sloppy seconds.

a little break from wedding planning...
as i am still a full-time student completely immersed in academia.

here's a little sampler for you all in the blogworld. i wrote this for my 'structure and philosophy of american education' course. which i kind of love.

and although it might not have called for it... this passion was suddenly awakened in me as i was writing a simple assignment: my motivation to pursue the teaching profession.

A deep love for learning is what has fueled my desire to teach above all else. The moments in my life, my “aha” moments, have become fodder for the flame to share meaningful learning experiences with students. Many students pass through school without ever having a deep encounter with the material, without recognizing the importance specific content areas may hold in their life. This acceptance of learning as mundane is a tragedy in the current educational system, and I have a deep, possibly naïve, desire to share my passion for writing and literature with high school students. Adolescence is a difficult time, transitional and meaningful in forming identity. I want to tap into the wellspring of passion and enthusiasm and attempt to direct students toward a lifestyle of learning and of loving language as a means of communicating and connecting with other individuals.
As a student myself, I have cultivated my love for learning and passion for literature over the course of several years. I am studying at a university devoted to teaching and learning and feel I am being prepared in a program set up to develop the best teachers possible. I began with the foundation of a love for learning, and am now building a structure of knowledge, classroom experience, strategies and theory. As I practice and move forward in my teaching career, I hold a firm belief in connecting with those with more wisdom and experience than I possess. By asking questions, taking advice, communicating with others in the field and reading recent research I will continue to develop as a teacher. I do not believe in achieving a static measure of success. I want to continually grow and learn, teaching and interacting with my students in new and meaningful ways.
In spite of my conviction to share a passion for learning and literature in addition to participation in a quality teacher education program, I recognize the overwhelming evidence of the difficulty of the teaching profession and decrease in teacher retention for K-12 classrooms. In a recent survey by NCEI, researchers found 4 out of 10 teachers as likely to leave teaching in a K-12 classroom within the next five years. As I have realized the tendency of teachers to leave the profession, I have affirmed the commitment to teaching. Teaching is undoubtedly difficult; school days are long and tedious. Disrespect and poor working conditions in addition to low salary are all legitimate reasons for leaving the teaching profession. But, I have made a decision based on personal convictions and devoted precious time, energy and money to the development of my knowledge and experience as a teacher. I recognize the evidence and choose to work to overcome obstacles that may come and persist in the profession.