A Little About Me

Hello my name is Alexandria Harper. I am from Gulfport, Mississippi and I'm pursuing a career in elementary education. I plan to teach Kindergarten specifically because I think they are the perfect age to learn from and to educate. I believe I entered this field because of my up coming in schools because of my church members. I was basically raised in schools all of my life. I view this profession as a reward to help students become better in education and life. I had my first experience when I was around the age of eightteen with children. I volunteered at a summer camp and I have been working there ever since. Since I have been around children, I have grown to love it more and more everyday.

Educators ARE Life Long Learners: Point Blank

Educators do not know everything! It should never be a educator's priority to make their students think that they do. I can recall many of my teachers who made me feel "small", with all their vast knowledge of the subject matter. Teachers are to always be striving to know more and do better in their profession as well as in their personal growth. Knowledge is something that is never completely attained, but always striving to grow more.You should never grow tired of learning and the most effective educators are always willing to keep learning because that want to better mold their craft into something great. These are educators not teachers, they are leaders not workers, and they see educating our future politicians, doctors, nurses, trashmen, taxi drivers, and etc as a career not a JOB!

Being a Technology Literate Educator

Technology is a huge aspect of the world today. Some would argue that technology IS the world today. In order to teach the next generation of doctors, lawyers, entertainers, and teachers; one has to keep up with new advances. Technological advances are made everyday.We as educators must stay in tuned and learn as mush as we can to be up to par and speed with our students, so we will not fall behind. Educators cannot just rely on methods that work back then when teaching children of the new millennium. With that same token, we should never be afraid to ask our kids what is going on with the world today. We can also learn from them as well.

Blogging in the Classroom

At the beginning of this year, I had not blogged in a long time.I use to blog on a site called Xanga, but it was just for fun purposes to keep up on friends' daily lives. Now that I see just how far one can go with blogging, I see that it can be quite useful. I have already been thinking of ways to introduce my students to blogging. It is a great way to enhance writing skills. It is also a great opportunity for students to express themselves and communicate with classmates. There is no telling how creative students could get with such a simple concept. Classroom blogging can expand learning networks and create new ones.

We Need Parental Involvement In the Classroom

Teachers are always left to pick up where parents dropped off at home. Not only is this not fair for both students and teachers, it is also a huge distraction from the education process. In my class parental involvement will play a major role. Parental involvement is one factor that will encourage student success and shape their view of education. A simple newsletter can be considered parental involvement. I will even make a classroom web page and keep it as update as possible. I will make sure I put the school calender and important dates on there as well. If at all possible, I will try my best to supply a weekly agenda of events and homework assignments. The best way, as a parent, to get involved is to help with daily homework assignments, but most complain they often times are not aware of them. This will be my first step in breaking the cycle.

Why I Chose to Become a Teacher

As a young child I knew exactly what it was that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Helping people seem to come natural and it also gave me a good feeling.I first wanted to be a pediatrician, and then an Occupational Therapist. As I grew older I realized more and more how important an education was. This past summer I realized my calling was teaching, and more than ever we need educators who actually put their hearts into their profession. It seems as though as students lose interest, so does the teacher. This is exactly the opposed of what needs to happen. So as a young African-American woman, I strive to change this mind set, and become a life long learner along with my students