Lifelong learning is essential to being a quality teacher. In order to continue my learning outside of the classroom I will participate in activities such as seminars, workshops and presentations which will further my education and will lead me towards more successful opportunities. I am passionate about improving my skills and ideas as a future educator as well as being involved in the community and networking with peers, speakers and other professionals. Through these experiences, I am eager to develop into the best educator I can be for not only myself, but my students as well.

graphic from Microsoft Office

Chandler Gilbert Community College
November 19, 2009
11:15am-12:30pm

María Amparo Escandón was an immigrant in her young twenties who came from Mexico City to start a better life for herself in the United States. When she was visiting, she noticed that in America there were many women authors and thought it was amazing how one could be a women Author; she felt as if she could actually make it in the U.S. doing something she wanted, and she succeeded. Escandón had only her husband when she decided to live in America and eventually had two children. Even though she is Hispanic and has traditions based on her culture, when she moved to the U.S. many of those traditions were lost because when she had children, her children were growing up in a cultural gap and things are done differently in the United States and Mexico. Escandón had an extremely powerful speech. From hearing the story of how she made a life in America without any family, friends, and a different culture is amazing and motivational.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College
September 29, 2009

Being a student that has a terrible time taking tests, this workshop was extremely beneficial. I assumed I would go in, and most of it would be about reviewing and how important it is to study. However, this was not the case; this workshop had hands on activities such as handouts that we would fill out as we went through the Power Points. We also did several deep breathing techniques. We would breathe in and hold it and then exhale slowly. Our instructor also taught us the body release, which is when we go through and make sure all of our muscles and mind is relaxed, calm and has a positive attitude. She also taught us a technique called 'Dumping' which is when you get your test, you immidiatley write down everything you remember studying and learning about and writing it on the back of the test; so as you are taking the test you can look back if you get stuck on a question. This workshop was extremely beneficial and I would recommend it to anyone; especially students that are not good test takers.

Documentary: Waiting for Superman
Harkins-Camelview
October 30,2010
2.0 Hours
 

Waiting for Superman was an incredible documentary about the everyday struggles that unfortunate children must face to receive decent education in our broken school system. In this film, we watch as several unfortunate families hope and dream for a higher education for their children and how it is slowly slipping away. From waitlists to rejection the side of the story that is never told is finally but sadly revealed. These children all crave intelligence and desire a better place to continue their education. Michelle Rhee, a well known educator as well as chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington D.C., has gone above and beyond what anyone else has done for the education system in the past to improve the system. With her help in a two year span, she had taken students’ scores from the 13^th percentile up to the 90^th percentile. Rhee also proposed that she would eliminate the tenure contract and increase teacher pay to improve the school systems and terminate teachers that are not meeting appropriate needs. However, the union decided against it and didn’t put it to a vote. Which also ties into “Passing the lemons.” Passing the lemons is when a school will pass on an unsuccessful teacher to another school in hopes for receiving a better teacher. As a future educator it is crucial that I acknowledge and understand these ongoing issues education is faced with. By attending this movie, I have taken the first step into enhancing my knowledge and trying to make a difference in these young minds. 

Jonathan Kozol
Chandler Gilbert Community College
November 2, 2010
1.5 Hours

“Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.” This is one of many quotations by Jonathan Kozol, a widely read public-education writer as well as Harvard graduate. Kozol was born in Boston, MA and taught in Boston as well for several years. During Kozol’s speech, he discussed what it was like teaching in high poverty locations. One school in particular, had a 2,000 student capacity, however, there were over 4,000 students enrolled. Class sizes varied from 30-42 students per classroom and many students have to stand because there are not enough seats in the classroom. It is crucial that there are not that many students in a classroom, when classroom sizes are that high, it is difficult to give each student the attention he/she needs as well as meeting all of their needs. Kozol also discussed the No Child Left Behind Act; or as he calls it, the No Child Left Untested Act. This law has brought many tests to schools, but not education. NCLB has teachers and schools focused on the tests, and how they need to be passed and students must be proficient, rather than the education portion of it. It is extremely important that as educators we have excitement and enthusiasm when we are teaching. We must be sure that we do not drill students to just pass these exams. Drilling students about standardized tests will ruin the learning experience for them. Since Obama has taken presidency, he is still unsure what he is going to do to help improve our education system. Kozol tells us how it is important as well as our duty to put pressure on him, and let him hear the voices of teachers and future teachers. The most important thing we can do as teachers is to get to know each child personally and know all of their distinctive quality and gifts they bring to the classroom. Each child is unique and can bring something new to the table.