Kelley Sanders

EDUC-3320
VisionStatement

WilliamArthurWardhasbeenquotedstatingThemediocreteachertells.The
goodteacherexplains.Thesuperiorteacherdemonstrates.Thegreatteacherinspires.
(Howe,2003,p.104).Istrivetobecomeagreatteacherwhomayimpactandinspire
studentstoachievemorethantheyeverthoughttheycoulddo,butalsotoachievewhat
theydreamtheycando.
Continuingtobealearnerisanessentialqualitytobeingagreatteacher.
Technologyevolvesandthecontinuedadditionofnewandbetterteachingmethods
requiresthatyoudevotetimetolearningmoreaboutthematerialsyouinstructwith.This
willhelptocreateasmoothtransitionfromonelessontoanotherandmoreinteresting
waystopresentthelessonathand.Iwilldomyverybesttokeepuptodateand
knowledgeableaboutnewresourcesortechnologiesinordertokeeptheclassroomfrom
becomingablackholeofmonotony.Ibelieve,asastudentmyself,thatstudentscantell
whentheirteacherisdevotedtoexceedingtheirexpectations.
Iwouldliketobeateacherwithhighexpectationsfornotonlymyself,butforall
ofmystudentsaswell.JustastheEveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA)thatpassedinto
lawDecemberof2015hassethighexpectationsforstudentachievement(EdTrust,
2016),Iwillsetahighstandardwithinmyclassroom.Nomattertheparticularskilllevel
ofachildtheyneedtohavegoalssetsothattheyhavesomethingtostriveforand
achieve.Childrenneedthefeelingofaccomplishmenttoknowtheycandoanythingset
beforethem.Eachtimeastudentormyselfreachesagoalwewillsetanewgoaland
thosegoalswillbecomeadrivingforceinourachievement.

Kelley Sanders

EDUC-3320

Greatteacherspossesstheabilitytoadapttheirlessonplansontheflybasedon
whattheirstudentsneedsare.IwillnotforcealessonplanifIcaneffectivelyusethe
studentsneedsandcuriositiesasateachablemoment.Itismomentslikethesethatmay
inspirestudentstodiscoverwhotheytrulyare.
Communicationisessentialinaclassroom.TomCarroll,thepresidentof
NationalCommissiononTeachingandAmericasFuturebelievesthatgreatteachingisa
teamsport(NCTAF,2011).Whenteachersareabletocollaborateandcreateapositive
learningcommunitynoonlydotheteachersseerewardintheirwork,butstudentsreap
thebenefitstoo(NCTAF,2011).Withtheavailabilityoftechnologyandapplicationsat
ourfingertipsthereisnoexcuseforalackofcommunicationbetweenateacherandtheir
students,theparents,coworkers,oradministration.Onegreatexampleofusingthe
technologyavailabletouscomesfrommydaughtersfourthgrademath/scienceteacher
Mrs.Gill.ShecreatedaTwitterpageforherclasstonotonlycommunicateimportant
updates,butshewouldalsoincludephotosofthestudentsdailyactivitiessotheparents
couldseewhatthestudentswerelearningandthattheyweretrulyengagedinthelesson.
Ifeelthatteachingstudentstoeffectivelycommunicatewiththeirpeersisnecessaryand
willbecomealifeskilltheycanusethroughouttheirfutureanditbeginswithshowing
themhowIcommunicate.
Havingagoodgrasponclassroommanagementandorganizationaretwokey
elementstobeingagreatandeffectiveteacher.Effectivelymanagingyourclasswillkeep
behaviorproblemstoaminimum,facilitatearespectfulenvironmentandstudentswill
haveanunderstandingofexpectationswhileinclass.Iplantodothisbysettingup

Kelley Sanders

EDUC-3320

procedureswithintheclassroomandpracticingthemuntiltheyareunderstoodandrun
fluidly.Beingorganizedandusingprocedureswillallowthestudentsaswellasmyselfto
bewhereweneedtobewiththesuppliesweeachneedinordertobeginworkingwithout
wastingpreciousclassroomtime.Thatbeingsaid,Iplantomaintainacooperative
learningstyleclassroom,whichaccordingtoDr.SpencerKagan(2009p.8.18.5),this
willallowstudentstobeabletointeractwiththeirpeersinacontrolledandproductive
classroomenvironmentwhilestillbeingresponsiblefortheirrollintheclassroom
weatheritbekeepingontask,collectingmaterials,answeringpeersquestions,or
communicatingwiththeteacher.
Teachersareforeverevolving,learning,andadaptingtheirteachingstylesin
ordertobecomegreatteachers.Iamcertainthatonmyjourneytoreachingmyvisionof
beingagreatandimpactfulteacherIwilllearn,adaptandbecomeanevolutionofthe
teachingqualitiesandskillsthatIhavestartedwithtobecomethegreatestteacherIcan
be.

Kelley Sanders

EDUC-3320

References:
EdTrust.(January13,2016).TheEveryStudentSucceedsAct:WhatsInIt?WhatDoes
ItMeanForEquity?.TheEducationTrust.Retrievedfrom

https://edtrust.org/resource/theeverystudentsucceedsactwhatsinitwhatdoes
itmeanforequity/
Howe,Randy.(2003).QuotableTeacher.(p.104).Guilford,CT:LyonsPress.
Kagen,Spencer,&Kagen,Miguel.(2009).KaganCooperativeLearning.(p.8.18.5).
SanClamente,CA:KaganPublishing.
NCTAF.(June24,2011).FromGoodTeacherstoGreatTeaching.NationalCommission
onTeachingandAmericasFuture.Retrievedfrom
http://nctaf.org/featuredhome/fromgoodteacherstogreatteaching2/