Thoughts about the initial questions

I really did not fully grasp all of the questions that we were supposed to answer in just one blog. With some time to digest some of the answers and get back to the heart of what I am doing here at SUNY Cortland.

The reasons why I got into teaching were to mainly make the educational experience a better one for kids. You see, I was a good student in school, but often slipped through the cracks as I was a quiet kid that really didn't stand out as brilliantly as many of the other kids did. I was not popular, athletic, the valedictorian or any of the great stereotypes. If Anything, I was a nerd that camolaged into the landscape to survive in the jungle of High School. I went unnoticed until my junior year, when my AP History teacher/track coach started encouraging me to try some new activities to get me out of my shell, with trips, and the opportunity to go to Outward Bound. Without such a person that took the time and cared enough to see me succeed and grow past the things that I expected of myself, I was able to have the self-confidence to go to college, and leave the familiar things behind and persue new horizons.

Because I was brought out of my shell and given the experiences that I had at Outward Bound, I was able to see education as more than just the campus of a school, and more of a life-long journey. I want kids and adults to understand that school is not the only place wherethey can learn and grow, and futher, that nature offers many lessons and experiences that schools just can't offer alone. Additionally, the personal and individual growth that happens outside of the classroom has merit, and is important in molding that person into the adult that they will become.

My goal is to be an educator that fosters the intrinsic drive to learn and grow. To be a resource to Youth and Families as they develop into mature young citizens. Through encouraging youth to learn, they are developing skills and interests that allows them to be discerning and life-long learners with the ability to make practical use of resources and data. This sense of curiosity and adventure should bring hope and discovery into a new generation of adults, and that is where I want to be, helping the new generation.