Pearl Webb
September 10th, 2008
C&I 130 – Gillan
Initial Reflective Essay
When I was little and my older brother would return from school with a packet filled with
homework sheets, jealousy would rise up within me. As my mother recounts, I would beg her to
create homework sheets that I too could complete. This began my adoration of school and
learning. So, from a young age I decided that I wanted to become a teacher. There are many
more elements, besides the formerly treasured homework packet, that I will strive to include in
my future classroom including: Sensitivity towards the varieties of individual and cultural
diversity, respect for learners of all ages and a special regard for childhood and adolescence, and
finally, knowledge and appreciation of the diversity among learners.
I was educated in a predominately Caucasian area. Through their devotion and
appreciation for diversity, all my teachers managed to enrich my life towards different lifestyles
and ethnicities. Keeping this in mind, diversity in the classroom is important to me as a future
educator. I want all children to be treated equally, not only by teachers but also their classmates
and the world around them. Without stressing the importance of diversity and acceptance at an
early age, children will never know what else lies beyond what is considered normal. I want to
take these new outlooks I have gained in college and pass them on to the children I hope to teach
someday. I plan on joining education-based extra-curricular clubs and learn other future
educator’s ideas of diversity and what it means to them. I want my classroom to be a collage of
different ideals and ways of thinking.
After spending time with my younger cousins, however, I realized what a great
opportunity I had in front of me. I immediately began the process of switching to the Middle
Level Education major and was ecstatic at the possibility of working with adolescents kids for
the rest of my career. Being a teenager is such a special time in the schooling process with every
subject offering something new. I hope to begin tutoring at local schools and utilizing different
teaching methods to help students comprehend more and bring out their positives. Understanding
and acknowledging how each person learns differently is something important to me. I want a
safe environment where students can ask questions and gain knowledge the way best fit for them.
I want to master different teaching models and know when to apply them or what students they
work best for.
My last ideal I believe is the culmination of the previous two I have mentioned.
Something I value in life is diversity, so nearly all of my themes deal somewhat with that. So
with my final ideal dealing with the appreciation of diversity among learners, I hold this closest
to my heart. Teaching diversity must first start with the teacher’s appreciation for diversity. With
my time left at ISU, I hope to meet more people. I want to hear their stories and learn about their
cultures. My ultimate goal would be then to pass on the knowledge gained from my own
experiences to my future students.
Illinois State is renowned for their education program. And while I believe that I will
change and grow greatly as a person during my attendance here, I believe that my educational
ideals will remain constant.