concepts through open discussions about course material, peer review sessions, knowledge checks through tests/quizzes, deep dives into historical material with the ability to ask questions freely, interactive group/team work (such as historical jeopardy, Kahoot, projects, etc), and, given that my classroom is a safe space for students, they will be able to speak about their opinions of newly learned topics to create discussion and encourage other peers to engage as well.
I believe giving students the opportunity to open discussion with the class with encourage other students to speak their mind about the course material. This will only improve the students' confidence and critical thinking skills.
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