Through out my life, I have gone through many experiences that have shaped the development of my values and beliefs. These are my roots that guide the decisions I make and the way I live my life. I have also had many experiences that have opened my eyes to the way others live their own lives. Those experiences have given me wings to understand and appreciating the diversity of others. My time at Grandview Elementary has been one of those experiences.
When I look at Chad and the other students in my classroom, I realize how very different their childhoods are from my own. When talking with the students, I heard various stories that indicated they came from single-parent homes. The school is in a low socioeconomic area and the students receive free lunch. I’m sure that many of their parents have multiple jobs which leave them little time to spend with their child at home. Many of the students might be going to bed hungry at night. These are all realities when working in an urban setting. However, these are things that I did not grow up with. I was raised by an extremely supportive family with both parents there making sure I was getting what was best for me. Although my parents are both members of the working class, at least one of them was at home in the evening to spend time with me and help me with my school work. I grew up in a suburban neighborhood with very little diversity. I was never exposed to the harsh realities of an urban setting until I came to Duquesne University and began taking part in my various field experiences. At first I was shocked by what I saw talking place in some of the schools I visited. I witnessed things that I could not imagine taking place in my school district back home. These events made me nervous and hesitant to work in an urban setting, because it was nothing like what I was use to. These were the uncertainties I brought with me as I entered Grandview Elementary, but this time my experience was much different.
My experience at Grandview was different from the rest of my urban experiences because I now brought with me a new perspective for looking at the behaviors of these students. Where before these behaviors scared me and made me nervous, I now understand that the students are trying to communicate something and if I take the time to listen, they will be more willing to work with me. Just because their culture and background is different from my own does not mean that their desires and needs are different from those students who do share a similar upbringing with me. They simply communicate it in a different way which maybe a bit harder to understand. I learned a valuable lesson by connecting what we learned in class to the behaviors exhibited by my students at Grandview. It is a lesson that I feel many teachers today still need to learn. When a student is misbehaving, punishing them will not satisfy their need. Teachers must pay closer attention to student behaviors and try to figure out what their students are saying to them.
I am a teacher because I love working with children and they are so inspiring to me. Children have so much spirit in them and as teachers, I feel it is our role to support that spirit and direct it towards success. I believe that every child can succeed when they have a great teacher and I want to be that great teacher. I want to make an impact on children’s lives and help to create a better future. My roots have given me the compassion, motivation, and patience that is needed to be a teacher and my wings have made me eager to support each and every one of my students so that they can soar.