![]() Hi! My name is Sarah, and I teach high school chemistry, human A&P, and Zoology in Columbia, MS. I am also currently an MAT student at the University of Southern Mississippi and will be graduating in December 2021! I currently live with my mom, Melissa, and my 5 year old chihuahua, Ollie. My mom is pictured above and Ollie is pictured to the left. I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Related Sciences from the University of South Alabama in 2019. Prior to my transfer to USA, I attended USM from 2014 to 2016 where I was majoring in Chemistry. So it is pretty ironic that I've ended up teaching the very subject I shied away from in my youth! This blogfolio will serve as a means to express my thoughts on the assignments and criteria required in this ITD 645 course. In my personal life I use nearly all social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Reddit, and Snapchat. My social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat is mostly to keep up with distant family and friends. I only use Tik Tok and Reddit to scroll and pass the time. My teaching philosophy is something that has always been difficult for me to describe. I believe that students should be given realistic expectations and provided the tools and guidance to accomplish them. However, I also believe they should always be treated like human beings, and given compassion and grace. We cannot expect children to act like adults when they are, in fact, not adults, and expect them to be children at the same time. Therefore, it is important to me as their teacher to teach them my content area, but also teach them the life skills and life lessons that come along with growing up. I emphasized this heavily with my students this year, and I saw how many of them blossomed in their responsibilities and met the realistic expectations I gave them. I had many students whose first instinct was defense, as in they were ready to battle and fight me with every turn. Once they saw that I was not there to give them busy work and I was actually going to teach them what they needed to be successful, they had a change of disposition. In my classroom, I utilize Google Suite every day. I utilize Google Classroom to post lectures, notes, and assignments. I create content presentations in Google Slides and use Google Docs to create most of my assignments. We also utilize learning tools such as PhET Simulations, GimKit, CK-12, and Edpuzzle. These tools really help students to interact and develop an understanding of concepts in a virtual hands-on manner. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, I have learned how to integrate technology more affectively in my classroom. The above tools have been very effective in providing technology based education while maintaining social distance. I also have been appointed as one of the Facebook editors for our school's Facebook page this year. It is very fun getting to post all of the fun and creative lessons that teachers come up with! I also work a lot with iMovie and create videos for the school. This year I created videos for 3 of our Awards Day ceremonies, a video honoring the graduating class of 2021's time at East Marion, and a video of the Senior Walk. It is vert rewarding and fun to honor our students through technology.
4 Comments
Eli Morgan
5/30/2021 07:04:35 pm
Hi Sarah! I'm so happy that I get to continue to work with you throughout our MAT journey! What you said in regards to your teaching philosophy really resounded and I think you have made great strides in your own educational journey both as a grad student and as a teacher! I look forward to a very productive semester together!
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Michaelah Martin
5/30/2021 07:25:56 pm
Sarah! My grad school bestie! So excited that we get to be in a group together as we navigate through this course together. There are several technological programs that you listed as using in your classroom that I would love to know more about! Maybe I can introduce them in my classroom next year! Can't wait to work with you again this semester!
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5/30/2021 09:02:01 pm
Hi Sarah! The way you talk about your teaching philosophy resonates with me. I especially like your eloquent comment, "they should always be treated like human beings, and given compassion and grace." Your thoughts about teaching life skills and adult responsibility is so right. It sounds to me like you are doing a great job! Good Luck.
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Kimberly Jefferson
6/6/2021 07:16:17 pm
Hello Sarah,
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