My Autobiography of My Autobiography of Teaching Teaching

Rea 612 Rea 612

KindergartenKindergarten

Since I was in Since I was in kindergarten I have kindergarten I have wanted to be a teacher. wanted to be a teacher. I don’t remember I don’t remember wanting to be anything wanting to be anything else. I remember else. I remember thinking my teacher was thinking my teacher was so pretty and smart. I so pretty and smart. I came home talking came home talking about Mrs. Kirk every about Mrs. Kirk every

dayday. .

Elementary SchoolElementary School

As elementary school went on I loved school more and As elementary school went on I loved school more and more. I got up every morning excited about the day. I more. I got up every morning excited about the day. I loved my teachers and can even remember what type loved my teachers and can even remember what type of clothing they wore. I admired them and couldn’t wait of clothing they wore. I admired them and couldn’t wait until I could be a teacher. until I could be a teacher.

Playing SchoolPlaying School

My younger brother, My younger brother, Darren, and I would play Darren, and I would play school everyday once school everyday once we came home. I even we came home. I even had our attic at our had our attic at our house decorated like a house decorated like a classroom with a classroom with a chalkboard and marker chalkboard and marker board and old teacher’s board and old teacher’s books that my teachers books that my teachers had given me. had given me.

My Senior YearMy Senior Year

My senior year I was in Co-op. I left high school at My senior year I was in Co-op. I left high school at 11:30 and volunteered at our elementary school 11:30 and volunteered at our elementary school every afternoon. I was an aid for two of the every afternoon. I was an aid for two of the kindergarten classes. I loved it! Which even kindergarten classes. I loved it! Which even affirmed my decision to go to college for an affirmed my decision to go to college for an elementary education degreeelementary education degree. .

High SchoolHigh School

When I finished high school, I knew I wanted to a When I finished high school, I knew I wanted to a teacher. Many of my friends had changed their teacher. Many of my friends had changed their minds and others still didn’t know but I was minds and others still didn’t know but I was positive I was going to teach elementary school!! positive I was going to teach elementary school!!

Murray State UniversityMurray State University

Fall 1997, I came to Murray Fall 1997, I came to Murray State University made the State University made the Varsity cheerleading squad, Varsity cheerleading squad, and enrolled in my first and enrolled in my first education class. College education class. College opened my eyes to many opened my eyes to many aspects of teaching. After I aspects of teaching. After I earned 60 hours, I substituted earned 60 hours, I substituted for more experience and for for more experience and for four years I studied four years I studied Elementary Education. In Elementary Education. In Spring of 2001 I was Spring of 2001 I was assigned to do my student assigned to do my student teaching at Lyon County teaching at Lyon County Elementary School.Elementary School.

Student Teaching at Lyon Student Teaching at Lyon CountyCounty

Student teaching was the Student teaching was the best experience to best experience to understand everything that understand everything that goes into teaching. The goes into teaching. The meetings, preparation, and meetings, preparation, and planning along with meeting planning along with meeting parents and keeping your parents and keeping your students on the track to students on the track to learning all the content you learning all the content you have to cover. I taught 5have to cover. I taught 5thth grade and then kindergarten. grade and then kindergarten. The school was great and my The school was great and my supervising teachers taught supervising teachers taught me so much.me so much.

College GraduationCollege Graduation

After graduation came After graduation came job hunting. I applied for job hunting. I applied for a job and I was hired as a job and I was hired as a Title 1 teacher at Lyon a Title 1 teacher at Lyon County Elementary County Elementary School. I was so excited School. I was so excited to have a job and to be to have a job and to be hired at a school I had hired at a school I had already grown to love. already grown to love.

Teaching NowTeaching Now

This will be my 5This will be my 5thth year at Lyon County year at Lyon County Elementary. I now Elementary. I now teach 3teach 3rdrd grade. I grade. I love my job and my love my job and my opportunity to work opportunity to work with children with children everyday. everyday.

Master’s Classes at MSUMaster’s Classes at MSU

I am now completing my classes for my I am now completing my classes for my Master’s program in Reading and Master’s program in Reading and Writing. This summer Rea 612 and Rea Writing. This summer Rea 612 and Rea 638 have both taught me so much about 638 have both taught me so much about assessing children’s reading abilities. assessing children’s reading abilities.

I have learned to include:I have learned to include:

Small group readingSmall group reading Interactive readingInteractive reading Partner readingPartner reading Literature circle Literature circle These are things I do These are things I do

but now I have more but now I have more insight on these skills insight on these skills to incorporate in my to incorporate in my classroom.classroom.

After Rea 612 I Have After Rea 612 I Have Changed my Mind Changed my Mind

About…About…Scaffolding reading… I Scaffolding reading… I

always thought it was always thought it was more distracting but more distracting but during my guided during my guided reading I will reading I will incorporate it so that incorporate it so that all students have the all students have the opportunity to be opportunity to be successful. successful.

Things learned…Things learned…

I have learned to model in depth not by I have learned to model in depth not by just reading but rereading, explaining just reading but rereading, explaining every detail, highlighting key points, and every detail, highlighting key points, and demonstrating summarizing. demonstrating summarizing.

I have also learned new websites that I I have also learned new websites that I plan on using with my class this year. plan on using with my class this year.

www.starfall.com www.toread.com

Learning ExperiencesLearning Experiences

As I continue my education to finish my As I continue my education to finish my masters, I hope to continue gaining masters, I hope to continue gaining knowledge and never stop my desire to knowledge and never stop my desire to learn more to better my students’ learn more to better my students’ education. education.