Teaching Philosophy:
I strongly believe a comprehensive educational background is one of the necessary stepping stones to a successful and fulfilling life and want to help my students achieve their goals. As a UTeach student, I have seen first-hand through my field experiences at Pillow Elementary, Small Middle School, Crockett High School, and Austin High School the capabilities and potential that students have, as well as their possibilities for growth with the help of a dedicated educator. At Pillow Elementary, a fellow UTeach student and I team-taught 3rd graders a series of three lessons about chemical tests in order to “catch a thief” in a storyline we established that required them to use their observational and scientific skills to figure out who the criminal was. In my Step 2 class, I team-taught three lessons at Small Middle School for sixth graders that involved fractions, the coordinate plane, and division with remainders. It was an enriching experience for both the students and for me to learn more about teaching and the meaningful dialogue that enables students to grasp math concepts.
In UTeach’s Classroom Interactions course I worked with two other UTeach students to teach 9th graders at Crockett High School math topics. We have observed the class and have taught a series of lessons, giving me an opportunity to practice classroom management skills as well as designing lesson plans with engaging content. I value these opportunities to directly interact with my students.
In addition to my coursework as a Mathematics major and a UTeach student, I am
worked part-time as a teacher for UTeach Outreach, in which I went into Palm Elementary for their after-school ACE program. I taught eight students after their regular school day by engaging them in math lessons, as well as leading them during structured play outdoors and guiding them during homework time.
Additionally, the summer of 2014 I worked with Americorps in Austin through the Breakthrough program, teaching students who wanted to be the first in their families to go to college. I taught my own class on a daily basis as well as mentored 5 students throughout the program. I am grateful for these opportunities to grow in my knowledge of teaching through practical application of what I have been learning. As a teacher, I will work to be an advocate for my students and guide them on their path to a successful and rewarding future.