Walking into my very own classroom everyday as a teacher is something that I have always dreamt of. For the past four years, I went back and fourth on the reason as to why I wanted to become a teacher. I could say it is because my Grandpa was a knowledgeable educator, or because I pretended to be a teacher as a kid. But during student teaching, I figured out exactly why I want to teach math and special education. After teaching period after period for an entire semester, nothing was more rewarding than watching my students have that “aha!” moment. Math is all about application and understanding, which are rather hard concepts for students to develop. Therefore, watching them succeed and understand what I was teaching is easily the best feeling I have ever felt.
I want to continue teaching math because it is important to me. I absolutely love math and want adolescent students to understand that math is useful; students should have a positive attitude towards mathematics and realize that it is widely used outside the classroom. When I was in high school, I had a trigonometry teacher who made every lesson she instructed interesting. Her classroom was positive, inviting, and never quiet. It was the way that my teacher taught that made me want to come to class everyday. I feel as though I have developed her traits when I stand in front of a classroom. I try to maintain a positive environment and develop a mutual respect between my students and I. When it comes to instruction, I am a firm believer in teaching through direct instruction. Teaching a class by thoroughly explaining the lesson with extensive modeling is a great way for students to learn. Students will ask and answer questions during guided practice and will work by themselves during independent practice. Since math is a linear learning process, the more modeling and practice a student gets, the more they will absorb the information that is being taught. Trying to persuade students to understand and practice mathematics is a challenge that I am willing to take on. I look forward to teaching students and helping them get to that moment of understanding and success. I hope that my future students are willing to learn, as I am willing to learn from them.
When I started my undergraduate studies at Mount Saint Mary College, I was told that becoming certified in special education is easy. I only had to take a few more classes and the certification would make me more “marketable.” Throughout the last four years, I have grown such a passion for working with special education students. It means so much more to me than becoming more “marketable” or having to take a few extra classes. I volunteer at a GiGi’s Playhouse, a Down syndrome achievement center, and it has greatly influenced my decision to pursue this certification. The happiness and love that the kids at the center show me is truly one of a kind. They are the reason why I want to become a successful special education teacher and help make a difference to make education easy and accessible to them.
I want to continue teaching math because it is important to me. I absolutely love math and want adolescent students to understand that math is useful; students should have a positive attitude towards mathematics and realize that it is widely used outside the classroom. When I was in high school, I had a trigonometry teacher who made every lesson she instructed interesting. Her classroom was positive, inviting, and never quiet. It was the way that my teacher taught that made me want to come to class everyday. I feel as though I have developed her traits when I stand in front of a classroom. I try to maintain a positive environment and develop a mutual respect between my students and I. When it comes to instruction, I am a firm believer in teaching through direct instruction. Teaching a class by thoroughly explaining the lesson with extensive modeling is a great way for students to learn. Students will ask and answer questions during guided practice and will work by themselves during independent practice. Since math is a linear learning process, the more modeling and practice a student gets, the more they will absorb the information that is being taught. Trying to persuade students to understand and practice mathematics is a challenge that I am willing to take on. I look forward to teaching students and helping them get to that moment of understanding and success. I hope that my future students are willing to learn, as I am willing to learn from them.
When I started my undergraduate studies at Mount Saint Mary College, I was told that becoming certified in special education is easy. I only had to take a few more classes and the certification would make me more “marketable.” Throughout the last four years, I have grown such a passion for working with special education students. It means so much more to me than becoming more “marketable” or having to take a few extra classes. I volunteer at a GiGi’s Playhouse, a Down syndrome achievement center, and it has greatly influenced my decision to pursue this certification. The happiness and love that the kids at the center show me is truly one of a kind. They are the reason why I want to become a successful special education teacher and help make a difference to make education easy and accessible to them.