Kayleigh Underwood All throughout my life, I have faced many challenges. Some were more difficult than others, but I believe all of them have shaped me into who I am today. If I could take one lesson I learned in high school and never forget it, it would be that my challenges and the outcomes to these challenges do not define me. What defines me is how I respond to these challenges.…
My classroom procedures are very clear, which the class has become familiar with over the semester. Students are to come in from their special class and grab their materials and go sit on the carpet and get ready for math to begin. These are expectations that should be memorized by now. Many of them do this and it contributes to the flow of the classroom and the engagement level of the entire groups. Students are expected to pay attention to the speaker during the mini-lesson by facing their way and not playing with any other items.…
I was 10 years old. I looked from the edge of the mat, unaware about the endeavor I was about to take the moment my foot touched that mat. I finally decided to walk on, like they had taught me by bowing, it was the first of a near million times I was going to do this. I was a white belt, at the best taekwondo centers in the area. All the kids, stood to the side eerily silent, waiting for instructions.…
Upon entering my 1st grade classroom, students are welcomed into a multicultural, yet simple world. There are a few maps on the wall and a globe in a corner, and some family photos on my desk. A few simple plants, some with colorful flowers, are placed around the classroom. The seating arrangements include circular tables, with four-to-five students at each table, for work in groups.…
I interview a teacher named Alice Jones who works at a suburban private school called Horizon Academy in Roleland Park Kansas. Currently Mrs. Jones teaches middle to High school grade levels and is a homeroom teacher for seven eighth grade boys. Mrs. Jones teaches English, Algebra, basic math functions, Senior Government, Social Skills and U.S. History. Horizon group’s students based on their individual needs and this enables Mrs. Jones to work with a wide range of grade levels in a day. Mrs. Jones has taught at Horizon for over ten years, a school for children with learning disabilities and as a qualified professional has obtained a B.A. from Swarthmore College, M.S. from Bank State College of Education, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.…
Semester of Learning Experiences People most always say, “ Learn from you mistakes and achievements.” I would definitely conclude that is exactly what I’ve done this first semester of college. There are many times that I wanted to simply curl into a ball because of all the newness and unfamiliarity. At times I found myself doing just that, but realizing that I needed to toughen up burst from my comfort zone. I can say sleeping through your classes never the best choice, not going just because you find it too easy, missing a class just to write a paper for another class, and differentiating between minimal and highly important status of choices.…
This year has been a crazy one. I came from a public school, not knowing anyone, so I terrified and didn't know what to expect. I struggled with trusting others, time management and battling multiple tasks at once. Luckily, I had a lot of practice throughout the year. For instance when we had to record a News Show for Mr.Mora's class, I was faced with all of these problems.…
1. An eager and motivated learner takes on the initiative to progress through their studies, without the need to be prodded along by either external rewards, or outside individuals. This type of learner looks at the long-term goals/effects of their education, and presses on towards them no matter the apparent obstacles or shortcomings. 2. Two Personal Strengths as a Student: Even when not asked to, I seek out additional tools to help me study in a more effective, streamlined, and organized way as I embark on my learning journey. I look for ways to improve my future works, both from peer feedback and personal assessments on my current works.…
The Dreaded Reading Class It was the first day of third grade. I jumped out of my moms car after kissing her on the cheek and hearing the routine “have a good day”. Jordy, my sister, and I walked in together reminiscing the previous years at Rising Star. Everyone was dressed in their favorite outfit to impress all their friends. Jordy and I fashioned our Limited Too dresses and sparkly back packs.…
My interview was done in a first-grade classroom at Christopher House Belmont Craigin also called the Stewart Campus. It is one of the Charter school in the community that serves low-income families and children. The school is at the Urban area of the Westside of Chicago. In the building of the school, there are infants, toddlers, preschool and elementary school students. The name of the classroom teacher I interviewed is Ms. S.…
Throughout the quarter my writing has strengthen. Last year I honestly had no idea how to write a decent paper. My English teacher was also trying to get her doctorate and she didn’t have the time to be an effective teacher. She tired her best but really shouldn’t have been our teacher. She had to step up because our original teacher flaked out on us, and I really admire her for that.…
I remember when I was 5, the first time I went to a building daily for 8 hours. I sat down on the cold blue chair. In front of me was a bin of crayons, all the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. I remember sitting in the cold room and having the freedom to draw marks on my blank sheet of paper. The dye scratching against the table, colors spreading across the canvas like the sun, rising in the early morning.…
This week, I dove right in and started picking up a couple of things in Mrs. Herrold's classroom. To begin, I took over the morning routine of the "Daily Fix-It" worksheets, calendar, and morning meeting. Through morning meeting, I was able to get to know the students a little bit better. I asked them questions like: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" "What is your favorite animal?"…
People sometimes forget that not everyone is capable of being in a high school environment. People are so focused on succeeding, that they forget it is okay to fail. Moving in with my mother was a choice I needed to make. A new house, life, and beginning, was exactly what I needed. Moving meant a change in schools.…
I walked into my school with confidence on the first day of my junior year. I walked down to my advisory with a big, bright smile on my face grinning from ear to ear that this school year would be an excellent year. When my advisor, Ms. Taverna gave me my schedule, I noticed I had two teachers in two of my classes (AP literature and algebra two) instead of one. That's when I realized that I was still under the 504 plan that was placed on to me in middle school. A 504 plan is similar to an I.E.P. (an Individualized Education Program), but a 504 plan is accommodations that help the individual student successes in the classrooms.…