I believe as a returning student to ISU, I had a unique experience in the class. I graduated with a degree in Child, Adult, and Family Services in May and decided that teaching was my true passion so I returned to Iowa State to begin earning that degree. I have worked for about four years for United Community Schools as a Lead Childcare Associate and as a Substitute Associate in both preschool and special education. Additionally, I have spent time as a Special Education Associate in Ankeny and have volunteered in Ames Community School District Classrooms. With my experience, I have spent a lot of time in schools and in classrooms. My time in these classrooms is what drove me to pursue my dream of teaching. As an associate, I have had a chance …show more content…
In this sense, I don’t think they necessarily changed my perception of teaching at all as I already knew how much went into it. Going back to writing about why I wanted to be a teacher, I said it was because I love working with children and I love helping them learn. While this is true, it has become apparent to me that the focus of education is so much more than strictly academic. One major goal is to help children become confident in who they are, feel loved and supported, and to be able to show that love and support to others. Like we said in class, it is about creating a sense of community where everyone feels like they belong. We want children to be nice to and learn from each other as much as we want them to learn from us. In order to do that, they have to feel respected and give respect. If I were to answer that question now, I would probably say that I want to become an educator because I love children and am passionate about their learning. But, also because I know I can be a positive role model. I know I can create a classroom where children feel welcomed and loved. Because of this I will create positive relationships with children that will help them become the best versions of themselves. I will do this through the ways we discussed in class like: morning meetings, positive behavior reinforcement, and by having a “growth mindset” attitude in my