My Educational Gurus!

Hello! Welcome to my first blog post. There is no better way to start than with a little bit about me and my journey as I prepare to be an educator.

Ever since I was young, I have known that I wanted to be a teacher. This is often what most educators say but it is true! Teaching is a hard job and if you don’t love it, it will show. I grew up having some great teachers and some pretty crappy teachers. Though, my love for learning never changed. I would always put my stuffed animals in a line, as if they were my class looking at me, and I would take attendance for the day before I started “teaching”.

This love for playing teacher soon turned into my plan for life. I knew early on in high school that this is the profession I wanted to go to college for. I am grateful I grew up with such good views of education and that I was able to decide early on what my career would be.

My first inspiration for teaching would be my kindergarten teacher. Her name was Mrs. Brezniack and she created such a solid foundation for my educational journey. I loved to go back to her class every year as I got further into my education and I would often vent to her, or ask for help. She was always there for me and she always remembered who I was, even as I got into high school. Mrs. Brezniack was always open to lend a hand when I struggled with assignments (usually 1st-4th grade assignments–god knows I wouldn’t ask a kindergarten teacher to help me with calculus). Mrs. Brezniack is still a big inspiration for me, she made learning fun and I always felt safe in her classroom. I only hope I can be that person for my students one day.

When I think about theorists that inspired me, the first person that pops in my head is Vygotsky. Lev Vygotsky is best known for his theory on the Zone of Proximal Development. The best way to sum up ZPD, is that it consists of areas that show what a child can achieve on their own, and what they can achieve with guidance/help.

        

 

Vygotsky was also an advocate for play in the classroom. He believed that play promotes cognitive, social, and emotional development in children. I agree with Vygotsky’s points and his views on children’s development in school impact the way I plan to teach my future students. If children aren’t excited to learn, then what is the point?

Below is a video that talks more about Vygotsky’s and his theories:

Vygotsky in 60 seconds

VYTGOTKSY IN 60 SECONDS. Doing FETAC Level 5/6, a diploma, certificate or degree in early childhood education and care/childcare? This 1 minute video will te…

The other people that speak truth to me are my educators here at Millersville University. Millersville is known to have the best education program and all of the professors have years of experience. Almost all of the professors have had their own journey in teaching young children and this allows them to share more ideas with us future educators. One thing I love about Millersville is that we get to go into field placement right away and this gives students the chance to decide if teaching is the correct career path for them. My peers also give me insight on new ideas and strategies for teaching. I am always learning new ways to lesson plan or implement play in my classroom. Overall, I feel like I am on the greatest path possible to continue my educational journey as I become an educator myself.