All about the author and her perspective...

Hey all! Welcome to my blog!

I was born in Norfolk, VA (but we moved to WV when I was 2) so I just say I am a West Virginian born and raised! I love the mountains! I moved to Kentucky for 2 years and attended a university there but I am back again!

My heart is for the younger children. I worked at a daycare in Kentucky and fell in love with my preschool kids and those going into kindergarten. If you capture their attention, it is amazing what they can and want to learn! I also love working with students with disabilities. Especially those who are deaf or HH (hard-of-hearing). I have had 2 years of ASL (American Sign Language) and I am hoping to be able to work with students learn to live fully regardless of how or what they hear.

All children learn differently. It is extremely important for information to be delivered in a variety of ways so that all students have an equal opportunity to understand. Some children learn through hearing, some through seeing, and some through touching. Some children are a combination of both. If teachers are delivering information in different ways, it not only allows the students to understand in a way that helps them remember and understand; but it also gives them skills in learning to understand different learning styles as well (one day their boss may be visual and give all instructions visually but the employee is auditory.)

Teaching students through a variety of methods helps build a respect for each style at a young age.

The most important thing in teaching; however, is ENGAGEMENT! If a child is not engaged and interested, they will learn NOTHING!

There are many different ways to engage students from music, to art, to interactive learning centers... the list goes on.

For example: in a math class you may be teaching about shapes and patterns. There are endless numbers of songs regarding shapes and patterns that you, as a teacher, could pull from and use. Create a dance and include your students who may have disabilities by finding something they can do- whether is be beating on a drum or putting their hands against the speaker so that they can feel the vibrations of the music even if they cannot hear the music.

Engaging a child is not hard, although sometimes it takes a little extra time. BE CREATIVE! As a teacher it is our job to train the leaders of tomorrow. If we aren't doing that, we aren't doing our job.