Hello,

My name is Mary Wright. I am currently attending Colorado Mountain College to obtain my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I want to be a teacher to empower students to take control of their own learning. I strongly believe that students learn best through effective feedback and positive mindsets. I feel as if the teacher plays a huge role in coaching students to build a positive mindset. Students should be thinking, "I might not be able to do it now but I will try my best!" As for effective feedback, students are constantly looking for feedback. They want to know if they are doing a good job or not. The best thing teachers can do is give their students feedback in a way that promotes students to ask questions about their learning. This empowers students take control of their learning.

With backward design teachers identify the enduring understanding they want their students to walk away with. Then they plan performance tasks. Lastly, the ways in which they are going to deliver the instruction, this is where I would take extra time to plan out types of effective feedback, and ways to promote positive mindsets for my students.

Hi! I am Michelle M., and I am a mountain girl who balances my studies with hiking, playing board games with friends, or cooking a great meal. My vision of teaching is student-focused. I think the best teachers take the time to get to know their students and allow this to inform their practice. A great teacher is a guide and leader in a learning process that essentially belongs to the student. In the classroom, I am observing this principle in action and participating in this process myself. I am interested in investigating multiple pathways to learning the same concept, seeing techniques for imparting knowledge in an effective way, and exploring how the brain learns best.

Hi! I'm Kaitlyn Giard, I am currently attending Colorado Mountain College to get my Bachelors in Elementary Education. CMC has an amazing program full of hands-on work that truly prepares students for careers. I have always loved kids and desired to become a teacher. I have learned that great teachers were good at explaining content, were patient yet firm with students, were always fair, set high expectations, knew how to motivate, and used humor appropriately.  They were great communicators who had a command of their subject matter content.  This is the type of teacher that I intend to become.  I know that my personal teaching style will evolve as I draw on my own strengths, knowledge, skills, values, and experiences. I want children to learn in a safe and comfortable environment so that their self-esteem will be increased. I will have the privilege of shaping future leaders and productive members of society. The chance to inspire another human being is not an opportunity it’s a challenge. With the love I have for children, along with my education, and the experience I have had in the classroom, I know that teaching is a career that I will be successful in.

Hi! I am Stacey Berkowitz. I currently attend classes at the CMC Glenwood Springs campus, where I am working towards a degree in Elementary Education. I chose the teaching profession because there is nothing like seeing a child gleam with joy when they persevered through adversity. A quote from Alfie Khon sums what I believe a good teacher’s focus should be. “When students are able to spend more time thinking about ideas than memorizing facts and practicing skills - and when they are invited to help direct their own learning - they are not only more likely to enjoy what they’re doing but to do it better” (2008). To help my students transfer their understanding of new concepts, I plan not only to nourish my student's creativity I intend to spark their curiosity by incorporating activities that focus on the six facets of understanding. 

Hello. My name is Cierra Schubin, and I am currently in my second year of the BAIS Elementary Education program at Colorado Mountain College. I want to be a teacher because I love to learn, and a teacher never stops learning. Being a teacher means I am constantly surrounded by peers who are equally passionate about learning, and best of all, it means I get to instill a love of learning in my students. In my opinion, good teaching is goal-oriented, engaging, flexible, and differentiated for the individual needs of all students. Good teachers consistently use effective, research-based teaching strategies in the classroom, while at the same time developing a safe learning environment that allows every student an equal opportunity to be successful.

Hello!  I am Michelle Lee, an attending student in Colorado Mountain College's BAIS: Elementary Education Program.  For me, the beliefs and motivations woven into my personal philosophy of education can be represented by a rhyme I wrote, “Inspire one’s imagination to transcend the beauty within, nurturing rhythms to encourage a young mind to begin”.  As an educator, it is my educational philosophy to: always preserver, love unconditionally, practice empathy, be supportive and always to learn more so as to help children create new and exciting promises to become productive and positive members of society.  This begins with by empowering children to become active learners with the self-regulation skills needed for the 21st century. 

My name is Stxio (pronounced see-oh) Esparza. I am studying to be a teacher because teaching is my passion. Teaching helps change the world for the better. I love getting to know different children and seeing the diversity in thought processes and cultures. Teaching also makes you grow as a person. As teachers, we not only have to be able to teach, we also have to be able to understand thought processes and reasoning. Teaching requires me to learn from my students, to be flexible, patient and to persevere. Being a good teacher also requires me to get to know my students. Without knowing my students I would not be able to help them learn and grow. The students that we have the pleasure of working with are what make our profession so rewarding. I hope to be able to focus on each child's individual needs to be able to create an amazing school experience where the lessons, community, and environment help my teach to every child's potential.