Blog 1

I see myself as a teacher in many ways. I always had a genuine care for children and this translated into me wanting to help them learn. When I look back and think about certain people who had great influences on me, many of them are teachers I grew up with and that is the same position I want to be in. I want my students to look back eventually and think of me as an influence because then I would feel like I really made a difference. I always like the moment when I teach something to someone and it just "clicks" with them. When I think of teaching young people I like to think it goes beyond classroom learning. I believe having the ability to teach life lessons as well as math lessons is equally important. Teachers need to be able to help students outside the classroom as well as inside. I believe this because when I look at things I've learned I retained certain lesson plans and chapters for only a little time, but the lessons taught to me outside the classroom seem to stick forever. I want to bring this philosophy to my teaching as well. Teaching should go above and beyond the classroom. This idea as a teacher comes natural to me, but I feel like in the atmosphere of many different people and personalities it can get difficult to accomplish. I will work hard to push intellectual and moral values in teaching, though.
A historical educator I think of is named Horace Mann. I remember reading he was credited to creating several principles still used today in school. The one I remember most was his reform to place students in schools where they accept children of all types, regardless of background. I always thought it was very interesting and is still widely accepted today. Another subject he pushed on creating new schools was that he wanted the public to be accepting and involved in the education process so the flow of the community was more lively.
I strongly believe teachers experiences translate into their teaching or lesson plan. I believe this because many people become teachers to give help that they found so useful when they were young. I also think that anyone who comes from a struggle or a hard time in their life can reach success and once they do, it allows them to spread a unique lesson to individuals that not everyone can relay.