Every Student learns differently

Every student has the ability to learn and succeed. Of course, as future educators, we have to say that statement and agree with it, but an excellent teacher truly believes that. No matter what a student has the ability to learn and be successful in anything they do. Each student is unique in his or her learning style. I feel as though we are taught through our education classes to teach students in only a few different learning styles but many of those do not work. Some students need a strict structure, and some students require extra help, some learn from listening while others learn from doing. There are many varieties of how each student learns best it is our jobs as teachers to figure out each student's specific learning style. Yeah, I know it sounds like a lot of work to individually assess each student's learning abilities but it is so worth it. 

Teachers sometimes deprive students with the resources they need to learn efficiently. I remember in high school, I had a teacher who did not allow us to take notes, I have always been more of a visual person I need to write everything down to fully remember. I ended up getting an awful grade in that class because I was not allowed to learn the material in my own way. I know it is hard to tend to every students learning styles but it is really important to do so. The lesson plans that I create always involve more than one way to be completed. If there is a lecture section I always try to include an activity for those who learn by doing rather than listening. 

I am currently doing field experience for my edu 270 course; I have been placed in a 6th grade English classroom and have been going for about 2-4 hours each week for 5 weeks. During this time I have been able to form a relationship with the students. Each week I go I observe each of the students and watch how they learn. It is so amazing to see the moment that the student finally understands or is proud of the work they completed. This experience has taught me that out of a class of 22 students there can be over 15 different learning styles. As a teacher I will make sure each students learning style is offered. 

Bullying within the classroom

How are you going to enforce that bullying is unacceptable in the classroom? 

One thing I cannot stand is bullying, it drives me crazy to see how mean some kids can be to each other. In my Classroom i will 100% not tolerate it, if need be I will make lessons that revolve around students' awareness of bullying. I have seen students be bullied within the classroom and some teachers do not even address it. As a teacher one of the most important things you must do is make sure students feel safe in their environment. If a student does not feel safe, they are not going to learn. It is also important as a teacher to make sure students know that they can confide in you and talk to you about personal issues if they want to. When I was in elementary school, I had some teacher that i knew cared about me and my success and i could go to them for anything but then i had teachers who in a sense could care less about their students. I want my students to know right off the bat that I care about each and every one of them. To address bullying within the classroom an idea for a lesson would be as a class to have students make a list of rules in regard to being kind and not bullying the very first week of school. If the students do not abide by that list than I will let them know that there will be consequences. 

I am currently doing observation field experience hours for my EDU 270 class and I am placed in a 6th grade Language Arts classroom. The teacher is currently reading the story Wonder which is a story about a student who has a facial deformity and it addresses issues such as bullying and treating everyone equal no matter what differences there may be. I love seeing how the students react when hearing this story be read to them, many of them are shocked by the way some of the characters treat those who are different. I think teaching a book like this is such an amazing idea because it shows students how wrong bullying is without really drilling it into them by lectures. When I am a teacher i want to do that exact lesson plan. Bullying is a serious matter and should be dealt with very strictly in the classroom. 

What is your dream as a future teacher?

In my first blog post I wrote about my path to snhu and my decision to become an elementary education teacher, but I didn't really talk about what my dream as a future teacher would be. What do I want to do once I get that diploma and go off into the world? Do I want to teach in NH or in a different state? And do I want to just be the typical teacher or do I want to do more and be more?

Since I was young I have always said I want to make a difference in this world and leave my mark in any way that I can, and until this month I was unsure if being a teacher would fulfill that dream of mine. Yes, I would be working with children and helping to change the future, but would I really be changing the lives of my students possibly yes, but I didn't want to just settle for, possibly, so I began to make a plan for my future, scary I know. I have always been interested in going on an alternative break and when I found out snhu offered them I was ecstatic. So I applied to the program unsure if I would be picked to go on the trip, a few weeks later I found out I had been chosen to participate in a two week trip over winter break to the Dominican Republic to teach English to students in elementary school. Now I am less than 3 months away from going on a trip that I am positive will change my life. Knowing I will be a participant on this trip has impacted my life and opened my eyes to so many things I was once blind to. I now know what my dream as a future teacher is, I want to travel around the world and teach children in need in a variety of different cultures and slowly but surely leave my mark on this world. The Dominican Republic will be my first experience teaching in a different culture, but I plan to teach in many more different places around the world throughout my life. I am so excited to finally have figured out something I am passionate about in regards to teaching, now I can't wait to graduate and start on this amazing journey.

Education technology history

In my elementary school technology was non-existent. I can’t remember a time where we even used computers or the teacher used computers as a resource. Of course when we were all in elementary school technology was far less advanced than it is nowadays. My first experience with technology was in my seventh grade computer lab, Ms. Coffee was my teacher and I dreaded going to class every single day. She acted as a drill Sargent when it came to typing. Our fingers had to be on the exact keys and we couldn't look down at all. Throughout middle school and high school I didn't have any experience with technology with the exception of Microsoft word. My senior year of high school the teacher started to explore the internet and used a few different websites to teach but the students never got to use the internet on there own. Other than website research for a few projects I never used the Internet. I wish I was able to use the Internet to my advantage in high school but that just wasn't an option during my time there. Now my high school is giving students ipads and giving teachers all new macs. 

Technology is such a big part of our world today and I think teachers need to adapt and start using technology as a resource. Elementary schools are beginning to integrate technology into the classroom by using apps that kids can play on to learn. Many teachers who are not right out of college struggle with using technology as a resource which is why I am so happy to have this class to guide me through the secrets of technology to use in the classroom. Students should be able to use whichever resource is prevalent and right now that is technology. In my classroom I hope to use technology and other resources such as books and worksheets to help students learn.  I do not want to teach in a classroom that solely revolves around technology, I believe students need to learn the new way of doing things but also have a good grasp of the old ways such as paper worksheets and textbooks. I hope to have a good balance of old and new within my classroom. I do not want my students to become completely reliable on technology because some things just have to be done the old fashion way without technology. I wish I was introduced to technology at a younger age but I am grateful now that I know how to do certain things without technology and I fear that younger kids will not know how to do anything without using some source of technology. 

Why SNHU? Why Teach?

A favorite quote of mine states "Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch." I knew growing up I wanted to do more and be more than the average person I wanted to make a difference in life and change the world a little at a time. When I was younger I contemplated being a doctor because they heal and save lives, then maybe a lawyer to defend the weak and change the face of law but I just couldn't see myself doing either of those professions everyday for the rest of my life. When I got older I realized I wanted to teach, I knew by being a teacher I could change a child's life everyday and help change the future one student at a time. Not only would I teach but I would also learn something new from my students every single day which if you think about it is priceless. I know by being a teacher I will never have a boring day and I will never wake up in the morning dreading going to work. So I started on my journey to becoming a teacher, first thing was choosing a college that would make me the best possible teacher I could be. I had heard that SNHU had a great teaching program along with many other schools. So junior year I attended countless college tours and took a bunch of college prep courses, I wanted to be prepared for college and my future profession. Coming up on senior year I finally narrowed down my choices of schools to attend in that list was SNHU.  Ultimately I based my decision off of not only where I would get the best education to prepare me for the "real world" but also a place where i felt a sense of community and somewhere I knew I could excel. So in Fall of 2013 I joined SNHU class of 2017 and so far I have not regretted a single second of my time here at snhu. I have loved every education class I have taken and have learned more than I could have ever imagined through snhus gen ed program. My eyes have been opened to a whole new world that I had previously been sheltered from. I am so excited to see what my next three years at snhu will entail I plan to make the most out of my time here and to expand my mind and most importantly learn. So here I am writing my first blog post for my EDU 235 class, I’m excited to learn the secrets of technology when it comes to teaching. So that’s why I teach and why I’m at snhu.