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Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson Tom Wilson Monica Neighbors James R. Smith Jr. Mandy Brown Ivelisse Rivera

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Page 1: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

Table of Contents 

Rachel Anderson 

Zoli Kerestely 

Christopher Lembo 

Kirsten A. Turner 

Cathy Stikes 

Elizabeth Downey 

Sydney Wilson 

Tom Wilson 

Monica Neighbors 

James R. Smith Jr. 

Mandy Brown 

Ivelisse Rivera 

Page 2: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

When I

tell anyone that I am from Bel Air, they

say, “Like the Fresh Prince.” Every time I get a little giggle out of the fact that they think I am from California, and then I say, “No, a little town in Maryland.” I lived there with my mom, step dad, dad, step mom, and sister for what seems like forever. When I graduated high school I was so ready to get out of that town, and I did. I attended Randolph-Macon College for four wonderful years. I loved college. I made new friends, I played lacrosse, and I joined a sorority. I had a blast. I met one of my very best friends, Jess, and we were able to live together for three years. Our first year that we lived together was in one of, if not the, oldest dorms on campus. It had no air conditioning, and we lived on the third floor. I still remember moving in today, and both of our dads soaked in sweat saying, “Aren’t you girls going to help?”

That year was one of my favorite years at Randolph-Macon. There were only about twelve girls on my floor and we were all pretty close. I remember we would leave our doors open all day long even when we were in class because no one ever went up to the third floor. Sophomore year came and went just as fast as all the others. I look back now and think, “Wow, I wish I would never have wished for college to end,” but in the end all good things do come to an end.

After I graduated I moved to Virginia, and boy was that first year a

crazy one. I was pretty sure that I would be able to get a teaching job right out of college, even though I had not finished my Education minor, but I was wrong. I tried and tried. I ended up with a job that I hated, and had to stick with it so that I could pay my bills. I was working the craziest hours and was always tired, but I figured, “Everyone has to pay their dues at some point.” I began getting so frustrated while looking for a teaching job that I even started looking for jobs in completely different professions, but then I was accepted to UMW. I was so excited. At least now I could finish my license and get a teaching job later.

Half way through the school year I caught my real break. I found a job as a Para-Educator for In School Suspension. I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew that this was not what I wanted to do forever, but that it would help me gain some more knowledge. Today I am grateful for the time in, In School Suspension because the knowledge I gained there helps me in my own classroom.

I love teaching and always have. I heard some one say once that, “Teaching is the most important profession, because teaching makes all other professions possible.” This is true; we

Page 3: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

are teaching the future of the world. The students that come in and out of our classrooms need to be educated properly because one day, they will be running our country. Back in Bel Air, I had some wonderful teachers. These teachers were not always the formal classroom teacher, but they were also my parents, my coaches, and my Assistant Principal. All of my teachers taught me something, and added to the person I am today. I think it is important that we

remember as teachers that we are shaping these young people. For many kids we are the only stable thing in their lives.

Looking back over the past few years I have had a great number of good things happen to me. I love living in Virginia, but I have to make this point clear, I am a Maryland Girl and always will be. No matter how long I live here I will still love to play lacrosse and eat those wonderful blue crabs.

Page 4: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

 

Autobiography 

Zoli Kerestely 

Currently I am a Biology Teacher at North Stafford High School.  This is my 

second year teaching under contract.  Before teaching at North Stafford, I spent a year 

substitute teaching.  As a substitute I spent some time long term substitute teaching in 

Autism classes.  I actually had the opportunity to long term sub in two different 

Autistic classes in separate schools.  Both Autistic classes were at the elementary level.  

During my time as a substitute, I was also able to long term for a biology teacher and 

other teachers throughout the county.   

  I was grateful for the many experiences I was given as a substitute.  It helped 

me recognize what area I would be most interested in as a future teacher.  I did have 

some bias towards biology, as my undergraduate degree was in biology.   After 

spending a year testing the waters, I was sure that the secondary level is where I 

wanted to teach at.  I went to a job fair in the summer and got hired; now I am 

working on obtaining my license and Masters in Education.   

  Teaching in the class room has really helped me work on my own teaching 

philosophy.  In retrospect I can really see how my own high school days coupled with 

my current knowledge has built up this philosophy.  In school I was the kid that was 

bored easily, and could never sit in my seat.  I do not think teachers at that time were 

interested in promoting differentiated instruction, as I was often getting in trouble.  

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Now as a teacher I can totally appreciate the fact that students do not want to sit in 

their seats the entire class, not to mention at North Stafford we are on a block 

schedule.  Block scheduling means students are in our class for an hour and a half.  I 

strive to create a classroom setting that promotes learning of all types, and especially 

to accommodate for the students who need to be motile, and challenged. 

  My first year of teaching, like many other teachers, I struggled with classroom 

management.  Even within the first year I have made great strides in this area.  This 

struggle has also built my classroom philosophy.  I understand the need for a well 

planned lesson.  I recognize students can have a fun and challenging lesson, but also 

know exactly what is expected of them.  I have built a philosophy of trained classroom 

patterns.  Once I had a sub, my plans were some what vague because I knew that my 

kids would know exactly what to do.   They had already done the activity many times 

before, and I wanted to test them by intentionally leaving vague plans.  I had a back 

up written for the sub if it did not work.  The next day the sub reported the students 

knew exactly what to do; he just had to sit back and watch.   

  Every year I build on my philosophy of education.  I add tools to my arsenal, 

and refine my tactics.  Ultimately I do strive to stay firmly on the foundation of 

differentiated instruction, and over planning. I know I should be able to picture my 

past self in my own class.  I know I would not be bored, and would be challenged by 

the class.  I should have students leaving my classroom ready to pass the Standards of 

Page 6: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

Learning Test, and having a positive experience in Biology.  

 

 

Page 7: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

 

My name is Christopher Lembo and I am a graduate student at The University of Mary Washington. I am working towards a teaching license and towards a master’s degree in education. I was an undergraduate student at Mary Washington College and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I also have an associate’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Virginia Community College. During my undergraduate time at MWC I was involved in the college radio station 91.5 WMWC. I truly enjoyed my time at Mary Washington and when it came time to get my teaching certificate and get a graduate degree, Mary Washington was my choice.  

I believe that teaching is an important profession. Teaching provides the next generation the knowledge and skills to be good citizens in the future. I believe that instruction should be given at the developmental level of the learner which sometimes it is not.  Because of this, I have been working as a long term substitute teacher in Fauquier County since 2004. I have taught every level, from first grade to seniors in high school. Each had very different needs but all were still children. When I finish the program at Mary Washington, I would like to work full time teaching math or science in the Fauquier area.  

Aside from the teaching activities I am in, I am also an avid scuba diver, kayaker, hiker and camper. I love being outdoors and near the water. I have dived all over Florida. I have seen most of the Florida Keys under water. I have dived in the north western part of Florida in the clear springs and underwater caves, and I have explored several shipwrecks off of Florida’s Atlantic coast. Warm water wasn’t it for me though, I have scuba dived several locations in Virginia and Maryland as well. In Virginia I have scuba dived in Haymarket’s dive quarry, a 120 foot deep former rock quarry turned into a dive lake. Also I have explored some of the Chesapeake Bay under water. In Maryland, I have been diving in the Atlantic near Assateague Island, and I have logged quite a few hours in Sinepuxent Bay.  

As for kayaking, I have been in my kayak quite a long time. I have paddled the Rappahannock River, Chesapeake Bay, and even the Atlantic Ocean. Kayaking has become a serious hobby of mine. I have even included several other hobbies in with kayaking. I have taken along my camping gear in my kayak, and even have scuba dived off of my kayak. As for camping I have seen and explored about 42% of the states in this country. I have been very busy in my off time hiking and exploring this country.  

So between all of my outdoor activities I feel that I am well suited to talk about and teach about the natural world with a passion. The natural sciences are not only things I have learned about in books, but I have also explored them with my senses. I have a large rock and mineral collection from the different places I have been, I have photographs of the underwater wildlife I have seen, and I bring a skill set of practical knowledge to the classroom when it comes to the natural sciences.  

 

Page 8: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

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Page 9: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

Allow me to introduce myself to you!

My passion for education is

evident professionally through my

teaching at a local community college. I

taught students methods of use on

various software applications. I also

have been substitute teaching for almost

a decade. My passion for education is

evident personally by teaching Sunday

school classes, cooking classes and craft

classes for the past 30 years. My

passion for life is evident in a plethora of

hobbies and activities with my four

children and husband. We travel, ski,

ride motorcycles, cook, garden, and

study various cultures, languages, herbal

medicines and philosophies!

As a graduate student in the

Master of Education program at the

University of Mary Washington College

of Graduate and Professional Studies, I

am seeking my initial teaching license in

Elementary Education. My passion is to

teach sixth grade history in an

interactive, creative and explorative

style. The old cliché, “all roads lead to

Rome” is an idiom in the English

language that means there are many

different ways to do something. This is

the approach I want to have every day I

teach history. History is the cornerstone

to all knowledge for every student’s

future. Every resource I can use from

technology to travel allowing the

students to experience history will be my

destination in teaching.

The famous educational theorist,

John Dewey valued the participation of

the learner. My progressive classroom

Page 10: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

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Page 11: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

My Career Path

I was born in Chicago, Illinois, where I lived with my mother, father, sister and brother. My family moved to Warrenton, Virginia when I was eight years old. My mother grew up in Warrenton so I have developed deep roots with the community. I met my husband in Warrenton over 20 years ago. His mother is also from the Warrenton area although he grew up as an army brat living in many states and in Germany. My husband and I built our home thirteen years ago on property next to the house where I grew up. My three children, who are now 15, 13 and 10, enjoy being able to walk to their grandparent’s house daily and we all enjoy dinner with Nana and Opa every Sunday.

Before married life and my career as a stay-at-home mother, I considered many career paths. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S. in Biology. While in college, I had a valuable educational experience for two summers as an intern at the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Laboratory of

Biochemistry. The year after I graduated, I had an opportunity to travel to France where I lived for a year. I had a job as an au pair with a British family near Paris. I consider that year to be an integral part of my education. After returning to the U.S., I enrolled as a non-degree student in a graduate level class at American University in Film & Video Production while working at a computer graphics company. In 1990, I began a new job in the growing computer technology field at America Online, Inc. In 1992, I applied to and was accepted to a graduate program at George Mason University in Environmental Biology. I enjoyed the classes, but still did not feel settled on a career path. In 1994, I began my career as a stay-at-home mother. During that time, I have devoted my time to raising my children and to focusing on their education. I was so involved and passionate about their education that I made the decision to home-school two of my children for one year. Eventually all of my children were attending public school where I was often involved as a volunteer in the classroom. Now that my children are becoming more self-sufficient, I am pursuing a new career endeavor that will utilize my degree in Biology as well as other characteristics that are well-suited to the teaching profession. I was accepted to the University of Mary Washington College of Graduate and Professional Studies and began taking classes in the summer of 2008. I am enrolled in the Initial Teacher Licensure Program with a M.Ed. Option. My major course of study is Secondary Education with endorsements in Biology.

Kirsten A. Turner Autobiography

Page 12: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

My Philosophy and Goals

I have always valued education for myself and my family and would like to share my love of learning with others. I have come to value how much my children learn from the many devoted teachers that they have had and would be excited and honored to be a part of the education process for the young people of my community.

After receiving certification, I plan

to pursue a teaching position at the high school level for 10th grade Biology. I have always had broad interests which I believe would help dispel the image of a stereotypical science teacher. In college, I was not a typical science major as I took many electives outside my required curriculum such as Modern Dance, Japanese Art History, Shakespeare, 20th Century British Literature, two extra years of Calculus and a Statistics course. I am excited by the challenge of encouraging students to want to learn about their world through scientific investigation.

The quote above reflects my

philosophy that the goal of education is to teach a child how to learn and, ideally, to embrace the experience of learning. I believe that students should leave school with the skills, and hopefully the desire, to continue learning throughout their life and through their own efforts. My beliefs most closely align with the philosophy of progressivism. For example, as a secondary Biology teacher, I believe

that I must have expertise in my content area, but that my primary responsibility is to facilitate student learning. I believe that I must consider the different learning styles of individuals and that I must connect to the needs and interests of the students. My beliefs also align with the concept of constructivism which values a community of learners, active learning and authentic situations. My goal in a science classroom is to extend beyond instructing students about specific content and to help students move through learning stages that lead to understanding (rather than memorizing) concepts in science. I have been exposed to some interesting reading, writing, and assessment strategies that are designed to build conceptual knowledge. I believe it is necessary to employ strategies that build upon students’ prior knowledge, interests, and experiences and to find and use strategies that have the potential to create a motivating, engaging and positive learning environment. Carefully chosen instructional strategies and creating a student-centered learning environment in science classroom will lead toward improvement in content literacy and will shift the learning to the learner.

I am very excited to be pursuing

a new career path and I am eager to begin my journey in the classroom. I believe that the spirit of teaching, the interaction between teachers and students, and the joy of learning is where “real school” begins. I hope that I will embody this belief in my professional career as a teacher.

“The one real object of education is to leave a man in the condition of continually asking

questions.” ~ Bishop Creighton

Page 13: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

My name is Cathy Stikes and I was born in Washington, DC. As a military

dependant I had the opportunity to live all over the United States and in

Germany, but I spent most of my time in a

suburb of Atlanta. I’ve always enjoyed all

forms of art and music, something I attribute to my father for

always playing The Who and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer when I

was a child. Although no one in my family and few of my friends would call themselves a

hockey fan, I have been a fan for as long as I can remember.

I graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2006 with a degree in Studio Art.

I spent two years living in Georgia before deciding to come back to Mary Washington to work

on my Master’s degree and initial teacher certification in kindergarten through 12th grade art. I

am currently in my second semester of the program.

All teachers bring their own philosophy into the classroom. Their personal educational

philosophies affect all aspects of the classroom from the teacher’s role to the students’ roles as

well as what is taught and how. My own philosophy for high school art is

one of individuality, creativity and imagination, hands-on learning, and a

focus on the interests and abilities of the students. My responsibility as the

teacher is to provide general instruction and guidance for art projects and

to introduce new artists, theories, ideas, and styles as inspiration with slides, videos, books, and

field trips. I will be a nurturing instructor, encouraging creativity and growth through positive

critiques to help students improve their work and will provide a rubric for grading so that

students are fully aware of what is expected of their art. I will inspire interest and excitement

about art by relating art to the students and their interests.

Page 14: Table of Contents · Table of Contents Rachel Anderson Zoli Kerestely Christopher Lembo Kirsten A. Turner Cathy Stikes Elizabeth Downey Sydney Wilson

tree  

 

y name is Elizabeth Downey. I graduated from the University of Mary Washington in May 2008 

with a B.L.S. degree in English. I am the mother of two boys, ages 10 and 13. Currently I am working toward initial teacher licensure in secondary education. After I begin teaching, I plan to continue on with my coursework and ultimately to earn a Master’s Degree in Education.

My teaching philosophy is based on my coursework in education, my own experience as a student, and the perspective I have gained substitute teaching. Additionally, my role as the parent of elementary and middle school students has helped shaped my philosophy. The cornerstone of my teaching philosophy is my firm belief that while all students may not learn the same way, all students can learn and make progress when taught by an effective teacher.

Student engagement plays an essential role in learning, and the effective teacher plays a key role in facilitating engagement. One essential way teachers help keep students engaged is by having clear plans for each day. My students will know what to expect when they enter my classroom each day because the agenda will be written on the board. I plan to take advantage of every minute of class time by preparing detailed plans and anticipating how transitions will occur. I realize that plans have to allow for flexibility, as some topics may require more or less time than originally planned for. However, as a substitute teacher, I have learned that letting students know what to expect helps them to stay engaged. 

  

In addition to the importance of having clear plans to keep students engaged, I feel that as an English teacher, it will be essential to communicate to my students the importance of the Virginia Standards of Learning. It is my opinion that SOLs are the most important current issue in education, and that they have improved teaching and learning. Clear expectations ensure that all children have access to the same curriculum, including those who speak limited English, or special education students in inclusion classes. The standardized curriculum developed by the Virginia Board of Education was carefully designed to reflect what schools should teach and students should learn. By having the shared “lingua franca” of standards, students have the knowledge‐base to either enter the workforce after high school, or continue on to higher educations. 

My objective as a teacher is to prepare students for SOLs by following the curriculum framework, while keeping in mind that teachers learn from their students. I feel that the best teachers my sons have had were the most adaptable, and I will strive to follow their models. As a teacher, I feel that I will be able to see, appreciate, and most importantly, have patience for, the length of time some students need to accomplish learning tasks. I plan to differentiate instruction in order to ensure learning for all students in my classroom.

Because I have several more classes to complete in order to gain initial teacher licensure, I am certain that as I am exposed to new ideas, my teaching philosophy will evolve. I am very eager to gain the credentials that will allow me to provide instruction to meet the individual learning needs of students, and to help children realize the maximum benefits of education. 

M

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My name is Sydney Wilson and I live in Fredericksburg, Virginia with my beautiful daughter. I am

currently in my second semester at University of Mary Washington in the Elementary Licensure

and Masters of Education program. I am a student, a stay at home mother and also a substitute

teacher in the local public schools.

After high school I attended Virginia Tech and graduated with a degree in Family Child

Development with a concentration in Human Services. I remained in the New River Valley and

worked at a bank managing an Accounts Receivables program. At night I attended community

college and also Radford University where I furthered my education by taking banking and finance

courses. I then moved to Bedford, Virginia where I worked as a Full Charge Bookkeeper and Office

Manager at a local wholesale plant nursery, a very fulfilling job since I am passionate about plants,

gardening and landscaping. After Bedford, I briefly lived in Richmond, Virginia where I was a stay

at home mother and a couple years ago I returned to my home town of Fredericksburg.

The majority of my time is spent with my daughter, studying or working. However, when I

do get free time, I love to read, garden, cook, vacation and spend time with family and friends.

I am excited to be an elementary school teacher as it is a new adventure for me since I have

always worked with numbers, not children. My teaching philosophy includes structure, rules, good

management skills with consequences and rewards, differentiation in teaching methods, as well as

recognizing and welcoming diversity in the classroom. Students should be empowered to make

decisions regarding their classroom and to set rules obligating them to take responsibility for

themselves and their actions. A safe and secure environment conducive to learning is ideal with

mutual respect between students and teacher.

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Thomas Wilson ITEC 501

2/3/2009

My name is Tom Wilson and I’ve lived here in the Fredericksburg, VA area my whole life. I earned by BA in Studio Art from the University of Mary Washington and I currently work as a Paraprofessional working primarily with Autistic students at Mountain View High School in Stafford, VA. I chose this job to introduce myself to a unique population of students with special needs while I earned my M. Ed. at UMW. I would like to teach Art, with the eventual goal of teaching overseas for a bit, prompted by my

experience studying abroad in Italy. In my spare time I enjoy painting and photography. My teaching philosophy- Being new to the teaching profession, and having never taught a class in my life, affords me a fresh perspective with which to approach teaching. I would like to create an inviting atmosphere for optimal instruction, and in order to do that I feel I must strike a balance: maintaining a sense of structure and order while allowing for boundaries to be stretched. The adage “firm but fair” comes to mind when I think of a personal philosophy. I would like the students to play an active role in managing the classroom. If they have a hand in how the class is run, they in turn will be more likely to engage with the curriculum. The idea of an inventory to determine learning styles is an excellent one. I would use it to better understand my students to provide them the most effective environment for learning. They would be responsible for returning materials to their proper place at the end of class and would have duties assigned to them, which would rotate on a daily or weekly basis. This instills in them a sense of pride in their workspace and gives them a sense of belonging in the classroom, which, in turn, fuels learning. My involvement with students with disabilities has provided me with valuable experience and insight into their needs, and I will bring whatever knowledge I gather from this experience into the classroom. I will do my very best to insure that their IEP’s, 504’s, etc. are met to the last detail. Assignments will be modified to meet their needs. What I intend to never do is intentionally single them out. They will be included in every facet of the class as possible, given their limitations, whatever they may be. EDUCATION: B.A. IN STUDIO ART University of Mary Washington; Fredericksburg, VA; Awarded May 2007 Awards: Crate Gallery Award, Spring 2005

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Credits earned: 145 Studio Shows: Cynosure: A Senior Art Exhibition February 2007 Dupont Gallery, University of Mary Washington Exhibited five pieces of photography, painting, and ceramics. Prepared pieces for installation and coordinated installation with gallery staff. Art Exhibit to Benefit Thurben Brisben Homeless Shelter Spring 2007 Exhibited one woodblock and one collograph print; sold 1 woodblock print. NEO: A Happening Spring 2007 Old Stone Warehouse, Fredericksburg, VA Exhibited an audio-visual sound collage. Prepared exhibit for gallery installation and coordinated installation with gallery staff. Stafford Senior High School, 1995-1999 PROFESSIONAL HISTORY: PARAPROFESSIONAL Mountain View High School; Stafford, VA August 2008-present

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I can almost claim I am a Virginian because I have lived in this state for 40 years.

I am now 44 and I still live in Virginia on a small farm in

Culpeper County. I have a B.S. in Business Administration

from George Mason University and an M.A. in Psychology

from Catholic University. I have had three careers. The

first career was as the Community Relations Director of

GMU, the second was as a Children’s Librarian and now I

am an Elementary School Teacher. It may look like I become bored after a few

years in a career or I have never determined what I want to become when I grow

up. Actually, I believe it has taken me a while to discover my true calling or

vocation. I say this because I truly love teaching. Even

after four years of teaching, I continue to enjoy the

challenges and the children.

Although I do not have an official philosophy of

teaching, my philosophy includes ideas such as: all

children are beautiful and are able to learn; meet children where they are and

guide them forward; children respond best when they know they are respected and

loved; the same teaching tools will not always work with the same class or the same

child.

I have been married for 21 years (to the same person). Although we do not

have children, we have many animals and we still hold out hope for a child or two in

the near future. Our animals include: 4 dogs, 5 cats, 1 miniature pig and 2

hamsters. Lately, our favorite thing to do is to train for sprint triathlons. We

bike, swim and run to try and prepare for these events. Since we are not “spring

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chickens”, the training is tough for us. At times, we tend to take breaks from

training and fall into our lazy, glutinous habits again.

I am an avid reader of children’s books, fiction, historical fiction and some

purely non-fiction books. A perfect day for me definitely includes great books, a

spot on the beach at the Outer Banks of North Carolina, or a day in my classroom!

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My Name is James R. Smith Jr. I grew up

in Eastern Tennessee and Central Florida.

As an adult I have lived in Japan, Italy,

Cuba, and the United Kingdom. I recently

retired from the United States Navy and

currently I am a stay at home husband of my

wife of twenty years. I graduated in 2006

from Excelsior College with a degree in

management and history. Upon completion

of my undergrad degree, I decided to fulfill

my life long dream of becoming a high

school teacher and as such, I am currently

enrolled at the University of Mary

Washington in the Master of Education and

teacher licensure program. In addition to

teaching in the classroom, I am a PADI

SCUBA instructor and I have taught

shipboard fire fighting and chemical warfare

defense during my U.S. Navy days. In my

spare time I enjoy SCUBA diving, riding my

motorcycle on country roads, and making

stained glass windows for family and

friends.

My educational philosophy is the

belief that my duty in the classroom is to

provide a conduit for education and to

develop a thirst for knowledge in the

children that will never be quenched.

Children must view learning as an

exploration that continues throughout their

lives, and does not end with graduation. To

achieve this goal, I am committed to

observing the children to understand what

motivates each of them. This will provide

me the ability to shape my teaching styles

and motivational techniques to support the

goal of creating life-long learners. One of

my strategies will be to use every available

resource in the educational process to

provide an environment in the classroom

that both inspires and challenges.

I believe the first step in this process

is to provide an atmosphere in the classroom

that is perceived as a safe area where

children are encouraged to explore and

expand their knowledge. To do this, the

children must feel free to express their ideas

and thoughts without ridicule from the

teacher or other students. The students will

achieve this by participating in the

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development of a classroom constitution.

This constitution will establish how we

interact with each other and will have

respect as the central theme of the

document. Additionally, it will clearly

identify roles and responsibilities for both

the students and for myself.

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Mandy Brown

Educational Experience I am currently in my second semester at the University of Mary Washington, College of Graduate and Professional Studies. I am working towards my Masters of Education with a certification in Music K-12. Currently, I am not teaching in the school system. However, I am practicing my management skills and strategies while teaching private percussion lessons to area students.

Musical Background For as long as I can remember, music has been a very important part of my life. My dream is to teach elementary music, however, I believe I could also teach in a middle school. Although I am endorsed in instrumental music, my true love is general music. I believe that general music classes enable students who may not have the funds, experience, or initial interest to participate in musical activities. More often than not, children will come to love music class and in turn, will love music. I grew up in a musical home, surrounded by music on a regular basis. My father was a self-taught guitarist, and enjoyed playing around on the piano. He could often be found writing songs to sing and play with the family. As a family, we spent many long car rides singing silly songs together. My grandparents also played piano, as well as other instruments. When visiting their

house, I was surrounded by the sounds of jazz and big band flowing from the kitchen radio. I believe all of these experiences contributed to my love of music. My music career began in fourth grade when I started playing the flute. This was my instrument of choice for a couple years. At the start of high school, I switched from the flute to percussion. This enabled me to take part in Marching Band with my older sister. From this point forward, percussion has been a large part of my life. My favorite percussion instruments are the marimba and drum set. During college, I continued to play percussion instruments. At the end of my college career, I had the opportunity to construct my favorite instrument, the marimba, as a senior project. I worked, with my father as a mentor, to build a pipe-resonated diatonic marimba. This has been one of the most stressful, and fulfilling experiences of my life.

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Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy centers around the idea that all children are worthy of an education. I believe that children should, regardless of money, race, gender, or ability, be able to participate in the educational programs desired. Music classes provide such opportunities for children to be treated as equals. I believe that music should be approached as an outlet for creativity, and a pleasurable activity for all children. Some children may need more assistance than other children and I will strive to provide the accommodations necessary for that child to fully participate in my classroom. I feel that all children are capable of making music and contributing to the musical experience in positive ways. My goal is to allow all children to learn musical concepts through both fun, and meaning-making, experiences.

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Ivelisse Rivera de Jesus ITEC 502 

Autobiography Assignment #3 

  1

My Autobiography:

By Ivelisse Rivera

 

My name is Ivelisse Rivera. I am

originally from Puerto Rico. I

completed my Bachelors degree

in General psychology and my

ultimate goal is to pursue a masters in especial education

and a PhD. in clinical psychology. I have been working with

children for two years now. Currently work teaching pre

school at a private location and have experience working

with al ages including especial education children. I love

been able to share the experience of development and

learning. I find it exciting and special. I believe that

teaching is one of those things we have to work for to

create a better future in our growing society. Some facts

about me: I AM A VERY ADVENTEROUS PERSON WHO LIKES

INNOVATION AND CHANGE. I like to learn something new

everyday in order to teach others later on. I love to hear

music, watch television, write and decorate around the

house. Very independent and crafty person. What I don’t

know I look for it and do it! About my personality I am a

very shy person while speaking in front of big crowds but

determined towards my goals.