As future educators we have to realize that we may have children with exceptionalities. Having students with exceptionalities can be life changing, and a learning experience. It can also be quite difficult. That is why it is so important to understand the difference between different exceptionalities and disabilities. As a PROFICIENT educator you must accomadate the needs for all of your students to enable them to learn.

As someone who knows first hand how exceptionalities and disabilities affect an environment I think as an educator I will be able to recognize and understand how to deal with certain issues in my classroom. Having an older cousin who has Autism and another who had down syndrome I understand quite well how it can affect a family which is quite important in the classroom as well. What happens at home for a student can affect how they behave in a classroom. All this aspects play a big role in how I will deal with these issues in my classroom and make the environment a place of learning and love.

I AM

I am Beautiful and Daring
I wonder how I am perceived
I hear the busy town
I see my future now
I want to make a difference
I am Beautiful and Daring
I pretend that I am a teacher
I feel my nervousness
I touch hearts
I worry about future failures
I cry about what I could have done differently
I am Beautiful and Daring
I understand that with God all things are possible
I say "If God is for me who can be against me"
I dream about success
I try to be the best Me I can be
I hope I make an impact on someone's life
I am Beautiful and Daring

Reflection

As a educator I never realized the impact you have on each of your student's life. This homecoming one of my students was a drum major for The Fort Valley State University's Blue Machine Marching Band. He was adorable and when he saw my face a huge grin spread across his face. He became more confident in his steps and his performance for the pep rally was impeccable. I was so proud of him and at that moment I realized that not only was I impacting my students lives, they were impacting mine. I have grown and become a better person because of my students. The little things that they do, that they believe aren't important, mean the world to me. For example, one of my students finally read a whole story by himself to me and he was so proud. He ultimately showed me that working hard and practice makes perfect. I was extremely proud. The biggest thing I believed I have learned from this entire experience is that teaching is not just a job, it is a passion. You have to be passionate about teaching children and you will grow to be a better person in the end. To me that is more rewarding than any dollar figure can give me.

Waiting for Superman

Waiting for Superman was a huge eye opener. It proved to me that our education system is truly failing. We are not providing our children with the sufficient education they truly deserve. The movie showed five young childrens' lives and how they were not afforded an adequate education. The neighborhoods they lived in ranged from poor, to the upscale middle class family. It also showed that each child came from a different racial background. Although each child came from a different background they still dealt with a failing education system. All five of the children were trying to be accepted into better schools, and the way they were selected was based on chance. They were either randomly selected from a computer, their number was called from a random selection, or like the game BINGO their future relied on a ball. Out of the five children selected for the movie, only two were accepted into the new schools. The others had to go back to their failing schools and fight to get out of the education system. In our panel discussion we discussed how although there are other schools that are improving our education system it is costing MILLIONS of dollars every year. But one thing that stuck out the most to me is we spend more money on inmates, when we could be putting every child into private school for a better education for less the costs and actually have some money left over. There is a huge problem with that. To be honest it baffled me and I am seriously trying to find a way to correct this but I don't even know where to begin. Hopefully one day we can find some sort of a solution to end this epidemic.

My 21st Century Classroom

My 21st Century Classroom

Since I was 16 I have wanted to be a teacher. I found my true passion while working at Cook Primary School and being with children from Pre-K until 3rd grade. To say I have dreamed about what my classroom will look like for years; would be an understatement. I believe my classroom will be an enviroment where children will feel at home. I would have my smartboard for many different reasons and most importantly to learn through fun technological ways. I would love to have children in groups so that they could learn to get along, share, and most importantly make friends. I love reading and I believe that it is the best way to open a child's imagination and open their minds to new ideas so in my classroom there will be a private reading nook that will be perfect for the children to read. I also love art, if there is anyway to use art to teach things I will use it so there will be an art corner for me to make new activities. Lastly, I would love a big screen so my children can webcam and talk to children from other countries. I have traveled all around the world and I understand how different cultures can help change a child's perspective of different cultures. It would be so nice, for my children to make friends with children in China. I know all my children will not be angels, but I will love them all in their own way. I believe my classroom will be strict but relaxed; homey, but organized. I have big dreams for my 21st century classroom.