William Butler Yeats, a well-known Irish poet, summed up what I believe to be the purpose education when he spoke the following words, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” As educators, it is our responsibility to light a fire in each and every child who walks through our classroom doors. I strive to do this in a variety of ways through the careful implementation of specific curriculum, quality instruction, and meaningful assessment.
In regards to curriculum, specific learning goals and standards need to be outlined and communicated with all stakeholders. A strong curriculum, coupled with teacher buy-in, will drive quality instruction and guide the careful assessment of each student’s progress. In my six years as a professional educator, I have implemented a hands on approach to delivering and teaching the curriculum outlined for my students. It is my belief that students learn best when they are actively engaged in their own learning process. They are engaged in quality learning experiences from the moment they step foot in the classroom. They collaborate with partners and small groups, act out plays with meaningful scripts, compose thoughtful writing projects in their writing notebooks, engage in letter writing with pen pals from other states, ask thought provoking questions, create purposeful messes during art class, make observations and generate hypotheses through engaging science experiments, read quality literature, utilize their growing imaginations for a variety of projects, analyze the effectiveness of their business practices during an annual class market project, write thoughtful and caring notes to sick classmates, and go on to become lifelong learners. Each child I teach is extremely unique in the way he or she learns. I strive to use my talents to accommodate the individual needs of each of my students. I do not want my current or future students to be standing with an empty pail waiting to be filled up with facts I dictate to them. My desire is to ignite a fire that will burn within each and every one of them. It is my hope that each child I have the privilege to educate will develop a lifelong love for learning. No teacher should ever extinguish that fire which burns so brightly in the lives of young children.
idiom study |
Children are naturally inclined to learn and enjoy doing so when they are intrinsically motivated. Quality instruction is a key factor when educating a diverse student population and educators ought to aide students in realizing their potential. Quality instruction that is learner focused will no doubt produce citizens who are prepared for a global, intellectually, and socially demanding society. Instruction should be explicit in regards to both the intellectual and social needs of each child. A fire that burns with only facts and knowledge will soon be extinguished. It is our job and moral obligation as professional educators to prepare students to enter a democratic society where their voice can and will be heard. Intelligence is of utmost importance, but without character, morals, and values, it will not adequately prepare one for life in an ever changing 21st century society. Through thoughtful planning and careful instruction, students will be prepared to enter the world outside the four walls of the school building. Through careful assessment of student learning, educators are constantly changing the way subject material is presented in order to reach their students and guide them along in their educational journey.
concrete poem from poetry unit |
student created prefix game |
Caldecott Medal Study - Owl Moon |
producing goods for the class market |