Although only a third year teacher, my varied experiences have given me a depth, as well as breadth, of knowledge and flexibility that contribute toward my own rigor as an educator. I have taught at Robberson, a low-income Springfield school, as well as at an urban Renew school in Newark. While these settings may seem to be polar opposite in nature, in fact each has given me invaluable perspective on how I can best serve families. I learned that even if I cannot control all the variables outside of my classroom, I could be a significant factor in the future success of a child.
As a teacher who looped with my first graders to second grade, it became even clearer to me how I could affect positive change in my students. I was better able to form relationships with both students and their parents. I possessed background knowledge of my students’ academics and thus could continue to help them grow upon their paths. I have tested and tried varied curriculum tied to the common core state standards, merging it with best practices to bring my students learning to fruition. We had a strong classroom community, which fostered significant learning.
Having experience now in three grades, from kindergarten through second grade, I feel as though my understanding of students’ development of learning will empower me to meet my scholars where they are and apply the proper scaffolding to take them where they need to go.
