Emily Klein

I am a firm believer that every child has a right to an individualized education. Receiving an education in which someone cares about you and your successes as well as your failures should be provided to every child no matter their race, gender, or socioeconomic status. A student who receives such an education should graduate being a lifelong learner, with the ability to problem solve and think critically, should care about their community and things going on around them, should have moral courage as well as a moral compass, and should be able to truly enjoy their work and their life. Students all learn at different rates, as a teacher it is your job to adapt your teaching style to match the learning styles of your students. Teaching is much bigger than just the physical state, there is also the mental state of it for a teacher, student, and the curriculum. Students need guidance, not just lecture. Students should be viewed as individuals who can contribute to the classroom by not only gaining knowledge but sharing it as well. A main focus should be conversations with students on subjects that matter to them as well as class material. I believe that a good relationship between a middle school teacher and their students is built on a strong foundation of mutual understanding, respect, and trust. This relationship is crucial at the age of middle schoolers. As an adult, I don’t want to do the same thing every day. I really don’t think that middle schoolers do either. As a student, there are few things worse than going to school and sitting in a boring lecture where they cannot talk or express themselves. It is my philosophy to have different activities most days and to provide opportunities for every different style of learner. Middle school is incredibly exciting to me because the students are mature enough to have tough conversations with, but they are also immature enough to still do fun activities without being “too cool for school”. Teachers are put in roles to give the guidance that students may not get in their lives, like making the right decisions in life and by giving them the discipline they may need. This is especially important for middle school students who are at a time in their lives where they are constantly growing physically, socially, and emotionally. As a student, we understand that teachers are giving knowledge that will help throughout our lives as well as the knowledge to do well on any required testing. The role of the curriculum is to be able to set rules and boundaries for students and teachers. Although as a teacher you must create relationships and in order to do this you must share parts of your life, it is very important not to overshare about your personal life. As a teacher, I believe that many older traditions and teachings should be preserved especially when it comes to literature. However, many things do need to adapt to the changing times like the use of technology. I believe that every class should use technology in some way. I believe that some lectures are crucial to teach the important things, but a class should not be solely lecture based. Group discussions are extremely important in every classroom, especially the older the students get. A goal of mine is to keep my students engaged and comfortable with talking in a group and to a crowd. Group projects are a must in a classroom setting, but I will offer a lot of solo work as well to cater to those shyer students. I believe that a classroom should be a safe, caring community where students are free to speak their mind and blossom and grow into who they are as young adults. A teacher has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children, therefore needs to be committed to developing essential knowledge, skills and attributes to foster this important role. Middle schoolers are inspirational in their desire to learn from those around them and should be valued for the contribution that they make to the world.