I have discovered that as a teacher I have the power to change a child's world. I am the decisive factor within my classroom that can brighten a child's day, make a child smile, and help him discover the amazing attributes he has to offer his surroundings. I have the power to teach a child the lifelong skills necessary to successfully maneuver through life. I have the ability to change a parent's state of mind about her child's school outlook from deflated to hopeful. I can make school consist of positive experiences for a parent whose personal school experiences were far from positive or successful. I can make a dad beam with pride over a child's success. As a teacher, I have changed more lives than I can count, and I truly can't imagine anything more empowering.

 

My students and their families are my greatest inspirations. They inspire me to be better. Many people have fun hobbies that they are passionate about. They like to create by sewing, building, or working on other “do it yourself” projects. To me, teaching is not just my job; it's also like one of those projects, except it's on going and it never ends. Teaching is about creating and building; creating programs that best fit the needs of all of my students, and building self-directed, lifelong learners. Throughout the year I am constantly self reflecting and looking for ways to improve, and in the summer, I take advantage of my extra time to become an even better teacher than I was the prior year. 

 

Being a teacher means I am always learning; from books, from colleagues, and even from my students. I use everything I know about my students to take them where they need to go, despite any obstacles that are in the way. When I come across those obstacles, I see them as opportunities; opportunities to learn about something new and then use what I've learned to help my students overcome them. I am always searching for new ways to make learning meaningful and relevant to each of my kids. I view each student as a whole child, and I understand that not only do they have academic needs but they have social and emotional needs as well. I know that if any of them are struggling socially or emotionally, then an academic struggle is inevitable. I can't possibly teach my students every fact there is to know, but I can show them just how much potential they possess and how very valuable that potential is. It doesn't matter where they live, what kind of house they live in, how much money their family has, or whether or not they have a disability. With enough hard work, they have the power to accomplish anything.

 

As Frederick Douglas said, “it is easier to build strong children than repair broken men.” I care deeply about who my students will become, long after their time with me is through. I can't predict their exact futures. I have no idea what types of jobs they will have, or where they will live, but I do know that each year, there are citizens of the world being created in my classroom; citizens who will someday be coworkers, and neighbors and possibly even mothers and fathers. It is my job to teach beyond “the facts,” to instill in them the desire to want to achieve, the desire to learn and the desire to face each new day with the goal of being better than they were the day before. Long after they leave me, I want them to understand that no matter where life takes them, they truly have what it takes to succeed; they truly have something wonderful to offer this world.

 

I am a “whole heart” teacher. That means...I build relationships, I empower, I self reflect, I grow. I not only teach the facts, but I teach essential skills that are critical for life success. Above everything else...I teach with my heart.