By Abigail
When I was a little girl, I wasn’t always interested in education but it was the teachers I had along the way that taught me that education is important and can be entertaining as well. When my mom was looking for a school that would help me succeed, there were a few items that she thought were non negotiable. She believed that the teachers needed to understand that all students learn differently, that the students need TLC both in a classroom as well as outside, that the teachers needed to be available to help and they needed to care for the students. Teachers who show that they care, transform students into wonderful, educated humans who will then follow in their footsteps. My incredible mom did her research and not only did she find the perfect spot, she also taught me that there is more to education than just in the classroom itself, My family believe that education is not just what you learn in a classroom, that education is also taught out in the community. Because of both my younger years in school and my experiences outside of the classroom, I am the person I am today. It makes me happy that I can share what I learned from my days of being a student all the while, implementing my passion to those I teach.
Teachers are role models and show leadership in an encouraging way. Teachers offer their knowledge in order to motivate students to strive for more. All children are unique and have different skills that allow them to grow. Teacher’s responsibility is to give all students ample opportunities to learn and grow within the classroom. Each classroom should have necessary resources to fulfill each student’s needs in a safe and loving environment. My classroom has mobile desks, ones that can move quickly and easily. It is set up as a circle at first to allow for group discussions, to be able to discuss the project at hand. Once the discussions are finished, the desks are moved into small group settings to allow the students to work both individually as well as in groups depending on the project or unit being taught. I will float from group to group to watch the students engage but be able to interact when needed. I want to teach my students to be independent but also feel comfortable asking questions when needed. By doing so, the students will be participating in what I call a hands-on education or project based learning throughout their time with me. My ultimate goal is for my students to enjoy their own journey while in school and be more inclined to continue their education.
Hands on learning means that students will learn by doing the activities, touching the materials, learning from actually visualizing the outcome. Teaching with a hands-on mentality, students will learn from examples and be a part of a more experiential learning environment. My students will venture on field trips, participate in exchange programs and other experiential opportunities to reiterate what is taught in the classroom. These experiences to me are much more important than trying to teach everyone from a book. Students will learn by actually doing the lesson versus listening to a lecture. It is important to learn skills that can be used outside of the classroom.
People are learning all the time and students look up to the role models that understand the importance of learning different hands-on skills that can be used in the real world.. As a teacher, I want my kids to be excited to come to class because it is a safe and caring environment with ample resources for any student to grow. My students are unique and creative and will be able to utilize their skills both inside as well as outside the classroom. The students are all encouraged and thrilled to participate when needed and implement what they learned in the unit being taught. They love to engage in group projects because in my classroom, school is fun. Group projects allow the students to learn by doing but also learn from other students. Students should learn how to work in teams and small groups as that too is something that students will have to continue once out of school. Small group discussions also build socialization. Kids need help understanding the importance of communication and social skills. Too many times, technology gets in the way of truly communicating and by the time my students leave my classroom, they will be skilled in both socializing and being able to communicate well. The skills taught in a hands-on environment will allow students to be able to communicate and engage with everyone.
We all know each individual is unique and my students are no different. Taking advantage of the opportunities available is essential. When my students identify skills and resources to keep them engaged, then I will be extremely satisfied. My satisfaction would be that my students comprehend my message that life has ample opportunities to learn and grow. Being a hands-on teacher, my dream is that my students will know of real world skills and feel comfortable learning from others. Communication and social skills are taught in everyday life and students should be able to work together with others and bring their talents to the table with confidence. The end goal, my students will take advantage of the resources available and understand that the world is one large classroom.
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