I believe that my most important job as an educator is to be a positive role model. I try to act as
if my students are always watching me. They need to see there is an alternate way of behavior as
opposed to what they see in the popular culture. I also believe that each student should feel safe
in school. The students need to understand that no one is going to do anything to deny them of their
right to an education.

It is my goal to have each student reach their potential. I want to show them they can achieve more
than they believe they can. To accomplish this, I believe in the teacher being more of a guide than
a reciter of facts. I attempt to assist students to discover concepts on their own. Students are
going to remember more when they do something than when they hear something. Students should be
active participants in their education. Learning should not be a spectator sport.

I chose education as my career path because I hope to be able to make a small difference in a
childs life. Time and time again I have seen children being educated poorly and/or not having
appropriate role models in their life. I feel that an educator must not only be able to convey to
the student the classroom material, but also be a counselor, coach, and mentor. Failing to fulfill
these roles gives a child the chance to slip through the educational system without having the
opportunity to influence them to some degree.