Above Image Caption: St. Louis Public Library - An inspiring space to gather resources
introduction
To be a teacher is to always be a learner. It is my personal belief and hope that I will continue to grow and learn alongside my future students. There are many qualities that describe good teachers; dedicated, passionate, encouraging, confident, inspiring just to name a few (Broadwater, 2004). As I emerge as a beginning teacher, I realize that we “…are always in the process of constructing our identity within and because of the social interactions in which we engage” (Pinnegar & Murphy, 2011, p. 212); our “…identities as teacher educators are formed and sustained through inquiry…” (Pinnegar & Murphy, 2011, p. 212). The inquiry process to define ourselves can be done through many ways; inquiry into ourselves personally, professionally, our society, communities or families. It is through the Experiential Learning Theory that I see myself as a learner. Kolb & Kolb (2008) express that: “two dimensions define a holistic learning space wherein learning transactions take place between individuals and the environment. The learning space is multi-level and can describe learning and development in commensurate ways at the level of the individual, the group, and the organization" (Kolb & Kolb, 2008, p.1). With my background in sociology, this learning theory rings true to me. I do believe that our identities are defined by the tiered levels that exist in our lives. I will try to always remain aware of these influences, and surround myself with external forces that help aim my practice in a desirable direction.
As an emerging teacher, I see my passion for literacy at the forefront of my practice. I have a strong belief that literacy spans all disciplines, and that good reading and writing skills open up an infinite amount of doors for students. It is my hope and goal to always do my best to make literacy fun for my future students. I also will strive to whenever possible, cater a portion of my practice to providing family literacy strategies to encourage “…growth in learning for parents as well as for children” (Smith, 1991, p. 700). Smith (1991) goes further to note: “the term family literacy still means achieving a basic level of reading and writing proficiency for all family members, but it is now used more often in its broader sense of families working together to promote mutual learning” (p. 700). If children can see that the adult role models in their lives are on their own learning journey, it can be inferred that they would be likely to follow suit. I look forward to the challenges ahead as I begin my career as a teacher, and I will continue to search for resources to add to this folder that will enrich my practice, my learning, and my students’ learning.
As an emerging teacher, I see my passion for literacy at the forefront of my practice. I have a strong belief that literacy spans all disciplines, and that good reading and writing skills open up an infinite amount of doors for students. It is my hope and goal to always do my best to make literacy fun for my future students. I also will strive to whenever possible, cater a portion of my practice to providing family literacy strategies to encourage “…growth in learning for parents as well as for children” (Smith, 1991, p. 700). Smith (1991) goes further to note: “the term family literacy still means achieving a basic level of reading and writing proficiency for all family members, but it is now used more often in its broader sense of families working together to promote mutual learning” (p. 700). If children can see that the adult role models in their lives are on their own learning journey, it can be inferred that they would be likely to follow suit. I look forward to the challenges ahead as I begin my career as a teacher, and I will continue to search for resources to add to this folder that will enrich my practice, my learning, and my students’ learning.
references
ALIVE Magazine. (2012). Newly Renovated St. Louis Public Library [Image file]. Retrieved from: http://www.alivemag.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/exploring-the-newly-renovated-central-library/newly-remodeled-st-louis-public-library-dec-4-2012-19/
Broadwater, K. (2004). Inspiring Excellence. School Arts, 104(4), 6.
Kolb, A.Y., & Kolb, D.A. (2008) Experiential Learning Theory: A Dynamic, Holistic Approach to Management Learning, Education and Development. In S. J. Armstrong and C. Fukami (Eds.), Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development. London: Sage Publications. Retrieved from: http://learningfromexperience.com/media/2010/08/ELT-Hbk-MLED-LFE-website-2-10-08.pdf
Pinnegar, S. & Murphy, M.S., (2011). Teacher Education Identity Emerging within a Teacher Educator Collective. Studying Teacher Education: A journal of-self-study of teacher education practices, 7(2), 211-213.
Smith, C.B. (1991). Family Literacy: The Most Important Literacy. The Reading Teacher, 44(1), 700-701.
Broadwater, K. (2004). Inspiring Excellence. School Arts, 104(4), 6.
Kolb, A.Y., & Kolb, D.A. (2008) Experiential Learning Theory: A Dynamic, Holistic Approach to Management Learning, Education and Development. In S. J. Armstrong and C. Fukami (Eds.), Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development. London: Sage Publications. Retrieved from: http://learningfromexperience.com/media/2010/08/ELT-Hbk-MLED-LFE-website-2-10-08.pdf
Pinnegar, S. & Murphy, M.S., (2011). Teacher Education Identity Emerging within a Teacher Educator Collective. Studying Teacher Education: A journal of-self-study of teacher education practices, 7(2), 211-213.
Smith, C.B. (1991). Family Literacy: The Most Important Literacy. The Reading Teacher, 44(1), 700-701.