The Essence of Teaching
"What nobler a profession than to touch the next generation -- to see children hold your understanding in their eyes, your hope in their lives, your world in their hands.  In their success you find your own and so to them you give your all."

    Teaching has been a long life dream for me, and now it seems like it cannot be possible that I have come this far.  In my past few years of college, I have learned that teaching is much more than just giving out worksheets and tests.  Education to me is one of the most important things in society today.  Without education where would everyone else be?  I feel that education should most definitely be a child centered process, because it focuses on the most important person involved.  
    As a future classroom teacher, I want to be the best teacher that I can be always.  My classroom will be a very warm and loving environment.  I would like for my students to refer to it as their own room while they are in my class, that way it will be a much more meaningful experience for them in the long run.  Children need to be involved in a positive environment where they can feel safe and always be excited learn.  I will have centers so that my students will be able to work in groups and get to know one another.  I am a big supporter of reading and working together in groups.  We will do a lot of reading in books and even have on center set up for reading.  It will be decorated with pillows and beanbags to make it more comfortable for reading and discussing stories that we have went over.  The classroom will be decorated with all of my students work.  I believe that in letting the students decorate the class because it is their space.  I think that children are so creative and their work is beautiful.  I want them to know that I think their work is worth hanging on our walls, which hopefully make them have pride in their work.  
    My internship helped me to learn that discipline is a big part of becoming an effective teacher.  I am going to have the biggest problem with discipline.  I am afraid of hurting the student’s feelings, but I know that it is my job to discipline and I have to over come this fear.  Some children have special needs, which need to be considered.  I will allow my students to help create our set of rules for the class.  When the students make the rules they are more likely to know what they are and to obey them, because they made them up themselves.  Children need rules; it provides a sense of stability for them.   I will have a reward system set up so that the children who follow the rules will receive their deserved attention.  I do not believe that the children who break the rules should receive the spotlight, rather those who stand out for being good.
     I want to always be the best role model for my students that I can be, because children look up to older people.   My students will leave my classroom knowing that people especially themselves are special.  They will learn to respect each other’s feelings and ideas.  They will learn character education.  My major goal as a teacher is to touch the life of a student in any way that I can.  It will be so rewarding to see and know that I have actually made a difference in someone’s life.  Children are the leaders of our future, and I hope that I can be there to show them right from wrong and to lead them into the right directions in life.  I want to be the best teacher that I can be.   I will be so proud to be a teacher one day, and I know that my career will be fulfilling, knowing that I am helping students grow.