Bianca Iacono

Henry Adams once said A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his
influence stops. This famous saying speaks to my desire to pursue a career in
Elementary Education. I believe that as a teacher, one has tremendous influence and
power, and with that comes great responsibility. I have always considered that being an
effective teacher means believing that ones jurisdiction is not always confined to the
walls of the classroom; commitment and willingness to go that extra mile to make a
difference are essential when ensuring the success of any student. I want to provide my
students with a rich, engaging, and stimulating learning environment in which they feel
safe and supported.
In addition, I want to create a classroom culture that fosters positive attitudes
towards learning and helps my students develop self-competency. I feel that students
should always have an active role in the classroom with the ability to have a meaningful
impact on the structure of the environment; it is important that they feel they have choice
and ownership of their education. I also believe it is critical to instruct all children at their
own pace, while having a deep understanding of their cultural context and respect for
their individual needs. In order for students to reach their fullest potential, each individual
child should have a thoughtful academic plan to guarantee his/her success. Ultimately, I
desire to help students achieve their goals by providing an environment that is safe,
supports risk-taking and invites the sharing of ideas.
According to Codling, in order to create a classroom environment that helps
students develop positive attitudes towards learning, we need to focus on students three
basic needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. 1Students need to feel they have
1

Codling, R. (2012). How Self-Determination Informs Teachers. Self-Determination Theory.

some sort of control over what happens in the classroom. Providing choice to students
gives them a sense of independence and allows them to make their own decisions within
the classroom lessons or activities. It is also crucial that I focus on students selfcompetence and encourage them to challenge their abilities. It is imperative that my
students feel I believe in them and even more so that they believe in themselves. Lastly,
having social relationships with students and being able to support and connect with them
is critical for their self-determination and intrinsic motivation. I want to connect with my
students on a deeper level and be a secure adult whom they can trust.
In addition, I believe that education should focus more on the child, rather than on the
content or the teacher. Teachers should guide students and support their education by
giving them the tools to succeed, not by acting as a primary source of information. I
believe that learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing
the world. Teachers should stress that students test ideas by active experimentation and
provide experiences so that students can learn by doing; students should be provided with
an environment that allows their natural curiosity to direct their learning. Teachers should
also encourage a culture of success rooted in passion, teamwork, accountability, and
leadership; students should find success not in their grades but based on their progress.
Teachers should enforce the idea that students not be discouraged by difficulties or
setbacks but rather be persistent and willing to learn from their mistakes.
I believe each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and
stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, physically,
intellectually, and socially. In order for me to be the best teacher I can be, I need to help
students develop a deep love and respect for themselves, others and their environment,
which I believe occurs through an open sharing of ideas. When the voice of each student

is heard, then an environment evolves where students feel free to express themselves. I
believe students have a greater respect for their teachers, their peers and the lessons
presented when they feel safe and sure of what is expected of them. Overall, in my future
classroom I hope to pass on my love of learning to my students; and I hope to foster a
positive environment in which all children are constantly making progress towards their
goals.