A little bit about me and why I want to teach and what I want to teach

I am a Junior at the University of South Alabama, and I plan to graduate in the Spring semester of 2011, if all goes according to plan. I'm working on a dual certification bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. I hope in my teaching career I will get the chance to teach all K-6 grades at some point. I do not ever want to teach one grade level for too long. I like change and variety. I know sometimes as a teacher one does not always get a choice in that matter, but I can hope. I want to be a teacher because I love children, and the idea of working with them all day as a job choice brings so much joy to me. I also love learning, and I hope I can bring that happiness to children one day. After changing my major multiple times, teaching is the perfect fit for me, and I am so excited and can not wait to get started.

The Kind of Teacher I Want to be

I will have high expectations of my students to always do what I know they are capable of doing to the best of their abilities. By having these high expectations, means that I am willing to cater to any and all needs they might need to accomplish the goals set forth for them. I know the students I will have with disabilities goals will be different than the students without but, my expectations of them will not lessen. In some sense, I do not want to hold any one's hand and do things for my students that I know they can do. I do not think that is doing my students a favor to not give them work because it might seem difficult to them, but I will prepare them for it and teach them the skills they need to get through it, and always make myself accessible to help. If I am teaching kindergartners I am not going to pass out paper and crayons for them, they should be able to get it and put it back themselves but, I will cater to them such as, putting the paper, pencils, crayons, glue, tape in organized baskets where they can reach them and understand where everything goes, that way they can get it and put it back themselves. I always want to be a service to my students and advocate for them. I want to go the extra mile, and if I see a student struggling and they do not come to me for help, I will go to them and if I can not help than I will seek help from anyone that can whether it is the parent, principle, another teacher or outside help. I want each and everyone of my students to learn, learn something even if they are lazy to do there work then I want to be able to stay after school with them while they do it, to ensure they do their work. I do not want any of my students to fail, no matter what the cause is to why they would be struggling in my class. I want all of my students to succeed and learn.