School has been a part of my life for almost twenty years, and I guess that I was not ready to give it up so I decided to become a teacher. Having been a student for almost twenty years, I know from experience what teaching styles were effective for me and many of my fellow students. Thankfully, the great strides being made in technology will aid me in my journey to teach young adults to love literature. As an educator, I believe that I have a responsibility to not only provide my students with adequate up-to-date technology but also make sure that I know how to use that technology effectively. My experience tells me that many students are active learners who prefer interactive tasks over stationary note-taking. I will teach my students to be critical thinkers and active pursuers of knowledge, but they will not be parrots who simply memorize facts; they will be intellectuals who understand and apply the knowledge they attain. I hope that the classroom I teach in will have more technological amenities than I had available to me as a high school student. I will do everything in my power to help each of my students have a computer in front of them every day, because I feel that without up-to-date technology my students will be at a greater risk of falling behind. All papers will be typed because every student will have access to a word processer like Microsoft Word. Instead of distributing handouts, I can create a graphic organizer, play map, or book map in class that my students help me create. I wish that I could get access to a Smartboard because I think that incorporating that into lessons each day is a very stimulating way to keep every student’s attention. I plan on communicating with my students and their parents via e-mails, private class blogs, and instant messaging programs.
Since I am fairly progressive in my personal life, it should not surprise me that I am progressive in my educational philosophy. Even though I will soon become a teacher, I know that I will forever be a student because a good teacher never stops learning and seeking new information. Thanks to the forever changing status of technology, I will be a student at the school of technology for the rest of my life.
