Middle school is a time for change, self-discovery, and growth. In our 7th and 8th grade class we have a welcoming and accepting environment. I have worked with my classes to create a mentality and culture where every student feels comfortable and safe. When students are in a place they can call their own and be accepted for being themselves, it allows them to learn better.
I make it my priority to ensure each student knows that I am there for them as a teacher, as a counselor, and as a spiritual guide. I, along with their classmates, continually encourage students to believe in themselves, push their limits, and develop a personal relationship with Christ.
Students not only learn their core subjects but are taught to be leaders, to be thinkers and questioners, to advocates for themselves and their classmates. Most importantly they learn about the great loving God we have.
It is in my class that students begin to examine and learn to differentiate the use technology as a resource for learning and growing rather than for solely for entertainment or mindless consumption. I firmly believe that students have the world of knowledge at their fingertips, they just have to decipher what is worthy of their time and energy.