User:Cmorrell

About Me
Hi! My name is Connie and since you are looking at my user page you are probably at a similar point in your life where you have decided that a career in teaching might be for you. Unlike one of my best friends from childhood, I did not know at the tender age of eight that I wanted to be a teacher. I have come to this conclusion over many years and several walks off the beaten path. After following several "rabbit trails" in my life (some I would call God's divine appointments/perfect timing; others just plain human ignorance & dumb choices, on my part), I have concluded that teaching is where I am meant to be professionally. I was born in North Carolina, raised in TN, and after telling a friend "The man God has for me MUST be in another state because he's sure not in Tennessee!" married a man, with two children, from Virginia who (for the time being at least) refuses to live anywhere else. So here I am! I've loved kids (most) all my life and LOVE to see light bulbs come on for them when they learn new things. That's SOOO exciting for me, especially the younger ones. I love horseback riding, reading, & (most) furry animals. I also like to travel and can see myself teaching overseas some day (maybe on a short term mission trip).

I was raised Southern Baptist, but saved by the grace of God.  Gee! As a wife & (step)mother of two I don't get to say "It's all about ME" very often. That felt GOOD!!!

I would like to say that you will find my user page neat and exciting (with lots of cool pictures & quotes), but I'm also a realist with two jobs, two kids, a wonderful husband, one very energetic dachshund and more household responsibilities than I sometimes want to manage while taking graduate courses for a Master's in Education. So! Chances are, words will be about all you get (unless of course our prof. "requires" pictures in here & then by golly I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN!). Even as I'm creating this page, my son (8) runs into the house with sister (11), a neighbor's kid, and a caterpillar on a leaf asking for a container to keep it in so he can watch it grow into a butterfly. What a perfect reminder of what learning is really all about... to see the transformation of an unsuspecting caterpillar (child) into a beautiful butterfly (an informed adult who is not afraid to fly out of their comfort zones because of the foundations laid by those before them). This leads into my thoughts on education.

My Philosophy of Education
My philosophy of education is that each child deserves our five senses to the fullest (not listed in order of importance): First, to hear. I want to hear each child (not as the annoying student who refuses to be quiet in class, but as the child who has a reason/unmet need to be heard at a deeper than surface level). Two, to touch. I want to touch the very heart and soul of each child who enters my classroom in such a positive and supportive way that he/she will have fond memories of me when they are forty. Three, to see. I want each of my students to see me as one who does not act one way in the classroom and another outside the classroom. I want them to see me as a genuine person of good character, someone they would like to model their life after. Four, to smell (and no, we're not talking about body odor here). I want students who have come from my class to be able to see situations in their life as through a microscope of understanding and wisdom that I helped to impart in them. Much like picking up a flower and being able to smell the very essence of who and what it is, I would like to somehow impart a decerning nature into my students to be able to smell a "rosey" situation from a "pile of poo" situation (before stepping into it!). Five, to taste. I want my students to get a positive and rewarding taste of what having knowledge can bring to them. I want them to see my desire for them to want something good for their lives and to reach for it themselves.

Now some of you reading this have probably already formed the opinion that I am living in a fantasy world, so to those of you critics I would say...I know how badly I want for each of my students to experience my five senses through education, but I also know that if I reach just one of them in this way then I will have achieved much.

Being a realist, I know there will be "problem" students and those who will test the farthest limits of my patience. I also know that God has uniquely designed each and every one of them and they are all deserving of a chance (whether that be one chance or twenty-one chances). I realize that I am only one person and can only do so much with my limited abilities. In other words, I know I can't change the world, but my own life experiences have taught me that I can at least make a difference (even if only for one).

My Plan
I picture my future classroom to be open. Open to diversity. Open to various learning styles and abilities. Open to different languages (and the barriers they may initially present). Open to a variety of personalities.

I plan to assess my students' personal interests starting the first day of class to give me a better understanding of each child. Academic testing would be performed using state standards and practices.

I plan to have more group oriented lessons than lecture-style because I believe students learn well from their peers.

I plan to collaborate with other teachers as much as possible to glean from others' experiences in reaching a variety of students.

I plan to have as much communication with parents as possible because, as the teacher, I am only a small part of the greater whole when it comes to the many adults that will have an area of influence in a child's life.

I plan to use positive reinforcement (Check out the book "1-2-3 Magic for Teachers') and will try to be as consistent as possible because all children need stability and consistency in their life, especially if/when they do not get it at home.

Technology will be a huge part of my instruction plans, with the use of Smartboards, digital cameras, etc. I would like to offer at least two computers in the classroom for student use of programs I have approved (i.e. Typing Tutors for early learners, Oregon Trail for critical thinking practice, limited access to the internet for subject content help, and/or topic research, etc.)

Technology should not be seen as a hinderance, but as a stepping stone to further one's knowlege. Teachers who are not as proficient with technology should take whatever steps necessary to improve in that area, in order to stay one step ahead of their students. Unfortunately, the amount of technology used in the classroom will be based on the financial ability of the school where I will be employed, as many Christian schools do not have the funding available for much of the newer technology in the public classroom setting.