Victoria Santana
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Who Am I?
Hello! My name is Victoria Santana and I am 20, and a June Gemini. I was born and raised in Norfolk , Virginia, and am currently a junior at ODU! I am majoring in history and hope to be a high school history teacher. I have attended private, catholic school from K-12, and played different sports like field hockey and basketball. I am mixed with Puerto Rican, Polish, and Russian, and love being from a very diverse background and learning about my culture. Growing up in such a diverse area as Hampton Roads (or the 757), I've come across many different groups of people from all different backgrounds, and that has really allowed me to learn about different perspectives as well as my own perspective and standing in society. I've always wanted to teach history because I believe it is important for everyone to know where they came from and the history in which their country was built off of. I want to teach history to students so that they can create a better future for themselves, without making the same mistakes from the past!
My mom, dad, and one of my three older sisters at my high school graduation!
My boyfriend, Dylan, and I at his college graduation from Norfolk State!
My best friend, Maya, and I on her birthday!
What I Know:
I understand that everyone comes from different backgrounds and therefore have a different set of interests, morals, and behavior. So when it comes to teaching, you really have to put your own beliefs and biases in the back of your mind. I know that when some students misbehave, it is most likely a call for help, and to not approach the situation with anger but with understanding and love. I know how to take history lessons and apply them to modern situations. I am also good at incorporating technology into education, especially with apps like Kahoot and Youtube. Many students learn at different paces and have their own set of strengths and weaknesses, so teachers must get to know their students to figure out the best course of action for effective teaching/learning. Finally, I think the thing most future teachers know is that teaching can be very intense, frustrating, and emotional, but if we can lean on each other and learn to have a deeper level of appreciation for the positive moments and an understanding of how big of an impact we can make on our society, we will be alright!
What I have to learn:
Something that will probably be the most difficult for me to learn to be an effective teacher is time management. I have a bad habit of being long winded and can easily get caught up in an assignment or project, but I am working every day to be more time efficient! A crucial aspect to teaching history is understanding that history comes from multiple perspectives, and that some of my students may not have the same beliefs about a topic that others do. I will have to learn how to create an environment where polite debate is encouraged, based off of facts and evidence, and allows students to hear the opinion of other students thoughtfully and respectfully. History also has the reputation of being the most boring subject to most students, so I really want to try to learn how to incorporate fun and exciting methods of learning to my lesson plans.
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