A little about me..

My name is Jessica Parker and I am currently a student at the University of South Alabama. I am majoring in Secondary English/Language Arts Education and plan to teach at the High School level upon graduating. I would then like to further my education and eventually obtain a Master's degree so that I may teach at the Junior College and University level. I plan on graduating in the Spring of 2012 and hope to start making a difference in the ever growing and ever changing field of education. Above all else, I hope to be an inspiration and a role model for students who have a desire to learn and to better themselves.

My Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is such a passion of mine and it is something I truly believe I was born to do. I think that teaching and learning coincide with one another and I believe that one simply can not exist without the other. To be a great teacher and to step outside the box and really get students engaged, you must really be willing to be a learner and an active listener yourself. I believe recognizing the talents and the needs of each student is important in making a difference and accomplishing the criteria to be learned effectively. The environment to best learn and be taught in, in my opinion, is safe, clean, fun, and positive. I want my students to know that it is perfectly fine to have an opinion of their own and I always encourage them to share those opinions in a respectful manner.

Attitudes and Goals

My attitudes toward teaching and getting students involved is geared more toward having them gain a genuine interest in the subjects being taught. I really think that if my attitude is upbeat and I show my enthusiasm for what is being taught, then I believe that will be reflected upon my students' performances. Having a great attitude is key to getting positive results and maintaining interested student's who will hopefully continue on to becoming lifelong knowledge seekers!

Lifelong Tools

I think that giving students tools to use is so important in making them the best they can be. Enabling students with the knowledge to chase their dreams is something I hope and plan on achieving. Building and empowering my students with confidence and self-worth is important. I wish to be a role model and always be counted on for a helping hand. I have had such great teachers and role models who have helped me so much in encouraging me and teaching me that I plan to do the same for my students.

My Expectations for Students

I believe that students should work hard and strive to be the very best they can be. As long as students try their hardest I know the possibilities are absolutely endless. My expectations for my students are very high and I believe that hard work and enthusiasm will result in excellent results. I want them to be proud of themselves and also be good role models and make their families proud.

Connecting and Collaborating Around the Globe

Being in contact and learning about other people and other cultures is always interesting and important. In the classroom, it is neat to see what other teachers and other classes are doing and how they approach different material. Doing things such as Podcasting and Skyping in the classroom is interesting because it really allows students and teachers to gain new perspectives and new insights on subjects from people completely different from themselves. This is important to me because I feel like a great way to learn more about a particular subject can be reached more deeply if collaboration with others is involved.