What are you expectations for the semester? What do you hope to get out of this experiences? Why?

I know now I was meant to be a teacher. I got my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education but at the time I was 18 when I decided and at that age I had no idea what I REALLY wanted to do. After I graduated at 21 years old, I taught two years in third grade. I loved the kids and I loved to teach them but I did not like the politics involved with my teaching and my curriculum. I had to hide my voice in my classroom. I had to compromise my beliefs even though I had no idea what my beliefs were. After moving to New York, meeting my husband and having two children of my own, I can see clearly I want to be an educator, or as Ann S. Epstein says, an "Intentional Teacher". ( 2007)

In this class, I am really looking forward to working with a small group of educators and discussing experiences in teaching over the next few months. I believe I will take with me many lessons, ideas and deeper thoughts to education and grow to be an intentional teacher. I hope to have the “repertoire of instructional strategies” (Epstein, 2007, pg.3) As I look at the topics we will discuss in the course, I hope to learn the best way to plan and build a meaningful curriculum, learn the best ways to assess children at all developmental levels, and have a better understanding as to why I will do the pedagogy I choose to do in my own classroom.

I look forward to stepping into another classroom in a new school and observing a new teacher and his/her strategies for teaching. I look forward to meeting new students and observing how they learn best. I am hoping to absorb all of the information and take it with me to my current job or a new job in my future. The deeper I get into the educational world, I hunger for the knowledge of research and the intellect from the wealth of experience. I am excited to become the best teacher that I can be and to grow with children and other teachers in the world of education. It is important the most important job.

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