User:Lroth009

About Me
My name is Lauren and I've come back to school after eight years to earn a teaching certification. This is one of my first classes in that process. I'd like to have the credential to teach high school journalism and other English classes someday. I'm most interested in teaching in a Title I school and working with at-risk students. I live in Norfolk with my husband, Mike, and our six-month-old son, William. We like watching Tides baseball games and traveling.

Teaching Philosophy
I believe that the teaching profession needs to be made more appealing so that it can attract the best college graduates from a variety of disciplines. I think that teachers should be paid more for working in at-risk schools or in other hard-to-staff schools like those in rural areas. Those schools should also be given more resources so they can have the latest technology and resources.

I think inclusion is the correct approach for most students, especially those who are learning-disabled. However, I think it can backfire when regular-education teachers are not trained on how best to work with these students, and when those teachers are overburdened. For example, I have seen classes of 25 where eight of the students have disabilities. The teacher does not have time to address each student's needs. Similarly, when not enough teacher assistants are provided, special education students can be left behind.

As I mentioned above, I believe schools should be able to hire the best teachers, especially at the schools that need it the most. That would require a re-allocation of resources, and a change in the way teachers are evaluated. If principals are free to choose the best teachers -- and give them the incentives to stay -- they can create the best environment at their schools. These schools should also have plenty of computers, televisions, interactive whiteboards, science equipment and other technological resources.

I would like my classes to include a variety of teaching styles, with the intention of engaging all students. They would be expected to participate in class, read out loud and write cohesively. While there would be some lecturing, there would also be group work, centers, student performances, writing assignments, drawing and anything else that gets the students engaged.

I would not want the desks in my class to be arranged in rows, but in small groups, and I would expect the students to be answering questions, asking questions, giving ideas and sharing their ideas as much as I would talk. By hearing what the students are thinking, it will be easier to tell what they know. By keeping track of all of their work, there will be a constant stream of assessments to see how they are doing and see what areas need more work.