I wrote this essay as a declaration of the wonderful power that literature offers those who read. I chose to pursue a degree with a focus in literacy because of the passion that I have about literature and reading, and in this piece I describe why it is that we read. In turn, that offers an explanation as to why I take such care to teach it to my students in the hopes they'll become readers themselves.
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This essay came to reveal the very nature of myself as a reader and how that effects the way I teach literature to my students. Beyond my education and my training, there is a part of myself that loves literature and strives to instill that in my students. I write about my intention to inspire my students to take full advantage of all the magic reading has to offer, and the strategies I have learned that allows my students to get the most out of literature.
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I spent an entire semester working on a literacy case study in which I assessed and planned for instruction in order to provide extra support for a student who was struggling with writing. Unfortunately my time with this student was cut short due to COVID19 and I was not able to implement the lessons planned nor reassess his writing skills. Regardless, I was thoughtful in my planning and individualized to his needs in writing support.
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I am always looking to improve myself as an educator and believe there will always be areas I should be actively working to advance. Self-reflection is an important part of growth and it is something I try to do daily. In this project I analyzed several aspects of my current classroom management style and offered changes I could implement to better my practice. I was able to celebrate my accomplishments as well as consider new management strategies.
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In life, we come across experiences and knowledge without a blueprint on how exactly this could apply to us. A reflective educator is one that actively searches for significant ideas that are pertinent to teaching in the classroom. In this piece, I reflect on what I have read, what speaks to me the most, and what I could see myself using in my own classroom.
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In this project I was able to work collaboratively with a peer to make a case about implementing Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) into schools. We thoroughly investigated important aspects of this behavioral system and the research behind what makes this so effective. While working on this project I was able to think about the big picture of implementing something like PBIS within an entire school.
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Something I feel passionately about is providing high quality literature for my students. When students are engaging in literature they not only are learning to read, but also accumulating a repertoire of knowledge from the information conveyed in the characters, pictures, and plot of stories. In this project I chose a book to purchase and read to my students that support my belief in representation of people with disabilities. The book, The Girl Who Thought in Pictures by Julia Finely Mosca, tells the tru story of a successful woman and scientist who was diagnosed with autism at a young age.
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Teaching is a passion of mine, but something that will always be just as important to me is behavioral challenges. I have had several students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in my career and in this project I was able to research Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and how it is used to support students with ASD. I make the argument that nearly all teachers should be familiar with the tactics used in ABA as the prominence of ASD students is very high, and the strategies can also be helpful for students who do not have ASD.
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