My primary goal as an educator is to instill the same curiosity and desire to learn in my students as the one that provides me a fulfilling and enjoyable life. I can trace back my desire to learn to my middle school and high school classes. I know the power of good teaching. My teachers showed their eagerness to teach through their enthusiasm for their content and hobbies and interests. They made clear connections between what we were learning and our lives outside of the classroom and it made me curious and engaged each day. I want my lessons to engage students to be socially conscious citizens and understand their role in the learning process. I want my students to feel empowered and as if they are a part of a bigger learning community.
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I am motivated by the learning theories of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory that explains the importance of clear, real world application of the content, collaboration, and honoring students’ contexts to make meaning. Students are engaged with daily conversation and discussion about the curriculum. I take part in these conversations more as a coach or moderator with the intention to let the students lead us. When I experience new ideas or understandings, I make sure to share those with my students. I want to illustrate that they help me learn just as much as I help them. I model all creative assignments by working alongside them to create my own work. If they have to present, I present. These dynamic discussions honor the student’s contexts and experiences and are in the spirit of diversity and inclusion. Modeling of creative exercises shows that I am willing to accept the vulnerability to learn and am learning alongside them.
I hope to continue to apply these theories by providing student agency through choice in both assignment and assessment models. Students are able to illustrate their understanding by filtering the curriculum through their experiences. These assessment models are met with a high expectation of quality. I want to see clearly supported answers that show me their personal connections to the content. From there, students are allowed to revise and improve. I want to illustrate the importance of revision and that creating high quality work requires a process. I remind them that their first draft is their worst draft, but we give our best effort and we know we can revise and make it better. Their commentary throughout the process, and their contributions to daily discussion, allow me to pivot and shift content to ensure understanding and success. Throughout this process, I try to show my students that they do have power to change the lesson, and it is not about progressing to the next content until we have mastered the previous. Our mutual success requires their input, and they know this.
I teach because I enjoy it. I love sharing ideas and soliciting the ideas of others. I am inspired when my students have breakthroughs and share their enthusiasm to learn. Learning requires vulnerability, and to be a part of a community of learners who trust one another to engage in that vulnerability is inspiring. I hope when a student leaves my class, they recognize that learning isn’t confined to a text book. It is what we do when we engage in our hobbies, interests, and the things we love to do. Much like I teach because I enjoy it, I hope they realize that they learn because they enjoy it.
I hope to continue to apply these theories by providing student agency through choice in both assignment and assessment models. Students are able to illustrate their understanding by filtering the curriculum through their experiences. These assessment models are met with a high expectation of quality. I want to see clearly supported answers that show me their personal connections to the content. From there, students are allowed to revise and improve. I want to illustrate the importance of revision and that creating high quality work requires a process. I remind them that their first draft is their worst draft, but we give our best effort and we know we can revise and make it better. Their commentary throughout the process, and their contributions to daily discussion, allow me to pivot and shift content to ensure understanding and success. Throughout this process, I try to show my students that they do have power to change the lesson, and it is not about progressing to the next content until we have mastered the previous. Our mutual success requires their input, and they know this.
I teach because I enjoy it. I love sharing ideas and soliciting the ideas of others. I am inspired when my students have breakthroughs and share their enthusiasm to learn. Learning requires vulnerability, and to be a part of a community of learners who trust one another to engage in that vulnerability is inspiring. I hope when a student leaves my class, they recognize that learning isn’t confined to a text book. It is what we do when we engage in our hobbies, interests, and the things we love to do. Much like I teach because I enjoy it, I hope they realize that they learn because they enjoy it.