INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to look through my ePortfolio.
My student teaching experience has played a vital role in the teacher I have become and hope to develop further. My heart for teaching children has only grown over the past four months. I developed relationships with students and staff that enriched my experience and heightened my excitement for having my own classroom.
During my placement, I grew more aware of cultural differences that can impact the routine and development in a classroom. In my morning group, I had taught an ESL cluster group. It was daunting at first, given that I am not bilingual nor truly understand Spanish. However, I did not let that become a barrier but used that as a bridge to formulate relationships with my ESL students. As a teacher in an ESL cluster group, I found it essential to be vulnerable in the sense of allowing students the opportunity to teach you their language and about their culture. My students found great joy in their ability to teach me something new, and so I used that to further a relationship with all of them to gain their trust and respect. With the Spanish culture, this was the most successful route. All of this being said, I have gained a heart for teaching students who are often overshadowed by the typical American culture due to their inability to speak our language fluently.
My heart for teaching truly resides in bringing light to the lives of students who may come from rougher backgrounds or difficult family lives. I want my classroom to be a safe space where students know that they are loved and accepted. I hope to pour into my students and help guide them in the understanding that they are capable of achieving great things. The potential that resides in students is something that I hope to highlight and enhance in my career. Teaching future generations brings me great excitement but is also something I do not take lightly. An educator is a light to the world who holds great responsibility with love and care for others.
I could not continue and graduate from Regent University without expressing my gratitude towards my professors in the Interdisciplinary Studies major. They poured into my education along with providing moral support throughout this degree program. It has been an honor to learn from them grow under their leadership. Not only have they influenced my path in education, but they also played a pivotal role in the growth of my faith. I will forever be grateful for those I considered a mentor and the experience I have gained throughout my time in the classroom.
My student teaching experience has played a vital role in the teacher I have become and hope to develop further. My heart for teaching children has only grown over the past four months. I developed relationships with students and staff that enriched my experience and heightened my excitement for having my own classroom.
During my placement, I grew more aware of cultural differences that can impact the routine and development in a classroom. In my morning group, I had taught an ESL cluster group. It was daunting at first, given that I am not bilingual nor truly understand Spanish. However, I did not let that become a barrier but used that as a bridge to formulate relationships with my ESL students. As a teacher in an ESL cluster group, I found it essential to be vulnerable in the sense of allowing students the opportunity to teach you their language and about their culture. My students found great joy in their ability to teach me something new, and so I used that to further a relationship with all of them to gain their trust and respect. With the Spanish culture, this was the most successful route. All of this being said, I have gained a heart for teaching students who are often overshadowed by the typical American culture due to their inability to speak our language fluently.
My heart for teaching truly resides in bringing light to the lives of students who may come from rougher backgrounds or difficult family lives. I want my classroom to be a safe space where students know that they are loved and accepted. I hope to pour into my students and help guide them in the understanding that they are capable of achieving great things. The potential that resides in students is something that I hope to highlight and enhance in my career. Teaching future generations brings me great excitement but is also something I do not take lightly. An educator is a light to the world who holds great responsibility with love and care for others.
I could not continue and graduate from Regent University without expressing my gratitude towards my professors in the Interdisciplinary Studies major. They poured into my education along with providing moral support throughout this degree program. It has been an honor to learn from them grow under their leadership. Not only have they influenced my path in education, but they also played a pivotal role in the growth of my faith. I will forever be grateful for those I considered a mentor and the experience I have gained throughout my time in the classroom.