Shelby O'DonnellTeaching does not have a single, simple path to follow. It is about embracing the individual and their styles and creativity.
My name is Shelby and I am currently in my fourth and final year of my Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) at the Australian Catholic University in Fitzroy. Throughout the four years of university, I have successfully completed two majors in English and History. I will successfully graduate in November of 2013, and will be looking for full time secondary school employment for 2014. The endless passion I have acquired for teaching stems from a profound enthusiasm I have towards helping others. This then links into my devotion and dreams of becoming a key asset to the ongoing learning and strength of a teaching team. My aim as a teacher is very inline with The New London Group multiliteracies theory (Cope & Kalantis, 2000). Learning is about applying knowledge to the wider world. I aim to use my subject areas and life knowledge to help my future students understand the world around them, and not just in my subject fields. I think education and being a teacher is a lifelong journey where you never stop learning. Learning about myself, my areas of interest and most importantly my students is a continual drive and exciting prospect in my future careers. Through my experience on placement I have learnt that we all have our bad days, but I always know tomorrow is a new day and we can start fresh; work towards a new future. The good days outweigh the bad days without a doubt, because once you see a student learning something and having them engage and understand the material is the best feeling. In my mind to be a teacher your heart really needs to be in it and you need to be devoted. I am constantly thinking of ways how to improve things and how to help my students. I understand not every student I have will succeed in my class; it would be naïve to think that I can make every student do well. This fact, does not keep me from believing and pushing my students because the idea of their potential is so exciting. I am very dedicated to continually learning, and teaching, I will continually be doing that. I will always be learning about my students, the people I connect with but most importantly information to help my future classes succeed. This is going to help me shape the future, and I can make a real difference. |