I was born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia. I lived in Virginia for most of my life, until my freshman year of high school I moved to Sutton, New Hampshire. Then in the summer of 2020 I moved back to Virginia, and am currently living in Smithfield, Virginia. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, especially now that I'm back in Virginia. I also enjoy playing hockey as goalie, but I haven't been able to play recently. I am a junior at ODU, and before I wanted to become a teacher, I was taking criminal justice classes, but changed my mind after being a paraprofessional during the 2020-2021 school year. A big influence of me becoming a teacher as well is my mom is a teacher, it's seeing her teach that got me interested.

After a year as working as a paraprofessional at New Kent Elementary School, I can say with a slight bit of confidence I know a little bit. Though I wasn't a teacher a lot of the teachers I worked with gave me some insight, and I got to see a lot of what goes on in the job of a teacher. Plus being a para gave me hands on idea of what it's like to work with students varying from K-5. Thus I can share the info that I've learned to my fellow peers. Though what I want to teach my student's is how to be a good, hard working, human being. You can have the best grades in the world, but if they don't have a good work ethic, good morals, and aren't prepared for the journey ahead of them, then I would then feel that I have failed as a teacher.

Everyone start's somewhere, everyone has something to get better at. To become a teacher I still have many hurdles to pass through, but everyday I get closer to my goal. Learning new things and ideas is the only way for me to become the teacher I want to be, and I am willing to do anything to get there. The kind of teacher I strive to be is one that my students look up to, and drive themselves to be.

The purpose of school in my opinion is to prepare the next generation for their future lives, it is our job to mold them into the successful people they have the potential to be. The most important thing I hope my students learn is how to be outstanding human being, one that is constantly striving to better themselves. As well as the foundations they will need to continue on to the next grade. I will teach them this by using methods that have the students achieve something and not just meeting the requirement. A Existentialism style of view is what I strive for.

1. Hey Sam! I love how your personality shines through this page! I played goalie for a couple seasons but in soccer! I think the school system needs more male teachers! -Cati Gregory

2.Hi Sam, I am Malia!! I also was a Criminal Justice major before I ended up switching my major. I love how an important goal of yours is to make students outstanding Human in society. -Malia Ancheta

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