When I was younger, I wanted to become a teacher because that is what most of the women in my family were. I saw them experience so many opportunities and I had the pleasure of one of my aunts being my teacher and then my principle where she eventually moved on to becoming the super intendant of our school division. I also listened to stories about my aunt traveling to china where she taught for a year and how it was an amazing experience. These stories and experiences made me think that teaching would be so fun, but it wasn’t until I got to witness amazing teachers along the way of my elementary and high school years, is where it really helped me decide what I wanted to do in life. When I became old enough to work, I had the chance to work at a summer day camp. I worked there from summer of 2009 until I graduated in 2013. It was the best time, experiencing the children and watching them learn something new or laugh until their bellies hurt, and this gave me pride knowing that I was a part of their learning and happiness. Although after high school I took a different path, I found myself regretting not going to be a teaching, so I applied and got in and every day I realize I am one step closer to becoming a teacher who makes little children smile!
I’ve heard many times in my three years of being a university student that teaching is a hard but rewarding job. Rewarding because you get to see the students you are teaching grow every day and when the time comes to send them off to the next grade, I’m sure it is a bitter sweet moment knowing that you helped them get there. When I was younger, I wanted to come to school not only to see my friends, but because of the teachers I had teaching me. I aim to be one of those teachers that makes the students excited to step inside that big school every day egger to learn something new! I believe that when the teacher is excited and interested about new learnings, the children will be excited and interested as well. Bringing in different learning styles is also a way that will help the children be more excited about what they are learning! Each child learns in a different and unique way so embracing everyone’s styles or bringing as many into the classroom as possible will make for a different and fun way of learning. For my future teacher self, I aim to be a positive teacher, always greeting my children at the door and acknowledging them when they leave for the day. I want to be a teacher that any student, not just mine, is okay to come and talk to with any type of problem good or bad. I had a teacher like that in elementary as well as in high school and I find it very important that the students have trust in you and know that if they come to you with a situation, good or bad, you will help them to deal with it. People are human and we are bound to have tough days. This being said, with more people getting diagnosed with anxiety, depression, etc. I want to be a teacher that talks about my tough days and explain to my students that it is okay to have those days and we can get through them together. Letting my students know that they are allowed to feel their feelings is important to me as a future teacher. I would do this with either morning check ins, or on a rating scale. This would be anonymous so that no one feels picked on, but this way we are able to talk about it as a class. I will also let my students know that if they need to come to me directly, they are also more than welcome to do so.
My classroom we will be a safe space where everyone, from my students, to others students to teachers are welcome and where we acknowledge and talk about acceptance daily. There will be no one left out and if there happens to be, we will deal with it when it arises. My classroom will be a safe space for anyone to come into at any time to either sit and do their own thing, or talk to me. In my ECE 325 class we had to make bitmoji classrooms and I had an adult corner so I hope to bring this to life in my future classroom as well. This is where any adult of the child I’m teaching can come into the room to observe or even participate. If parents are stay at home parents and this is their last child, sometimes it can be hard for them to accept or to be alone while everyone is gone or if they simply just need a break and to get out of the house. So, this corner will give them an opportunity to come and observe what the children and me as a teacher are doing that day. Just like other students and teachers are welcomed in my classroom, parents will be welcomed as well.
