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Faith Fosco

Professor Brown

Education 1100

30 April 2017

1. Why do you want to Teach?

a. I want to teach for so many reasons. Ever since I could remember, I wanted to
work with children. I want to make a positive impact in their education and help
them find their own way. As a student myself, I remember struggling to keep up
in my classes at a young age. It is because of the amazing team of resource
teachers, homeroom teachers, and tutors that I became the hard-working and
successful student I am today. Not only do I have a passion to help kids similar
(or different than) me by becoming a Special Education teacher but also, I feel I
can relate to them on some level. I truly love working with all types of children. I
have the privilege to work with children at the Primrose Early Childhood
Education School. Here, Im able to converse, care for, and teach children as
young as three weeks up to pre-kindergarten.
2. What is the purpose of education?
a. Education allows us as a society to grow and learn. The purpose of education is
simply this: to allow children to learn about themselves and the world around
them so they can be prepared and contribute to the real world. They can learn
about a variety of cultures, historical figures, works of literature, mathematics,
and more. Through all these diverse subjects, each student can discover why the
world is the way it is and how they can contribute to it one day. Without
education, our world would not only be very ignorant of change and diversity, but
also not as technologically advanced.
3. What is your role as an educator?
a. My role as an educator is to help my students learn and guide them on the right
path. Notice how I didnt say I would put them on a path, but guide them. Young
students have so many options available to them. I want them to be open to trying
new things and feel they are prepared for each one. Making sure my students are
well equipped is my job. I want my students to have the resources, experience,
confidence, and passion to go out into the world.
4. Whom are you going to Teach?
a. As of 4/30/2017 Im still unsure about the age group I want to work with. Im
leaning towards early childhood and middle school age. As of the type of students
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I will be teaching, I plan to become a Special Education Teacher for children with
learning behavior disabilities or disorders.
5. Specifically, how will you reach the wide diversity of children that you will have in
your classroom?
a. The one way I can reach a diversity of students is by learning more about diverse
populations. If I, as the teacher am knowledgeable about diversity, then it will
make it a lot easier for me to converse and relate to my students. It will also make
it easier for me to find ways to incorporate diverse cultures and practices into my
lesson plans (without bias of course). Every student will have unique
likes/dislikes, strengths/weaknesses, culture, and beliefs. I plan to create activities
to best accommodate for each student based on these characteristics.
6. How do you define your community of learners?
a. My community of learners will be students with a learning or behavior
disorder/disability. This is a very diverse group of children who have trouble
learning in a standard classroom. The accommodations and modifications made
for each childs education will be very multidisciplinary and unique.
7. How and what are going to Teach?
a. I will be using a variety of teaching methods to help each child succeed in class.
Some of these methods include using: sensory-focused activities, stimulating
games, visual-focused lessons, auditory-focused lessons, and more. Using these
methods helps children see how learning isnt just hearing and doing but also
moving, singing, playing games, and touching.
8. What are your beliefs about how children learn?
a. I have a strong belief in the ability for all children to learn. Each child learns
differently and various paces, but the outcome can still be amazing with a healthy
learning environment.
9. How will these beliefs impact your teaching? for example: classroom management,
instructional strategies, curriculum design, assessment
a. These beliefs will impact my teaching in a way that will provide all my students
the opportunity to learn. Each of my students will be exposed to a variety of
teaching methods, study strategies, classroom activities, learning topics, and
individual as well as group projects. When my students come into my classroom
each day, I want them to feel excited about what we will be learning as well as
how well be learning.
10. How do you balance the needs of individual learners with the needs of the entire
class
a. Part of being a teacher is learning what students need individual help. Its okay
for someone to need extra help on a topic. I will create a learning environment
that makes my students comfortable to approach me to ask for help whenever they
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need to. As time goes on, I want these students to need less and less of my help. I
will make sure to keep myself dispersed around the classroom as my students to
work to make sure I am available for each and every student. Being a special
education teacher will make it more difficult because I wont have to keep myself
available in just one classroom. Most likely, Ill be moving from class to class
pulling students to get that extra small group or one one one help.
11. What are your goals for your students?
a. My number one goal for my students is that they grow up happy and
knowledgeable. You can be a very successful employer or employee, but if you
arent happy in the job you are in then whats the point? As my dad said to me,
find a job that you are passionate about and would enjoy doing each day. Not only
will you enjoy your job, but if you work hard enough in your field and are good at
your job, the money will take care of itself. My job as a teacher is to provide my
students with the support and common knowledge to find the subjects they enjoy.
I also want them to see that just because you may not use this subject in the real
world each day, that it isnt useful. If you only learn the topics youre good at,
you will never improve your problem solving, discipline, time management,
plasticity, and other life skills needed for everyday. And who knows? Maybe you
will end up needing to know some of those math formulas for your career. Its
always best to keep your mind and options open.
12. Where are you going to Teach?
a. I plan to teach close to home near my family. This will be near Naperville Illinois.
Ive learned from my field experience in the Special Education Department at
Owen Elementary that I will be teaching in a variety of rooms to a diverse
population of children. I may be in a classroom, gym, or a small room separate
from the class.
13. How will you bring a global awareness into your classroom?
a. To bring global awareness into my classroom, I'll have my students do weekly
current events. It's very beneficial to keep up to date with local, state, country, and
global news. Whether it be a written summary or brief presentation, my students
can get used to understanding current event texts and videos.
14. What will be your relationship with the community, parents, teaching colleagues,
administration?
a. It's very important for teachers to have a good relationship with the student's
team.This could include the student's family, teachers, therapists, tutors, and
more. It is especially important in the Special Education Field to keep connected
with every member. I will be open and honest with every member of the pupils
team. I expect the same in return as well. By keeping everyone informed on the
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child's strengths, weaknesses, and growths that child will have the best education
and opportunity for success.