I want every student who goes through my classroom to find their passion. Being passionate about something, no matter what it is, can lead to so much joy in their life. I want to encourage them to love learning new things and seeing all the amazing places it can take them. Reading is such a passion of mine and I want to share my love of books with my students. I don't want them to view reading as a chore but rather a way to learn and explore so many different things. I want every student who goes through my classroom to feel loved and supported. I know that school can often being the safest place for some students. I do not want any student to ever doubt that they can be successful, no matter their circumstances. I want my classroom to be a safe and encouraging place.

My desire to become a teacher began in Mrs. Kinsey's 4th grade classroom. She made me feel at ease from the first time I set foot in her classroom. My struggle with anxiety began at a young age, but I did not realize at the time what it was. I felt sick the first morning of school. My mom sent a note to school with me telling my teacher that I wasn't feeling well. She was so quick to make me feel comfortable and make sure I knew she was there. That was one of my favorite years of school and the year I decided I wanted to become a teacher. My road to this goal has not gone as I planned. I graduated with my AA degree in Liberal Arts, but I never continued my education. Instead, I stayed home with my three children and had the joy of seeing them grow and thrive every day. When I rejoined the workforce and my marriage ended, I knew that I would need to finish my education in order to give my family everything they deserved. By this time, I was also working as a paraprofessional at an elementary school. This reignited by passion for becoming a teacher. Spending each day with these students and watching how much they grow and learn is a privilege. Opening students up to the different subjects they can learn and helping them find something they are passionate about is so much fun. Reading is a huge passion of mine that I hope to pass on to my future students. I want to show them how much fun reading can be and how exciting it can be to discover new worlds through books. Reading can also go hand in hand with any passions they may have. Finding books about something else you're interested in is a great way to learn and grow your love of reading. I hope my future classroom is a safe, comfortable place for my students. I want every student who comes through my class to feel like they were loved and encouraged. I know school is often a student's safe place where they feel the most love and get the most care. I want all my students, no matter what is going on in their life, to know that they can accomplish whatever they put their mind to. They can be successful and grow and thrive.

One of my fondest memories from childhood was going to the library with my mom. She and I have always shared a passion for reading. We would go to the library once a week during the summer and leave with a stack of books each. I remember the first time I read a whole chapter book in one day. I was so excited to tell her about it. She replied, "Isn't it fun?". Reading IS fun. So many times, students don't want to read. They view it as more of a punishment than an opportunity. Reading is an opportunity to explore new worlds we can only dream of. We can live so many different lives through books. I read every opportunity I have. I make sure that even in my busy life I find time for reading because it means so much to me. The most interesting class I have taken so far in my education was, Foundations of Reading. It focused on the science behind learning to read. It was fascinating to see how much work our brain has to do in order to learn to read. Our brains are not wired to learn to read. It takes so much work and explicit instruction. I cannot think of a greater honor then being the reason a student learns how to read. Something that is so important to me and has added so much to my life. The grade I am teaching would change what type of instruction I was teaching. I am currently working in a Kindergarten classroom. I love working with them on their letter sounds and how those small units incorporate into something so much bigger. Understanding letters and their sounds is the building blocks to learning to read. They can then start piecing these sounds together into words. This is where the fun really begins. The kids are so proud of themselves when they start linking these sounds together to form words.   Books and reading will be a huge part of my future classroom. I cannot wait to have shelves full of books to share with my students. I want to focus units on their favorite stories so they can see how much books can be incorporated into their lives. Reading is necessary for every part of our life. Without the ability to read we would struggle in every subject in school and every aspect of our everyday life. Reading can be hard. It can be frustrating and a struggle, but reading is so worth it. Reading gives so much back to your life.