Before this class had begun, I always thought I knew what teaching was all about.

Once I began this Education 202 course, it opened my eyes about numerous aspects of
the teaching profession and teaching techniques. Beginning with Education 202, and
then Education 102, I was exposed to the basics of teaching as a profession, and then
many more in-depth topics and techniques. During this two class sequence I have gained
a great deal of knowledge about education; its purpose, the role of the teacher, the
theories, how diversity and inclusion are involved and the complex contexts of schools.
Through Education 202, I have learned so much about teaching but I have also grown as
a person who wants to pursue teaching as a career. Through this self-reflection, I am
hoping to not only show you the connections made between the ideas on my poster but
also my growth as a future educator, and my embracing the Education Programs
Statement of Commitment to Professionalism.
My experience in Mrs. Siscos classroom, and in particular in my observations of
her student Brandon, has strengthened my commitment to equity, justice and the belief
that all students can learn. Brandon has been diagnosed with ADHD and has difficulty
with some aspects of classroom learning. In Mrs. Siscos classroom I observed directly a
highly diverse student group who were taught and managed with different pedagogical
strategies that supported their unique and diverse learning needs and abilities.
My own educational experience, starting school in a public school system and
then transferring to a private Christian school system, has influenced played a role in my
development as a student and a future educator. I attended elementary school on Long
Island in a conventional and typical New York State public school. My family then
moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia where I attended a private Christian

(Mennonite) School for middle and high school. When I was young, I didnt notice or
understand the concept of diversity but my high school was quite diverse with whites,
blacks, Hispanics, Asians and quite a few foreign exchange students attending. We all
attended class together, played sports together and generally got along. The best part of
my early educational experience was the Christian aspects taught by the Mennonites in
my school. We regularly attended Chapel and learned the importance of serving others
and Jesus. Two of my most memorable high school experiences were winning the State
Soccer Championship and making my senior presentation. This presentation was a 30minute speech/PowerPoint about my life and experiences to date. It required thought,
reflection and much introspection.
The two most profound influences that have shaped my life have been my family
and athletic experiences. I have competed in many sports and have been able to play two
Volleyball and Soccer at a high level. Being part of a team has helped shape me as a
person. Through athletics I have learned the importance of hard work, dedication,
performing under pressure, leading/following and teamwork. Many of these experiences
will be translated into action in the classroom someday.
My family is somewhat unique I am one of seven children. I am a middle child
with older brothers and sisters. Our family is close-knit, caring, loving and supportive of
each other. I have learned to get along, share and cooperate. I know the power of love
through and from my family.
From what Ive learned in this Education 202 classroom and from what Ive
learned by observing in an actual high school classroom, I was able to really connect with
the book we read, A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine. In chapter 3, Levine discusses the

importance of understanding our attention control system. I didnt really understand this
concept or take this into account until I was in Mrs. Siscos English 9 classroom
observing her student, Brandon, who is a senior in her class. I was able to really relate
Levine with Siscos classroom because Brandon has been diagnoses with ADHD.
Brandon is good with his automatic language, which deals with concrete lingo and calls
for mostly very common words, and is very personable. Brandon shows very good
social language functions like verbal and signed expressions of meaning and codeswitching skills, which is the ability to choose the appropriate language/dialect. He is
also helpful/servant minded and loves discussions. Although these are all great attributes,
Brandon struggles with attention when it comes to following directions. His consistency
and ability to maintain focus over an extended period of time is lacking. Additionally,
Brandon is lacking in his satisfactory control or being content with incoming information.
Brandon is easily distracted by his peers and has a hard time completing multi-step
assignments, which relates to Levines chapter on Higher Order Thinking. Brandon
struggles with rule-based thinking, which is being able to think in rules. Brandons
ADHD makes rule-based thinking difficult because he has issues understanding the
previous step, so he cant continue onto the next step. Brandon is a habitual
procrastinator and when projects are due, he is always turning them in late.
The educational system is always growing and improving and becoming more
competitive. Students today are different than in the past. All student attend school to
learn a similar body of knowledge, but since each student is unique their ability to
comprehend is unique. We as teachers need to keep this in mind. Teachers have to have
different ways to approach different students and different curricula. Although students

will be learning, so will we as future teachers. We will constantly learn from applications
and experience. As teachers we cant treat each student the same, as much as wed want
to - its impossible. Every student has his or her own academic experiences, cultural
experiences, and language, home life, etc. As teachers we need to bring passion into our
classrooms, we need to be passionate about relationships and our teachings.
As a future special education teacher, my goals are pretty straightforward. I want
to have a classroom that appreciates each person and his or her disability. I want to
connect with each student individually and help him or her to realize they have plenty of
things to be appreciative about. Even though they may be limited, they can still cope and
contribute to society. I want to make a difference in my students lives. I think I have the
background, the motivation and the personality to be an effective and professional
teacher. I need to develop the communication skills and expertise required to connect
with each student, in each class, every year. Additionally, I need to develop the
confidence which will come with additional knowledge and experience to direct a
class, organize a program for students, and implement my teaching plan.