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Who Am I
Who Am I
I am Benjamin Cole Heider, I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and I've lived here in Virginia my whole life. I play for and am the Vice President of the ODU Ice Hockey team. I've been playing for both of my previous years here at ODU and before this I had been playing hockey for about 11 years and travelled all up and down the east coast to play going as far north as New York and as far south as Florida. I also have a younger brother attending ODU with me, his name is Jake and he's a Civil Engineering major who also plays for the ODU Ice Hockey team. At ODU I was previously a Marine Biology major, but I found out I wasn't fully aware what I would be doing in the future with that degree so after taking a European history class and a public speaking course I found that when I truly enjoy something I am very good at talking about it and I loved teaching my younger cousins about the things I've learned in the European history class because they seemed to be really interested in it and wanted to know everything, which kind of sparked and made me realize that I think I would be a great teacher and I could teach a subject which I find interesting spreading not only the knowledge of it but also how much I find it interesting.
What I Know
What I Know
I like to think I know everything but what I do know i mostly related to biology because of my previous studies. I know generally how to classify most forms of life such as protists, plants, animals, and fungi. I also know a lot about ecology and more particularly population ecology. I know also know much about particularly American and European history. On top of those two I am also well versed on the history of music and its evolution.
What I Have To Learn
What I Have To Learn
As a teacher, I know there are things I still need to work on, one of the biggest is learning how to better put my thoughts into words. Sometimes I understand the material really well in my head, but when I try to explain it, it doesn’t always come out as clearly as I want it to. I’m realizing that just knowing something isn’t enough, I have to be able to communicate it in a way that makes sense to my students. Another thing I need to work on is understanding and adapting to the different ways my students learn. Not everyone picks things up the same way, some students need visual examples, others need to talk things through, and some just need more time or practice. I tend to teach in the way that makes the most sense to me, but I know that won’t always work for everyone. So I’m trying to grow in both of these areas. I want to get better at explaining things clearly and being more flexible with how I teach. That way, I can reach more of my students and help them succeed in a way that works best for them.
The Teacher I Will Become
The Teacher I Will Become
To me the purpose of school is to grow the skills and experiences of the students and the most important thing I want my students to learn is history of all things and how they feel about it. I want students to learn about the past and really think about the whys and the where's and other such W words. The most important thing I could teach my students is the truth about history and help them build their own opinions and thoughts around the subject. I want my students to value the past as it is both a record of our greatest feats and our deepest downfalls, a story of which dictated life today as they understand it. I hope they would interact with each other and talk about how they feel/think about certain topics so they can gather an understanding of different POVs from others who may no think like them. If a visitor would walk into my classroom they would see one of two things either myself introducing them to a new topic and explaining it to give them an idea of what to think or they would see students talking in small groups about any given topic expressing how they think about it to others. The way I feel about education makes me fit under the Existentialism philosophy because I believe the students should be the focus of the class and I only want to facilitate their thoughts and get them to find their own way of understanding.
AI generated image, To students I wanted to be a lighthouse to them showing the path forward but allowing them to walk it in their own way.
Hi Benjamin,
I really enjoyed your page. I thought it was great how you described realizing your love for history while sharing what you learned with your cousins. That was your spark to be a teacher. I also learned from your post how important it is not just to know a subject, but to communicate it clearly and adapt to different learning styles. I admire how you will encourage your students to think critically about history and form their own perspectives. Your existentialist approach, which emphasizes being a facilitator, will create a classroom where students feel engaged and empowered. Also, your cats are adorable.
Laurence SmithJ.S: Hi Ben! I love your image and that it represents you guiding your students toward knowledge. I also love European and American history and though Existentialism is not my educational philosophy, I like how you plan to incorporate it into your classroom by focusing on the students ideas and guiding them toward their own way of learning. I like the photos you included too!
Hello Benjamin, You did an amazing job on your page. I love seeing how your journey went as well that led you from biology to history and teaching. I think it is inspiring how you discovered your passion by sharing what you learned with others, it shows how natural teaching comes to you. I also like how you described wanting to be like a lighthouse for your students, guiding them while still letting them walk their own path. That imagery really stood out to me because that is how I also want my students to be. It also shows me that you want your students to be successful in their academics but also as individuals with their own perspectives.-Tiffany Mapp
Hi Benjamin! You did a great job with your page! I think it's so cool how your path shifted from biology to history and teaching, it really shows you found your passion. I love the lighthouse imagery too, guiding students while still letting them find their own way. It really shows how much you care about their success, not just in school but as people.
Hi Benjamin, I think it’s awesome how you’ve balanced being Vice President of the ODU Ice Hockey team with your studies that shows real leadership. I also like how you connected your love for history with teaching; it’s clear you’ve found something you’re passionate about. Which part of European history interests you the most, and would you want to teach that in the future?”
Eliana
Hi Benjamin, I understand the feeling of learning how to better put your thoughts into words. I struggle with this myself. There are days where I can recite something really well written in my head but then when I type it, it sounds like a fist grader wrote it. In my earlier days of college I had my sister proof read everything. She was very critical of my wording but it helped build my writing skills. I still need to work on it but there has been improvement. I also want to say how awesome it is that your are the Vice President of the ODU Ice Hockey team! Growing up I where I lived, NHL was the spot to watch during the winter. My team was the Buffalo Sabres. I think it is really neat you have been to New York, which is my home state! Which part of New York did you visit? I look forward getting to collaborate with you more this semester and it was cool getting to learn more about you! - Taylor Costello
Hi Ben! Awesome slideshow :) I went on a similar path as you. I wanted to major in Marine Biology as well! I have a huge passion for marine biology/life as a whole but I couldnt see a clear path for the future. During COVID I used to "teach" the neighborhood kids about different kinds of sharks and prehistoric aquatic life and it felt like something awoke inside me. It almost instantly made me want to become a teacher. - DPN
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