I can’t believe my first field experience has come to an end. I have learned a lot from not only my cooperating teacher, but also my students. Throughout this experience, I have also learned a lot about myself as an educator. I realized who I want to be, what I believe in, and got an idea of what I want my future classroom to look like. My understanding of educating students has evolved immensely just by being in a classroom for a short 8 weeks. I have gained further knowledge regarding my students and their learning, the school and community, teachers and their knowledge, inclusive education and diversity, curriculum, and technology in the classroom. All of these topics will help me become a better educator and will also shape my teaching identity in the years to come.

Throughout these 8 weeks, I have reflected on many of these topics. One thing that stuck with me is getting to know your learners: Are they diverse? How do they learn? Is the learning environment you have provided working? These are all questions that I have learned to ask myself. Every student is different and each have different needs. It is our job as educators to figure out those needs and adapt to them to help them learn and become successful. On my first day in the field I learned the importance of “creating an environment that makes the students feel as though they are one big family.” I hope that when I become a teacher, my classroom will feel like a second home to the students; a place where they feel like they belong, like one big, happy, classroom family. 

After being in the field, I now know the importance of all the topics we have covered in class. As educators, we are shaping the future so it is important that we understand our role. I still have a lot to learn before I am fully ready for my future. I believe I need to learn more about how I can be a successful teacher and provide for ALL of my students. It is not an easy task, and of course, there will ALWAYS be learning opportunities along the way. I have always said, “you learn something new every day.” I truly believe that we as educators are always learning whether it be from other educators, the community, or even our own students. My hope for my journey is that I will dedicate my learning to not only benefit myself as a teacher, but in hopes that my learning will also benefit my future students. I think that if there is one thing I can take from this whole experience, it is simply summed up in a quote that we heard at the beginning of the semester: “If students can’t learn the way we teach, we will teach the way students learn.” I think this is a powerful quote that I will constantly be reflecting upon as I continue on this journey in becoming an educator.