I believe my personal dispositions fit the teaching profession very well. Teachers should be naturally compassionate and possess a love for helping others. These are two of my best qualities. I am a truly caring person, and naturally see the good in others. I also have a passion for helping others meet their true potential. I will go above and beyond to help a student, and have the patience to handle young students. For example, on my first day in the classroom there was a little boy who was frustrated about being in a certain group, and he ran in the corner and was crying. I took initiative and calmly went over to help this student. I knew I had the skills and patience to handle this situation. I explained to him that I understood he was sad, but it was time to learn and he would lose activity time if he chose to not do his work now. He eventually calmed down, and came over to the table to complete his work.
In my opinion, one of the most difficult aspects of teaching is finding a way to challenge the students who have exceeded all the standards while supporting the students who are lower achieving. In the classroom I am currently in, there are students on opposite ends of the spectrum. There are students who are still learning English, and students who are doing higher grade level work. Being able to teach to these different levels successfully is one of the most difficult aspects of teaching.
I think many other teachers would also believe this is a difficult aspect of teaching. I believe this is a common issue in classes, and many teachers come across it at some point in their teaching career. The teacher in the classroom I am currently in would relate to this. She has shared with me the struggles of this as well as strategies she utilizes to overcome this challenge in the classroom.
I plan to overcome this challenge by being aware of each student’s level, and their needs in the classroom. I might put the students in different groups based on their abilities, and challenge the higher achieving students with an extra step in the activity. I would make sure the lower achieving students have the extra support they need, and are getting adequate classroom attention. I would take informal assessments daily on all students in the classroom. For the lower achieving students, I think it is also important to get their parents involved. There is lots of work that could be done at home to help these students succeed.
I am very interested in a Multiple Subject Credential. I have always wanted to teach Kindergarten, and this is still true today. I love the learning that occurs in Kindergarten, and it is so essential to prepare students for the grades to come. I would also be interested in teaching 1st or 2nd grade. I have always had a way with younger children. I have a lot of experience working with preschool age children as well as toddlers. I have a lot of patience and skills that would serve me well teaching younger students.
I am currently in a Kindergarten classroom, and this reassured me that I would like to be a Kindergarten teacher one day. The teacher that I am observing is wonderful, and I am very lucky to be learning from her. I have picked up many skills and strategies from her.
After I graduate in May, my plan is to go into the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential program at Chico State. I would also eventually like to obtain a Master's Degree in Education. My goals are to teach for awhile, and then to eventually move into an administrative position within a school district.