Initial Blog Entry

I am excited to be taking this course. There are several reasons for this. First...who wouldn't want to spend a week in the Adirondacks and get college credit for it?! I had a choice of sitting in a classroom for 4 hours, 2 days a week for the first half of my summer or spending a week in the woods. No brainer there. When you think about it, isn't this how most students, both young and old, would feel? The knowledge I will gain from this experience is no less valuable than what I would get sitting in the classroom. It will probably be of even more value. This leads me to my next reason for taking the course. I had heard from other students during undergrad how much they enjoyed their experience at Raquette Lake. They talked about the community building that takes place and how they felt closer with their classmates and professors for sharing the experience together of being there. I am looking forward to working with people I have gotten to know throughout grad school and sharing this experience with them. I have only been to the Adirondacks for a weekend before. I am excited to learn about this invaluable natural resource, it's struggles, and what we can do help it survive.
I did not initially want to go into teaching. I wasn't opposed to it, rather I just never considered it. When I was in my early 20s, I was looking for part time work and I had the opportunity to substitute teach. I enjoyed being in the classroom very much. After some time, teachers I knew began asking me when I would be finished with my certification. When I told them I was not in college, they were surprised and encouraged me to go back to school and pursue a career in education. I love teaching. I love the feeling you get and the students get when they understand something new. Every year is different, every class and its dynamics are different. A teacher has the power to make or break their students. The relationships I build with my students can have a lasting impact on them. I want to be a positive force in their lives and help them see that life, not just school, is all about learning.
My professional goals in teaching are to continue to learn more innovative ways to engage my students in their learning. It is easy when you are first starting out as a teacher to try something new every year. My long term goal is to keep learning and keep changing to meet the needs of my students. I want to continue to try something new every year even if it something small. I don't want to fall into a rut where I am just doing what I have always done. I know when I was first hired, I had to attend some "new teacher" trainings. I learned a lot about things I already knew coming out of college. I left those trainings thinking that maybe some of the "old" teachers would benefit from the "new" teacher training.
As I mentioned earlier, I want to learn about the Adirondacks, their struggle to survive, and what we can do to protect the environment. What I will learn in this week about the environment, pollution, and conservation efforts can be applied to the larger global context and the problems our planet is facing, not just this one region of the world. I also want to have fun, kayak, hike, and enjoy the company of friends in the beauty of the Adirondacks!