of the overall responsibility of creating an orderly, miniature world for myself and the students, a world that is safe, nurturing, and stimulating for their minds and spirits.
In many ways I view the task of classroom teaching similar to that of creating a warm, inviting, loving family and home. This arena allows me to express my nurturing, maternal nature in a way that gives the children a positive association between learning and love. I want to be that missing key for children who might not otherwise be exposed to individuals who get excited about new ideas. If this means holding a child on my lap while reading a story to the group in order for that child to get a warm feeling about books and the printed word, I will do that. If it means staying late after the regular working hours to assist a parent in extending the classroom tasks in the home, I will do that.
It is my preference to teach at the elementary level because the children at that age group are more open to the world. They have not yet become set in their values and view of life and
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