Why Do I Teach?
When someone asks me if I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, my answer doesn’t align with those who knew what they wanted to be since kindergarten. In fact, I wasn’t sure of my choices until I was standing in my own classroom, with my first group of students, trying my best to be a good teacher. After my first day as a teacher, I felt overwhelming joy. The joy that everything had gone okay, the joy that I was already connecting with my students, and the joy of knowing I had found where I was meant to be. Ever since, I have put all of myself into teaching, caring for, and supporting my students. It means the world to me that I have the opportunity to work with children in a way that allows me to positively impact their learning and lives. I feel privileged to dedicate my career to education and look forward to the many years to come in this field.
Throughout my journey and scholarly studies as an educator, I have discovered my own purpose of English education. My goal is to give students the tools and resources to think critically about society and themselves. The world we live in is flawed and imperfect, and it is my job to provide lessons and lenses that are effective in developing new understandings and perspectives. My focus is to utilize theories and perspectives that provide cultural competency and empathy. With these paradigms in place, I hope to guide my students toward an informed understanding of the world they live in and how to take steps to enact positive changes.
Reading and Writing Goals
Reading is a vital part of every classroom. When in an English classroom, however, reading is typically is what stimulates the majority of activity, discussion, and individual growth. My goal is to provide my students with a multitude of perspectives and authors as all of the young scholars in my classroom deserve to discover relatable, engaging, and diverse texts. I also strive to provide choice, as described in my About My Classroom page, so that I can help students foster a love of reading.
One of the beautiful outcomes of a successful English Literature and Composition classroom is the art of writing. Every student should be given opportunities to express themselves in this way throughout their education. Whether that be creating poetry, analyzing literature, or collaborative works, I ensure my students are exposed to various formats that will uplift their minds and skills. I want my students to feel confident in their words and their abilities to communicate and express themselves. Once this is achieved, I know I have done my job and duty as a teacher.
Community Goals
As an educator, I hold many goals for myself and my students. The most vital goal I have is to foster a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for every student that walks into my classroom. There is no greater responsibility than providing a space where every person and background is loved and celebrated. The emotional well-being of my students will always remain my top priority and I work each and everyday to ensure I uphold this.
This job starts on the first day of school, the moment my students begin filtering in through the door. Together, we create classroom norms and expectations so that every student plays a role in how our classroom with run. We take the time to get to know one another, how to work together and understand what makes each of us unique. Building community in my classroom is something I cherish, and it sets the foundation for a successful school year and all of the learning that will follow.