Blog Post #5 Reflection: What kind of teacher do I want to be?

            Throughout my blog I have emphasized storytelling, oral communication, music and the dramatic arts. As well I have discussed how important telling stories is and that every individual has a story.  I have really enjoyed the process of reflecting on my personal literacy story. I want to continue reflecting on my life experiences to better understand how my story will affect my life as a teacher. I want to have a growth mindset in order to further reflect on my teaching practice and apply what I have learned in order to be a better teacher. I want to reflect on the experiences I have had, but also on experiences I did not have and what skills I may be lacking. For instance most of my personal literacy story has focused on oral communication so some areas I need more experience on are silent reading and writing strategies. I hope that once I am a teacher I will never stop reflecting and improving my practice.

            Throughout this blog I have reflected on my personal experiences and what I enjoyed. While reflecting on this experience I asked myself, “What experiences have had an impact on who I am as a person and as a teacher?” I discussed how I enjoyed the arts and performing in front of people. However, I also thought about my students that do not enjoy presenting in front of others. How can I use what I have learned to help them? Some of the Drama strategies I have discussed do not involve a performance, including writing in role which is a private reflection based on a characters point of view. 

Pixabay.(2012, April 3). Journal [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2j88ym3

Pixabay. (2014, May 5). Music Notes [Online Image]. Retrieved fromhttp://bit.ly/2jkuptD

If I were to integrate music into my classroom I would not emphasize the importance of singing or play an instrument in front of others. I would try to give my students the opportunity to play instruments and sing in a group so no one felt isolated.  If students wanted an opportunity to sing or play an instrument by themselves in front of the class I would let them, but I would not make anyone participate in a solo performance if they did not want to. As a future educator I would try my best to make sure that all my students are comfortable.

It is important for me to understand that my experiences are mine alone. Everyone has their own personal literacy story and I should not try to push my interests on others. I want to share my interest with my students, but not be forceful and put anyone in a difficult situation. Throughout my reflections I asked myself, “What will my students personal literacy story be?” If I have any lasting impact on my students I want it to be a positive one. I want to get to know my students in order to learn what kind of activities they enjoy and make sure I implement those activities in our classroom. I want to give my students the opportunity  to share their story with me. My personal literacy story has taught me that each of my students has their own story and its my responsibility to listen, understand and appreciate every single story.