My experience at Appalachian State University has taught me many valuable

lessons over the years. I began my teaching coursework by learning about the
development of young adolescent minds, bodies, and personalities. Next to the time we
are born, adolescence is the time where we grow the fastest in our whole lives. In just a
few short years we experience a change in maturity both physically and mentally that
ultimately affects how we do in school, and by extension our lives. This amazing
transformation demands for a shift in how we teach these students. Appalachian State
has taught me that we need to developmentally responsive instruction that can meet the
unique needs of this student population. For that reason, it is imperative that we
implement a new mindset which the educators now acknowledge as the "Middle School
Concept." Middle schools should include flexible scheduling, exploratory courses, and
advisory programs for grades 6-8.
Throughout my coursework at Appalachian, my content knowledge has grown
specifically in the areas of English Language Arts and Science. I've completed and
reflected on various readings, writings, and inquiry based instruction. My passion for
teaching young minds in both subject areas has grown over time in ways I could not
have imagined. For example, I've studied in depth young adolescent literature to better
understand the motivation of male and female readers alike. One novel that I enjoyed
reading the most was "Secrets in the fire" by Henning Mankell. The author uses the
story of Sofia to teach young adolescent readers how to overcome in the midst of
adversity, especially when we feel responsible for the issues in our world. My
coursework encouraged me to develop a series of activities that modeled what a

student might enjoy completing in a classroom of my own. Going through this process, I
found the joy of developing relevant materials for young adolescent literature.
In my science methods courses, I improved tremendously in my confidence and
competence in teaching inquiry based science. Largely, we focused on how we can
connect the science content to breaking misconceptions that we sometimes
inadvertently develop. As an extension to this idea, we had several opportunities to use
the 5E's: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. In my first attempt at
teaching biotechnology, I used an Engage that focused on using the scientific method to
answer questions. Specifically, I placed images of bacteria and viruses all around the
room for student to touch, smell, and see for them to create a hypothesis as to what we
were going to learn about later that class period. Some of my peers knew right away
what the subject area was while others continued to give theories. I used an app on the
Ipad called Aurasma to do this which supports the technology standards that we, as
science educators, are required to teach. Later on, in the explore phase, my peers were
led in a Webquest of various Biotechnology companies around the world to learn what
they do and stand for.
My teaching philosophy has consistently been founded upon the idea that
positive relationships are the most important component in a successful classroom.
Therefore, I have learned the importance of knowing each child and finding some
connection to their lives outside of school. Similarly, I have found it extremely important
to visit extra-curricular activities and show support to students in any way possible.
Positive relationships are also cultivated with in-class conferences and in positive parent
conferences throughout the year. I recently helped organize a student-led conference

night in which I was able to provide the opportunity for students to take initiative in
showing their work to their parents. Building relationships within the school and my
students first, and then branching out into building relationships with family and the
community are vital to my success as a teacher.
However, what I couldnt anticipate were all the lessons that needed to be
learned the hard way during my internships, and specifically during my Student
Teaching experience. Theory and Pedagogy are all well and good while studying at the
university. When I actually got into the classroom, I had to simultaneously put all I had
learned into nearly 6 months of teaching. Easier said than done doesnt even begin to
describe my experiences at Central Wilkes Middle School in an 8th grade English
Language Arts classroom. One of the most important lessons I learned was the concept
of establishing purpose to everything we do in the classroom. Whether its classroom
procedures to a teacher-directed lesson, student need to be able to answer the why to
the what of teaching! Yes, there are standards, learning targets, and essential
questions we meet every day but they need to have a solid buy-in to learning.
Establishing purpose, as a lesson I learned, is the determining factor of a successful
lesson. If Im just running through the appropriate hoops to get through a lesson, Ive
missed it. When students are engaged in learning, then we can truly move mountains!
Another important lesson that Ive learned over time during my student teaching
experience was the concept of Modeling. In the classes at Appalachian, weve learned
extensively about modeling but the practice thereof was definitely lacking until I got into
the classroom. Im still improving day by day but Ive become so much better at
modeling concepts and procedures in a way that is clear, concise, and consistent. For

example, I learned early on that if I ever wrote anything on the board or a projector I
needed to speak it at least three times to meet the needs of my auditory learners.
Students that learn best by touching or manipulating materials needed several
opportunities to get up and move. I remember one of my shining moments was when I
implemented the Who has activity to get students actively engaged in both social
interaction and academic recall. In this activity, which I had to model a handful of times,
students drew a quadrant on their papers with four kinds of people. Students were
charged with finding four individuals who matched a description I gave and then sitting
back down. They might find a person who can remember two transition words or a
person who can touch their nose with their tongue! The process of modeling can take a
lot more time than you expect but in the end, they can do so much more that is worth
doing!
The third lesson I learned while participating in my student teaching experience
was the importance of quality over quantity. Early on, I would try to push through each
lesson to get to the end or spend too long on a topic that the students already
understood. To change these situations, it took a lot of listening and practice. More
importantly, I had to allow for teachable moments to take precedence over finishing a
lesson. In those moments, I found relevance, passion, creativity in teaching where I
didnt anticipate it happening at all. Over time, I had a better handle on pacing which
aided me in both my teaching ability as well as differentiating to meet the needs of all
levels in my students.
In summary, I have experienced vast growth in my abilities in content, young
adolescent development, and my teaching methods. Similarly, my passion for

developing relationships with various members of a school community has grown

significantly, and I strongly value the knowledge and insight that other professionals can
offer to improve my teaching. Throughout my career at Appalachian State, I have
watched myself grow into a confident, strong educator with a passion for cultivating the
leaders of tomorrow. I recognize that this passion will take me far, but that the
knowledge I also carry will dramatically shape my teaching both now and in the future.
As I continue to view myself as a learner, I will continue to change and re-shape the way
I do things and will consistently build upon my strengths as a teacher. In the beginning
of my student teaching experience, I struggled to get a handle on the constant renewal
that being a teacher brings. However, I have never felt more confident than I do now
that this is where I am supposed to be a middle grades teacher that is constantly
growing, learning, and changing for the rest of my life.