Henry Brooks Adams: A Personal Reflection

“Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops.” - Henry Brooks Adams. Starting at an early age of four, I could always see that my teachers had an abundant amount of passion for their students. In the first grade, I was put into a resource class mainly for my inchoate reading ability. I was always a little embarrassed that I couldn't be in the classroom at the same time as the other students. This changed as the years went by due to the relationship that my resource teacher built with me. Not only did she teach me how to read, she helped me understand why being able to read was so important. Some of the lifelong lessons she taught me were based on building my confidence, and showing me that i should never be ashamed

of who i am. She played a pivotal role in my learning experience. Over the years my personality changed, I developed character, and learned how to connect with other classmates. I learned this all by imitating my teacher and along the way I gained a lifelong role model.
Through my experience as an older sister, I see the effects that an older figure can have on a child at any age. Through teaching, you get the everyday time that some students crave because of the low amount of attention they get elsewhere. I have seen that the ideas and lessons I learned from my mom, without evening meaning to, my sister has learned from me.
The experience I gained in the few days of practicum that I had in an elementary special education class has only helped me to thrive more in my love for teaching. I learned how to effectively incorporate technology into the classroom that go along with an appropriate lesson and not as a time waster. This was fun because not only were the students learning about the world through a different screen but the teacher and I were also learning at the same time. I have also seen the importance of one on one lessons with students. Understanding the needs of your students and how to connect them with other students who are at the same level. The necessity to create lesson plans that every student in the class can comprehend. There was a long-term relationship built within the little bit of time that I had with the students. I think that teaching is worth the while because you never know whose live you’ll get to effect next.