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Here is a little about me...

Teaching Experience I began teaching in 1988.  My first position was as a  substitute teacher in Carthage, Missouri.  In 1989 I began teaching in LaMonte, Missouri.  I was the Elementary Remedial Reading coordinator and teacher there for three years.  I was hired to teach Remedial Reading for Neosho R-5 in 1992.  My teaching experience in Neosho R-5 Schools includes: Five years teaching Remedial Reading, five years as a Fifth Grade teacher, and nine years as a English as a Second Language in grades Kindgergarten - Fourth. In addition to my regular teaching positions, I have also taught Summer School for many years, taught Homebound students in Jr. and Sr. High, coached Jr. High School track, and coached Jr. Varsity cheerleading.  I also give private art lessons during the summer and work evenings at the Joplin YMCA.

Educational Experience * Gradudated with honors from Webb City High School; May 1980 * Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri Southern State College, Joplin, MO;  July 1989  *Remedial Reading Certification completed at Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri;  July 1990 *English as a Second Language Certification completed through Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri;  July 1999

My Teaching Philosophy   Effective teachers need to create an environment that promotes maximum learning. It must ensure that all pupils receive a positive, engaging, meaningful education, offering activities that address all the different learning styles. The teacher MUST challenge and inspire a positive learning attitude, one that will continue into the following grades. Teachers must pique students’ interest by using innovative lessons and techniques that breed discovery, creativity, and tolerance. The teacher MUST thoroughly love this profession, committing 100% of themselves to the enjoyment of their job, and realize that enthusiasm for education begins at the top! I believe that it is important to be consciously aware of the theory behind what I teach as well as the way that I teach. It is very empowering for me to understand the theories associated with my field and to be able to reflect those theories in my teaching approach.  My personal teaching philosophy is based upon the following: The learner’s preexisting knowledge The social functions of language Whole language approach Individual creativity Student rapport Teacher self-reflection In my classroom, I address these concerns in the following ways: Develop the learner’s preexisting knowledge I begin with the belief that all of my students come into the classroom with preexisting knowledge that contributes to the learning process, whether this be linguistic or lived experiences. I make an attempt to discover and exploit this knowledge from the outset by surveying my students’ linguistic knowledge and personal experiences. Then I encourage my students to capitalize on their strengths and experiences in order to develop their English abilities. Understand the social functions of language Not only is it important for me to teach my students the mechanics of English, it is also very important for me to instruct my students in the proper use of the language. Social language has complex structures of its own, but tends to be relatively easily acquired, because the second language learner is constantly interacting with other speakers.  Social language is heard through many sources: peer-to peer converstaions, group converstaions, and daily interactions with people and media.  In most cases, the second language learner has an immediate opportunity to respond to communication received and to try out the new language constructs.  In some situations, immediate feedback and/or informal modeling help the language learner correct mistakes in vocabulary, sentence structure, syntax, and even the nuances of subtle or cultural meanings.  Through the use of social language, students may undergo personal transformations that lead to success in various social and academic settings. Emphasize a whole language approach to teaching I design my lesson plans mindful of the whole language approach to language instruction by incorporating oral and written language skills into activities that encourage social interaction and are personally meaningful to my students.  I am a firm believer in Whole Language Learning. I believe that Whole Language equals meaningful learning. Integrating curricular matter helps children to gain a greater and all-encompassing understanding of subject matter. Incorporating relevant experiences into my lessons encourages deeper, and meaningful  learning. Using a Whole Language approach to teaching helps to ensure that children with differing learning styles are not left behind. I like to create opportunities where students can have speaking/listening experiences. Among these experiences are included: manipulatives, props, food as manipulatives for Math, puppets, dramatic, group discussions, story-telling, problem-solving activities, interview-style presentations). Encourage individual creativity throughout the learning process I believe that creativity is perhaps one of the most under-utilized human characteristics in the context of language learning. I emphasize to my students that creativity is an important aspect of writing and speaking. It is important in writing as a factor in paraphrasing, developing and combining ideas, and avoiding plagiarism. Creativity is also an important consideration in oral production because even with a limited vocabulary, creative use of language will help facilitate meaning. With that said, I encourage my students to take chances and use language creatively to express themselves. Many opportunities for learning can come about in this manner. Develop and maintain rapport while claiming legitimate authority Rapport is an important aspect of classroom pedagogy that I believe has more to do with people-management skills than to teaching specifically. If I begin by managing the class well, I feel that good rapport can be achieved. I think of rapport not as something that only exists between teacher and student but also as something that exists between the teacher and the class as a whole. A class is composed of many separate individuals, but when those individuals come together and engage in the social functions of a classroom, certain characteristics of group dynamics become more apparent than those of the individuals that make up the group. It is for this reason that rapport on the group level is a goal for me as a teacher. However, my concern for rapport needs to be balanced with my expectations of my students. As a person appropriately trained in and experienced with language teaching and learning, I claim legitimate authority over these issues in my classroom. Therefore, I expect a certain level of attention and respect from my students. I make my beliefs explicit by discussing my personal thoughts with my students when the need arises, and by interacting consistently with my students. Engage in a constant process of self-reflection and evaluation I am a firm believer in a continuous process of teacher self-reflection, in which self-evaluation is connected to lesson planning and overall teacher development. By incorporating a system of consistent reflection in my teaching, I feel that I am able to continually progress as a teacher as I adapt to the changing needs of my students. Through a complex interaction between my personal philosophy of teaching and the theories behind my philosophy, I strive to develop the full potential of my students in the language learning context. As a guide on their journeys of linguistic discovery, I hope that I can foster skills in my students that will prepare them for greater social challenges. In the process, I also hope to continually broaden my cultural awareness while I progress as an instructor.