User:Kalperin

A Little Bit About Myself....

Hello. My name is Kelly Alperin and I am currently living in Norfolk, VA. When I am not working or studying for classes, I like to utilize my free time doing things outdoors. My favorite hobbies include hiking, backpacking and camping. I love the beach and in the summer time that is where I a most likely to be found.

As far as work goes, I am currently teaching Environmental Science at Granby High School. I have taught Biology in the past, but really enjoy the content of Environmental. I think it is important to try to instill an appreciation in students (or at least try to) for natural things in the world around us and my subject area gives me a lot of freedom to try and do just that!

My Educational Philosophy

I have been in school or have taken college classes for the greater part of my life and have had the privledge to have had several different teachers, each with a uniqueness that made them memorable. I have learned from experience what teaching styles I prefer and know which ones simply do not work for my personal style of learning. Although the individual teachers I have had differ, the traits which make a teacher a 'good' teacher seem to overlap. In my opinion, being a good teacher goes far beyond the classroom setting. The best teachers I had were the ones that showed an interest not only in instruction, but in the student as an individual. In my opinion, getting to know a person and showing that you truely care can have an impact equal to or greater than any knowledge that may be gained in the classroom.

As far as insructional strategies go, I am still trying to figure out which ones are most effective. I consider my teaching style and ability as a work in progress. Because I was in the collegiate setting for so many years before I started teaching high school, I was accustomed to learning predominately through taking notes from lectures given by my professors. Learning in a teacher centered classroom was 'normal' to me and when I first started teaching, this was exactly how I attempted to present new material to my student's. However, I am slowly changing my teaching style to include more student centered and hands on activities. I have found that my students enjoy this style of learning and feel that they tend to retain more information because they are able to personalize the whole learning experience.

There are several different ways one can address the topic of diversity in the classroom. As far as special needs students are concerned, I truly feel that in certain cases, special needs students should not be included in general education classes unless there is a co-teacher present. I have had classes where up to 30 percent of the students had learning disabilities and no co-teacher was provided. I personally found it difficult to differentiate my lessons enough so that those students who needed extra help and time received the help they needed and those students who were ready to move on to new topics could do so in a timely manner. I think that for all students to learn at a pace deemed 'normal' for the individual, that students should be seperated if the resources are available to do so. I feel this will make the both the learning and teaching process more effective for all parties involved.