For as long as I can remember I have been a lover of knowledge…a born thinker. I believe it is in me to want to know how things work so that I can teach others to become passionate teachers of those who come after them. To me teaching means, to spark a passion for learning in an individual or a group of individuals that begins groundwork for them to become life-long learners. As an educator, it is my desire to encourage students not only to become critical thinkers & problem-solvers, but also to become positive productive beings in today’s society. To achieve this goal, there has to be an understanding that all students learn differently. Simply “knowing your subject matter” is no longer enough. We must consider the whole child. There has to be a relationship built to familiarize one’s self with learning patterns and preferences to determine how the world around each student directly effects their capability to grasp what concept(s) they NEED TO KNOW.
It is vital in every teaching situation to instruct with passion, intelligence, eagerness, and compassion. Doing so will eventually ignite the fire in a young person’s mind.
Before deciding on a career in education, I sat down and asked myself, “Will I be a quality educator?” It was a bit overwhelming at first to think about this realizing the tremendous responsibilities of an educator. Not only will I be accepting accountability for the education of hundreds of young minds, but it is apparent that there will be times when I will have to be the role model, the mediator, the counselor, the listener…..or just the friend.
What became the determining factor for me was my first experience as an after -school tutor. I was reading the paper and came across an advertisement that read, “TUTORS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY! No Experience Necessary.” So I sent in my resume, they called, I interviewed, they explained and offered, I accepted and that was that. Working as an after- school tutor not only provided “classroom experience” but it has also allowed me to envision the learning environment that I one day hope to manage. Work experience has taught me that creating and implementing a lesson plan which requires students to actively participate in learning points out strengths as well as weaknesses. I believe that it is necessary to challenge students to live up to their potential. In the past it has been said that, “there is little motivation because nothing is expected.” So why not set the bar higher? Why not become the driving force of striving for excellence?
It is hard to explain the feeling I get when I have the opportunity to teach. For me, there is a tremendous sense of gratification knowing that a child better understands a subject or has a more positive attitude about learning because of time invested in them. It is easy to say that I may not be sure of some things but there is one thing that is certain; this is what completes me.
Educationally Yours,
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