User:Abroo015

About ME!!!!!!!! I am Tre', a senior at ODU. I will be graduating, with a degree in English, in May, 2009. I am studying to teach secondary English and my emphasis is in Journalism. I am really looking forward to getting in my own classroom and showing these students why I think English is so great. Hopefully, I will increase the literacy and overall enjoyment of reading in my students.

For fun I like to travel. My most recent vacation was to Myrtle Beach, SC. Overall, my favorite things to do are READ, READ, and READ :) My favorite book at the moment is Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime.  My favorite authors are Zora Neale Hurston, Walter Mosley, and J. California Cooper.  I also enjoy writing from time to time.  I am a Sex and the City fanatic.  I love movies in general.  My top five would have to be Love Jones, The Count of Monte Cristo, Gladiator, A Lot Like Love, and Braveheart.  I could not live without my laptop or my iPod...or my new cell phone....or my camcorder....okay I LOVE TECHNOLOGY :)  I think I would rather lose one arm than live without pizza, lasagna, philly steak subs, spaghetti, ribeye steaks, baked potatoes, double stuf oreos, or chocolate chip cookies.

 My Teaching Philosophy  I realize that as a teacher, my job is not limited to the confines of my classroom. I feel a responsibility to my school to be accessible and helpful in any way possible. I feel that same responsibility to the parents of my students. I will strive to attain communication with parents in hopes to better understand my students, allow parents to be aware of what is happening within the classroom, and to create an open dialogue where problem-solving may be done collectively. I will use and create teaching strategies that will be most effective in my classroom. I look to create an interactive classroom conducive to work and play, where students are interested and excited about learning and feel that their opinions and experiences are valuable. My goal is to teach, and teach well. I hope to make a difference in the lives of my students, to leave an imprint of a positive experience that will help provide guidance and aid in success for years to come.

In my experience, I have seen far too many teachers that don’t reach all of their students. They are stuck on teaching one way and to one type of learner. I’ve watched different types of learners be neglected because of ineffective teachers. I strive to be different. I strive to learn my students’ needs and learning styles and to reach each of them individually. Many of the techniques that I learned in special education will be very useful in educating my regular-ed students. I believe that all students have special needs and that teachers should base their techniques on those needs.

As an English teacher on the middle/high school level, I will be knowledgeable, fair, dedicated, and concerned about the well being of my students. I strive to implement multicultural education and to accommodate all types of learners. My goal is to effectively communicate material to be learned, have a classroom conducive to work and play and to promote self-expression and critical thinking. I understand that I will be a role model and that I must take that task seriously. I believe that as a teacher, I must educate by being educated. In other words, I must continue to learn, to be open to new ideas and to stay abreast of new information and current events. I will show responsibility by being responsible. I will grade papers and return them in a timely manner, meet deadlines, and use my work as an example for projects, papers, self-expression, etc. I believe that I cannot ask any more of my students than I am willing to give. I hope to be a mentor to students and help to prepare them for life outside of the classroom. I will promote self-expression among my students. I believe that when your ideas are incorporated into any learning experience, you have no choice but to be excited about it and somehow relate to it. I will encourage my students to think critically and analyze content while also realizing that some information must be accepted as far as testing is concerned.

I believe that inclusive education can be successful with the right amount of dedication from both the student and the teachers. It is going to take a lot of work on the behalf of everyone involved in the education system, to include administration, teachers, teacher’s assistants, parents, and students. In order for inclusion to be successful, teachers need to be properly trained. That is the key. Too many teachers are walking into these situations basically blind and unprepared to survive in the classroom.

Overall, I strive to be effective as an English teacher. I plan to take on each task with passion. I will teach my students just as I would want a teacher to teach my child- with respect, patience, and caring. I want to reach my students and not only teach them how to pass a test but give them something that sticks with them throughout their lives. I hope to be a friend and a mentor and touch each of my students lives in a positive way. I realize that teachers matter and that in many cases we are parents away from home and that we must be aware of our responsibility towards our children.