About Me

I grew up in Katy, Texas, which is home to one of the best school districts in the state. I was always an avid learner who took pride in reading, getting good grades, and being in advanced classes. I feel extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to take advanced classes from knowledgeable teachers, get help outside of school when I needed it, and use the variety of resources that were available to me. I always knew I wanted to work with kids in some capacity, so I tried out a lot of different jobs and volunteering opportunities as soon as I could. In my experiences with the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, and various nannying and babysitting jobs, I came to realize the extent of my privilege in Katy. I had so many resources at my disposal in my K-12 experience that the average American child must learn and develop without. In my work at Camp Flaming Arrow, we served campers from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Each camper at Camp Flaming Arrow was meant to feel valued, included, and appreciated in a way they may not be able to experience at home. Being a part of an organization that so visibly empowers youth inspired me to use my skill set to accomplish a similar goal. Any child in any classroom deserves a chance to be heard, seen, and helped as they navigate their education and prepare to accomplish their own goals. Since working at camp, I have learned a lot about how to apply this mindset to a classroom setting. The three ideas that I’ve prioritized are growth mindset, mutual respect, and accessibility in science.

 

I believe in a growth mindset. Students learn better when they believe that intelligence is fluid and/or malleable, meaning that they can always learn more if they put in the effort to do so. This, in my opinion, is the most important concept to get through to students. If a student believes they can’t complete a project, score well on a test, or learn new material, they are far less likely to succeed than their peers who believe in a growth mindset. I believe that anyone can achieve whatever they intentionally put their effort in, and I want to be able to communicate that to my students someday and empower them to succeed, in whatever way they choose.

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I also believe that caring for students on an individual level comes before traditional “discipline”. For example, if a student is asleep in class, I would wake them up and ask if they’re feeling okay or if something is wrong rather than yelling at them in front of the class or throwing a tennis ball at their head (both things that actually happened to me in high school!). There’s no way for a teacher to understand what’s happening in students’ lives at all times, but that’s especially true if you don’t attempt to give your students kindness and respect. Having a safe space to explain their situation could allow a teacher to better understand and assist the student’s education. For example, if a student is sleeping because they are feeling ill, yelling at them will only make them feel guilty for being sick. On the other hand, starting a conversation could give the student the opportunity to see a school nurse and get care that they need. I want to be able to extend to each student the kindness that everyone deserves and create a classroom environment of mutual respect. In my experience, students are more likely to listen to a teacher and care about the subject matter when they feel that the teacher respects them as individuals.

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Lastly, I believe that science is for anyone. It’s important to give students positive examples of the incredible ways that science has changed our lives and the incredible people who make that change possible. Seeing diverse representations of scientists, science jobs, and applications of scientific ideas could give students confidence and motivation to change the world someday! Whether my students want to pursue a career in a STEM field or not, I hope to show them the value of scientific thinking in many aspects of their lives, not just their careers. I also hope to empower those who want to pursue scientific careers, by showing my students that they are capable of learning anything they put hard work toward.

Of course, there are many more things about teaching that I believe to be important, and I’m sure that I have a lot to learn as I improve my skills as an educator. These are just the three philosophical ideas that I’ve focused on throughout my UTeach experience. I am beyond excited to someday have a classroom of my own!