User:Broys002

About Me

Hi, I'm Bryceleigh. I recently graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Media Arts and Design and a minor in communication studies. My focus at JMU was Corporate Communications, which is basically advertising, PR, and managing the communications department in businesses and corporations. During my junior year I decided that working in an office all day wasn't something that really appealed to me and since I have a passion for working and teaching children, I decided that I wanted to go back to school to be an elementary school teacher. So, now that I've graduated, I'm enrolled at Old Dominion to get my masters in elementary education for grades PreK through 6th. This summer I am taking 4 pre-requisite classes that I have to complete before I start the graduate classes in the fall.

During my college career, I did an internship with Beach Events, which is an event planning company that plans the events for the City of Virginia Beach. I learned a lot about event planning and advertising through that experience. I did not work while I was taking classes but each summer I work for a promotions company which promotes brands such as Planters Peanuts, Crystal Light, Gillette, and other companies during events like the Boardwalk Art Show throughout the summer in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. I have really enjoyed working for the promotions company because it allows me to work with variety of different people and it's really entertaining.

I was born in Virginia Beach and I have lived in the area for my entire life except for the 4 years that I was away at JMU. I love Virginia Beach and I really can't see myself living anywhere else. I really enjoy playing tennis. I played throughout high school year-round and really developed a passion for the sport. I also like to hang out with my boyfriend (who I've been dating for 3 years :)) and my close friends that I've had since elementary school. I really miss my best friends from college though, and plan on visiting them a lot throughout the summer.  Finally, I love going to the beach and shopping...both are a good stress relief for me!

My Teaching Philosophy

As a teacher, I think the most important thing is for you to be passionate about your job and the subject or grade level that you are teaching and to convey and instill that same kind of passion in your students. It is important to make sure that all of your students succeed in your classroom by devoting your time and effort to make sure that your students understand the material you are teaching and that they know exactly what is expected of them in the classroom. A teacher should always have a positive attitude in the classroom and create a positive classroom environment that inspires meaningful learning. Along with these basic beliefs, I devised 7 objectives that I want to strive to meet when I become a teacher, and even though I created these objectives for another class several months ago, I think that they provide a detailed explanation of my educational philosophy.

–The first objective is to create learning experiences that will ensure that the central concepts of the subject matter are meaningful for my students and will support and further their intellectual, social, and personal developmental needs. The rationale for this objective is that learning needs to be real and meaningful each day for young children because the educational foundations they receive in elementary school will be essential in order for them to be successful in higher learning environments. It is important to make sure that the children are directly involved in the lesson and thoroughly understand the subject matter each day. Making sure that the students are active participants in the classroom will help them to better understand and comprehend the material, aid in the development of their role as a student in the classroom, and will also promote self-confidence. Finally, encouraging students to participate will make them more interested in the lesson and feel a more personal connection to the subject.

–The second objective is to create instructional and learning opportunities that adapt to learners from different cultural backgrounds and also those learners with exceptionalities. The rationale for this objective is that students' past experiences and heredity allow them to create their own thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes of themselves and the world and therefore, they come to school with different perspectives and views of the learning environment. Because of this, each student may learn different things in different ways. It is important as a teacher to understand how each student learns and to meet all of their needs during each classroom session.

–The third objective is to use a variety of instructional and learning strategies that will ensure that I am reaching all students on their learning level as well as encouraging the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills. Each day, teachers must plan their lessons according to the different types of learners in their classroom to ensure that they are reaching all children on their own individual levels. The subject being taught should be executed in a way that reaches all different kinds of learners. Along with differentiated instruction, teachers must teach for mastery, because by doing this students will know what you want them to learn and accomplish, and they will be thoroughly involved in the learning process.

–The fourth objective is to create a learning environment that promotes positive social and/or group interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. To be an effective teacher, I must give my students a reason to do assignments, and group work is one of the most effective ways for students to learn because they are surrounded by people to support and educate them. Group work essentially teaches students important life lessons such as responsibility and accountability because they are helping one another to learn the concepts.

-The fifth objective is to plan and manage instruction based on student's current knowledge of the subject matter and curriculum goals. Research suggests that new learning is shaped by the learner's prior knowledge. Learning is closely related to particular situations and students will understand and use the information in a meaningful way if the lessons are in some way connected to their previous knowledge or experiences.

-The sixth objective is to create a positive and warm classroom environment where students feel welcome and that they are an essential part of the learning community. By creating a warm and inviting classroom environment, students will be able to thrive and feel like they can take risks without being scared. Also, if the classroom provides a stress-free and encouraging environment for the students, they will be able to concentrate, be active participants in the lesson, and learning will increase.

-Finally, the seventh of objective is to utilize new technology in the classroom so that learning and development can be facilitated in different ways. Because our world is enabled by information technology, it is important to make sure that students understand how to use different technologies to get important information that is essential to learning and the learning environment. Also, students must be taught computer skills in order to connect globally and to learn about other culture around the world.