Prompt Five

It’s hard to believe that my VIPs tutoring/reading buddy journey came to an end today. I can remember walking into Sand Hill Cove Elementary back in September and being very nervous at first. But that has definitely all change. This experience has really been a ride and I wish I could go back tomorrow!

I have learned that I need to have the ability to explain the work in a format that all my students can understand. Each child has their own way of learning. I have experienced with the students that were in my classroom and even with this with my own brother and sisters. Tutoring the children forced me to come up with methods and ideas that would allow them to understand their school work. This experience has also shaped my teacher identity because I learned that you have to develop techniques to explain a child’s homework more effectively and to use different analogies when trying to get a certain point across. As I helped the children in the second grade classroom, I noticed that when they are little, they are more receptive to learning and trying new techniques and ideas than older students in middle school and high school. I enjoyed watching their little faces when they finally “got it”, it was so satisfying. Something that came across to me as I did my tutoring is children learn by what they are accustomed too and what’s easier. The important thing is to find out what method works best for that particular child and to do this successfully you must know each one of your students. Teaching needs to be fun, creative and exciting. I think that the more you get the students involved the more they will learn. The potential for children to learn is great. I as a teacher need to make sure that I reach each child’s potential. I also believe that it doesn’t matter whether you have individual or cultural diversity; teachers need to teach everyone a method that remains the same. I believe that if teachers worked on sharing ideas and techniques, many more teachers would be less stressful, frustrated and more excited about teaching. I believe I could learn so many “tricks of the trade” from teachers who have taught for many years; however I think they could learn some new skills on teaching children from me as well. I would also like my students to interact with each other and by doing this they will be forced to communicate, help each other out, make connections and share ideas. This, to me, is a great way to learn new ideas and techniques. Additionally, it also makes you step out of your comfort zone.

Teaching is a profession that I will consistently need to be creative and constantly keep up with educational standards. Since I have been out of high school it already seems like the curriculum has changed. For example, students are required to keep a portfolio now prior to graduation, something I did not have to do two years ago. Also, students are now required to pass a certain standardized test to graduate, I was also showed a few different types of tests that some of the second grade students have to take every few weeks at Sand Hill Cove. So, because of these two additional requirements and any other types of tests students have to take, I as a teacher will need to constantly learn as well. In keeping up to date on the current learning trends, I will need to be able to change quickly and efficiently. I will need to become more confident in my ability to learn new ideas and techniques in order to pass these along to my students. For years I have had my siblings to count on and the children I have babysat to help them out with their homework, etc. Now I will be working with children in my very own classroom someday and parents will expect a lot from me. Therefore, I need to work on my speech. I have a tendency to talk really fast. I need to slow down so children can understand and hear what I am saying. I also need to listen to others who tell me to slow down and repeat what I have said without getting frustrated. While working at the Sand Hill Cove Elementary I have received comments from students telling me that I have “read really fast”. I realized from that day on this was something that I needed to work on to become an effective teacher. Teachers need to help peruse their students dreams and to succeed in life no matter what culture there part of.


Lisa Delpit argues how she believes in culture power and that everyone should learn the codes to participate in, no matter what background you’re from and this is how the world should be. I absolutely agree with Delpit here because every teacher should help and teach all their students equally. She quotes “I suggest that the results of such interaction may be the most powerful and empowering coalescence yet seen in the education realm-for all teachers and for all the students they teach.” I really support what she is saying here because in order to be a successful teacher in the classroom you have to interact with your students, have a strong relationship with them but also you want them to open their minds up and share their thoughts. This will give every student an opportunity to what they have to share about their culture, what they are learning in class, make connections to the outside world and so on. This will lead for the children to reach their goals and accomplish something.