“Nine-tenths of education is encouragement." -Anatole France
This school is dedicated to enriching the lives of gifted children. Gifted means that a child is functioning at or near the very superior level of intelligence. Sycamore offers class sizes of about 20 students per class to ensure personal relations between students, their peers, and teachers. Students arrive from various places around Indiana, including urban and suburban. The diversity of the students who attend Sycamore range from Caucasian to African American to Indian; with beliefs of Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian and Jewish. Having small class sizes are the main reason I was attracted to potentially teaching there. Another reason is that I feel like I can teach children at an accelerated level rather a normal elementary/middle school.
As a teacher, I will teach middle school preferably in the science department. The curriculum standards for Sycamore are located in the following link: http://sycamoreschool.org/index.php/admissions/assessment-fees/. My classroom will look colorful and exuberant with playful, informative posters hung around the room. My favorite classes growing up had many objects to look at with quotes that made me want to read and learn. A boring, dull learning environment allows children to become uninterested in the subject they are learning. I will incorporate various forms of technology, such as projector screens, smart boards, and iPad applications. I will encourage students to use technology to broaden their visual learning. For group projects I will allow students to use the computer room where they can create PowerPoints, movies, videos, slideshows, etc. During class time, school-inappropriate websites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Pintrest, Tumblr, Netflix) will be blocked from usage by any student. YouTube will be readily available for educational purposes only. I was required to have my own HP Laptop in high school and the benefits really prepared me for my future. The screen could turn, lay flat, and a stylist would pop out to allow users to write on the screen like a notebook. My books were online which saved costs and handwriting my notes allowed me to obtain more information.
On the Sycamore website, links are provided for students and parents that include tuition fees and financial aid, student activities, athletics, the available laboratory usage, additional information about the curriculum and school, etc. As a teacher, I will dedicate my time and profession to opening students’ eyes to the world of learning and the possibilities that can come about from learning. I will frequently ask questions to keep the students engaged and excited. I will enforce the rules of the classroom (i.e. everyone treats each other with respect, raise your hand…). I will try my best to prepare my students for their future through the basic subjects.
My favorite quote is by a French poet named Anatole France. He once said, “Nine-tenths of education is encouragement”. This quote sticks with me because as a teacher one must be encouraging to one’s students. Students can learn anything and everything as long as they have the right set of tools and some motivation.