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Becoming the Educator, I Always Needed

Clarissa J. Browne

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 201 - 1004

Susan Bridges

November 14, 2022

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Becoming the Educator I Always Needed

Education has always stood out to me as a profession I wanted to pursue. In elementary

school, my favorite game was 'school' with the neighborhood kids. I would print out worksheets

and create lessons to teach the other kids what I had been learning in school. For example, I

showed them the basics of multiplying one-digit numbers, and it was so satisfying to watch the

kids understand what I was telling them and apply it to their worksheets. That jumpstarted my

love for teaching; getting to know my teachers better and staying after school to help with

bulletin boards nurtured this passion. By the time I reached high school, I was thrilled to see a

three-year CTE teaching and training course was available. The indicated helped me become

more serious about this future profession by exploring the different avenues for educational

professionals.

As an overly optimistic and compassionate person, these traits will help me translate into

a positive and cooperative classroom. When a student comes to a school in a less ideal mood, the

goal isn't to change the behavior but to understand what's causing the behavior. Understanding

this will help make my classroom run smoothly.

Experiencing the field observation was a real eye-opener. I have been aiding in various

SPED rooms for the past couple of months, which are run very differently from gen-ed rooms.

Observing how the teacher makes the most out of her overcrowded room was refreshing; there

were a lot of students in not the most enormous space, but the teacher still utilized working on

the floor and working in circles and moving desks. Small movements, such as not sitting at the

same desk all day, promote student growth and help break from the monotony of the day. It was

also interesting to see the various placement levels of skills; some children were extraordinarily
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gifted and bored with the curriculum; meanwhile, while some students couldn't count to ten

without help.

Philosophy of Education

The constructivist perspective stresses the student's discernment and observation.

Students learn best through personal experiences. This perspective encourages the students'

learning over the teachers' teaching. I agree with this perspective as it promotes the idea that

students motivate their learning. The aforementioned is essential because students will not pay

attention to a class they don't like, but if they feel in charge of their education, it boosts

confidence.

The philosophical orientations of teaching are vast, yet I identify the most when I blend

progressive and existentialism teachers. I relate to progressivism, where learning stems from the

learner's interest. Students motivate themselves to learn a topic, and knowledge is gained through

learning how to work through problems. The existentialist teacher aids in creating a more

substantial understanding of students by relating to their lives. This orientation focuses on

students asking questions to understand the purpose of life and using the students' experiences to

develop the meaning of life. Promoting students to help identify who they are and feel like they

belong. This approach allows students to see the effect knowledge has on them.

New Jersey v. TLO is a court case in which the vice principal searched a student's purse,

and the student felt it was unreasonable, prompting the idea that students should expect some

level of privacy while on campus. The previously mentioned reminds me that children need

space to feel independent. I think about the various school tragedies when setting the stage for

working in one. As an education professional, I must make students feel safe and welcome when

going to school.
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In the Classroom

While in the classroom, it is a different experience. Throughout observation, things don't

always go to plan, so theoretically, I would use peer teaching, a growth mindset, and culturally

responsive teaching as instructional strategies in the room. Peer teaching strengthens students'

self-esteem and communication skills. A growth mindset promotes students being in charge of

their learning and showing adolescents that they can learn anything they put their minds to.

Lastly, culturally responsive teaching links students' experiences to instruction.

Assessments would consist of me observing student work, rarely any paper tests. I would

walk around the classroom with a paper to check if students' were approaching, meeting, and

exceeding my expectations, which would let me know who needed intervention or another

activity sooner. To promote student learning and variability, I would cater every lesson to

multiple learning styles and invite students to show their peers how to attain the answer. When

approaching diversity, I will make my classroom inclusive for all learners; there will also be zero

tolerance for bullying.

Getting Into the Classroom

To be an educator, one must be compassionate yet selfish, intelligent but not in the

traditional sense, and loving yet stern. I possess all these skills; I care deeply for the students and

want to impact their lives, but I realize I can't manage more than the parents. I'm creative when

coming up with ideas and how to communicate, which will aid in lesson planning. I also care to

know why a student has a particular behavior, but I am serious enough to implement that rules

are rules for a reason.

To obtain my teaching license, I need to finish getting my 60 credits from CSN to achieve

a degree in elementary education. Which, if projected right, should be by next spring. The next
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step over the summer will be taking the ParaPraxis Exam. Taking the exam over the summer will

grant me time to prepare and retake a portion if needed. The last step would be applying for a

teaching job as an aide for an elementary school I already have an in. I've discussed with the

principal that they will hire me as a teacher once I have my license.