Dallas Cheyenne Clark

Vision Statement
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has-Margaret Mead. This quote is a daily reminder that I can
change the world. To be an educator you have to be confident that you can change the world of
the students you are teaching. It is equally as important that they know they can do anything they
set their minds to. I want to be a teacher so that I may guide, mentor and inspire my students. I
believe that there are many key qualities and skills that an educator must demonstrate, as well as
many important elements involved in creating an effective student-centered classroom.
Why I Want to Teach
I believe that teaching and learning should be fun, exciting and memorable for both the student
and the educator. Students should be engaged and invested in the subject matter, and teachers
should implement learning strategies to facilitate a better learning environment. The Kagan text
offers many ideas such as: Find Someone Who, Find-the-Fiction, Flashcard Games, and Insideoutside Circle (Kagan, 2009). I hope to be an inspiration to my students and help mold them into
literate, expressional and kind people. It is important to Role-model emotional stability and
kindness, for young children (Jensen, 2005). It is very important at the early stages of a childs
life that they feel cared for, supported, and that someone cares for them. It is for this, and many
other reasons that I want to become a teacher of young children, to help provide extra stability in
school while they struggle with the already difficult task of learning new things.
Qualities and Skills of a Good Educator
In order to be a great educator, one must be able to inspire and motivate students to love
learning. There are many important qualities that a professional must have: good morals, honesty
in all situations, ability to adhere to all school-board rules (Standards 1.10, 1.11, 2.3). As far as
working with young children they must be able to maintain confidentiality, truth, and conduct
themselves in an appropriate manner in regards to students health and well-being (Standards
3.1-3.9). It is important for a teacher to be compassionate, reliable and understanding, all the
while not crossing any moral or ethical guidelines as set forth by the state and individual school
board. It is essential that a teacher be knowledgeable of the subject matter they are discussing
with their students. The teacher must also be able to connect the content to students in a way that
facilitates understanding and higher level thinking. They must be able to effectively apply the
TEKS to each lesson plan, and communicate information in a variety of ways to their students
(TTP 1, 2).
Important Elements of a Student-Centered Classroom
A student-centered classroom should contain many elements, including cooperative learning,
teambuilding, and motivation (Kagan, 2009). As for the actual classroom I believe that it should
be set up in a way that will benefit the students, comfortable mobile-seating, plenty of light as
well as dark corners, and it should facilitate learning in any way possible. I believe that free
reading time is very important in developing literacy, as well as a love of learning for your

students. My focus on a comfortable classroom reading environment is supported by Donalyn

Miller, in her book The Book Whisperer. She states that I learned that being the best reader
and writer in the room is not about power and control. Instead, I must be a source of knowledge
that my students access while learning how to read and writeI should guide them as they
approach their own understandings, (Miller, 2009). She explains that a student-centered
classroom is not about the teacher telling students what to think, but the students gaining
understanding through guidance. I believe the most essential element in a student-centered
classroom is the ability to step back and make decisions that will help grow and cultivate your
students minds, and it may look different for every group of students that you teach based on
their specific needs.
Conclusion
I believe that the only way to be a successful teacher is to be of good moral character, have
compassion for students, and to be able to create a learning environment that can fit a variety of
needs. If students feel comfortable, supported, and believed in, they will exceed even the highest
of our expectations.

Works Cited
(1994). Texas Teacher Proficiencies
Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development.
Kagan, S. (2009). Cooperative learning. San Juan Capistrano, CA: Kagan Cooperative Learning.
Margaret Mead. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 29, 2016, from BrainyQuote.com
Miller, D., & Anderson, J. (2009). The book whisperer: Awakening the inner reader in every
child. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Texas Administrative Code. Title 19. Part7. Chapter 247. Rule 247.2 Code of Ethics and
Standard Practices for Texas Educators.