Every Student Should Feel Welcome In the Classroom

If we want to change the way students today view school, We as future teachers have to create a warm, welcome environment for each student. To do this, you don't have to be every child's best friend or the "coolest" teacher, you just have to allow students to participate in class. Letting students actively participate in class builds their confidence and self esteem because it allows them to see what they can learn and accomplish on their own.
I also feel that listening is the most sincere form of flattery. If you make students comfortable in class you can give them a chance for their voice to be heard . Students learn more in an environment that they are comfortable in and allowed to express themselves in.

Good Teachers hold onto their Romanitc Ideals

Most of the time you can tell the difference between a new teacher and a veteran teacher nearing retirement. A new teacher will tell you in his or her first few conversations why he/she chose teaching as their career, why he or she chose the school he/she is teaching at, what teaching means to them, or their goals of impacting the lives of their students through teaching. As they continue in their teaching careers however, many teachers succumb to bitterness towards behavior problems, the required curriculum, the principal, or other frustrations that are common in the teaching field.
I am determined to not become a bitter teacher. I have a romantic ideal about changing the way students view English. I want to at the very least make it interesting for each student. My goal for teaching is to let students discover for themselves the importance of English, and the reason they need it in society. As long as I keep my goals in mind and stay optimistic, I feel that I can become and remain a good teacher.

Why kids hate English

I recently asked a high school student if he liked English. His response was an immediate , "NO!" Upon asking him why, I discovered that his English teachers, like most high school English teachers, assign worksheets all the time. They also assign several book assignments and critical analysis questions. They are required to write essays and answer critical analysis questions. Surprisingly, students aren't really interested in worksheets full of questions.
I think teachers should take a more hands on approach. I think teachers should assign creative projects. I think teachers should assign projects that will allow students to express themselves creatively and grasp the concepts of the required curriculum. For instance, when reading the Scarlett Letter, students should pick one vice or quality that causes embarrassment (with appropriate permission) and wear the first letter all day and come up with a written explanation of what the letter represents. Or when reading plays, students can pick out their favorite scenes and re-film them in their own words. these are just a few hands on ideas. Personally, I think students will grasp concepts more if they have a say in how it's being taught to them or if they can actively participate in learning.

Why is English important?

With the prevalence of emails, text messages, instant messages, cell phones, and instant access technology many may ask Why do we still need to learn how to write professionally? Why do we still need writing skills if we know our field will never include much reading or writing? The answer is simple- an intelligent human being should know how to compose a grammatically correct sentence! Also, a well-respected individual knows how to communicate effectively with appropriate vocabulary.
All too often, I see college students struggle to write effectively. College students should know how to write fluidly with organized thoughts and ideas.
College students should also know how to speak appropriately in professional settings. I feel that these skills should be taught throughout grades K-12. Students should be taught how to write and communicate maturely and should be challenged to learn the meanings of words they do not know or know how to use. In order to respected in society, people need to know how to command respect with through communication. You represent yourself through written and spoken words. If self representations and words are important, ENGLISH IS IMPORTANT! After all, it is the study of the proper use of words.

How Teaching chose Me...

Upon entering the college of education, most students are asked a simple question.."Why did you choose to become a teacher?" Some may have a romantic answer about the influence of a teacher in the past, or a lifelong passion or ability to tutor and teach others. I, however, had none of these ambitions upon entering college. In fact, I was determined NOT to become a teacher simply because I doubted my patience level, and after 12 years of public schooling I was well aware of the flaws in the education system. however, I have two subject areas that I never tire of researching and learning about; history or literature, and human health and personal fitness (two opposite ends of the spectrum I know).My niche has always been writing and researching therefore, I originally wanted to be a history major and upon realizing teaching was really the most stable option for history boughs like myself, I changed it to physical therapy, simply because Im fascinated with the study of the human body and I noticed that the salary predictions for my graduation year were impressive. Then half way into my first semester I shadowed a physical therapist and was BORED OUT OF MY MIND!!! It occurred to me that physical therapy would be the end of my zest for life. I then explored exercise science because I myself am a personal trainer and sales representative for OMNI HEALTH AND FITNESS in Mobile, and have always been interested in health and personal fitness. Upon becoming a trainer, I realized that I had a natural inclination for explaining things and could accommodate several different learning styles. This had successful results and left a profound impact on my self -esteem. But The more I thought about it, the more I became more and more burnt out on the idea that I was completely immersed in fitness with my job and my own lifestyle and although I had a natural ability to explain it, was not passionate about explaining the workouts but was more passionate about showing people how they could accomplish their goals on their own and giving them the will power and positive self-image to do so. About 8 months ago, it occurred to me that I would not be able to make a career out of convincing others that they needed me on order to be "fit" which is precisely what I would have had to do in order to make a living out of PT in the commercial gym industry. Neither my conscience nor my heart were passionate enough to pursue a lifelong career of instability.
I began to explore other options with several dead ends until one day I was cleaning out my folders and came across a paper that I had corrected, re-written, and received an A on for a sorority sister. As i was reading the paper from our freshman year in college, I began to laugh because some of her sentences sounded like a middle schooler's, not to mention the horrible grammar. It almost seemed as though her complete sentences were straight from a book and completely unoriginal. I remembered how many of my sorority sisters were just like her; writing barely college-level papers and critically analyzing spark notes for "original" ideas. This bothered me, that so many "intelligent" girls with 3.5 or above GPA's could not complete a professional or intellectual sentence without scripting it from a book or website. How did this happen? My English teacher emphasized creative expression through writing. English was, in fact, one of the only subjects that allowed creative expression in the new "state- required" curriculum. She always stressed the importance of self -image through written communication. She always gave us vocabulary lessons that enhanced not only our writing abilities but our communication abilities as well. She made group discussions and writing activities fun. I believe I can hold a conversation of value and intelligence with an adult twice my age because of the skills I learned in AP (GIFTED and DUAL ENROLLMENT) English. Needless to say I pondered this for days and days and decided to shadow my stepsister who is a high school English teacher. In that classroom I had an epiphany. Literature activities, grammar lessons, even group critical analysis made ME want to raise my hand and participate and then I knew that I, SARAH HALL, should become an English teacher. I now enjoy college and am thoroughly interested in my classes as opposed to mere memorization and copying regurgitated ideas. Through an urge to organize and clean, a lifelong passion for creativity, and an epiphany in a classroom , I think it is safe to say that although I made the final decision, teaching chose me!