I have always loved helping people. I believe it is that part of me, more than any other, which has driven me to teaching. Teachers have such great opportunities every day to help students change and grow their ideas about and relationship with the world around them that it’s simply the place where I feel I can do the most good. Aside from my dispositions, I have had many experiences that will be helpful to draw from when I student teach. Teaching is truly what I want to do.
I know that it is experience that counts for the most in the teaching world, but it would be impossible for me to discuss my teaching experiences without explaining what led me to teaching in the first place. I have always been an intellectual leader, whether it was in elementary school when other students looked to me for guidance, or high school and college where I made Honor Roll and Dean’s List respectively every semester. For me, however, it wasn’t important that I had the information myself, what was important was how I used it to help other people understand something in a new way. I loved watching someone who had been struggling put the pieces together and really understand. In terms of personality I have a kind, calm, focused demeanor that helps students relax but still stay on task. I believe that these aspects of my personality, when combined with my work ethic, will help me greatly in my student teaching.
I have also had many specific experiences that will help me as a teacher. Aside from the usual helping friends and younger siblings with schoolwork, I have taken many proactive steps to widen and deepen my understanding of the teaching world. When I was 16 I took a job as a Custodian at a small parochial school in Bristol, C.T. which I have had ever since. Being on staff at this school has allowed me to have dozens and dozens of conversations with teachers about teaching and running a classroom, which have given me many different ideas about and perspectives on teaching, from the humanism-inspired “just let them have fun” approach to the behaviorism-inspired “teach them self-discipline” approach. I have also talked with the secretaries and other administration quite often, which has helped me understand their roles in helping the school run well. Teaching is a highly political job, and understanding everyone’s role and position will help greatly if I have an idea to share with the faculty and staff. I have also had many hands-on teaching experiences in public schools. I observed and assisted the special ed. teacher at Pulaski Middle School in New Britain, which gave me many classroom management techniques as well as a new perspective on what it means to be a special education student. I have also observed and taught an art responding lesson at Morley Elementary in West Hartford. The teacher there really loved it and wants me to come back whenever I can. In addition, I taught an aesthetic lesson dealing with Art Concept at Farmington High which lasted the entire class period. Finally, last semester I taught the Saturday Art Workshop here at CCSU which really helped me in many ways. I became more confident and comfortable in front of a class, I learned how to organize and manage a classroom, and I learned how to write rich, interdisciplinary lesson plans that could apply to many different ages of students (our students ranged from 11 to 15 years old). I believe that these experiences, coupled with the extensive experiences I am getting this semester, will help me be a great student teacher.
The world of teaching is fairly new to me, but it is a world in which I belong. My dispositions have driven me to teaching and will help me be a great teacher, and my experiences have helped get me ready for the job. I want to help my students see the world of art in a new light, and make connections between art and the world at large. I would love to make my knowledge and skills an asset to your school.
