Introduction

Welcome!
My name is Courtney Waldmann and I am a student at James Madison University. I am using this blog to record my experiences at Marymount International School in Rome as well as my time abroad in Italy. Each week I will post reflections about my experiences. These reflections will discuss what I have learned from my time at Marymount and how these experiences will help me grow as a future educator.

About Me

My name is Courtney Waldmann and I am a student at James Madison University in Virginia. I am from Westchester County, New York. 

For as long as I can remember I’ve planned to be a teacher.  I find working with children to be very rewarding. I have been very lucky to work as a camp counselor, babysitter, and an after school instructor to prepare me for my future endeavors. 

Upon completing my Master's at James Madison University I will be licensed to teach preschool/kindergarten through 6th grade. As an undergraduate student at JMU, I majored in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS) and minored in Elementary Education (ELED) and Nonteaching Special Education (Non SPED).

JMU works hard to offer its students practical teaching experiences through different practicum placements. In my junior year I was placed in a practicum classroom in a rural elementary school near the border of West Virginia. My practicum class contained fifteen students consisting of eleven boys and four girls. Being in practicum has helped me to appreciate the commitment each teacher makes for their students. During this practicum I was given the opportunity to orchestrate my own lessons as well as a complete a case study. My case study allowed me to have an in depth look at children's behaviors and learn more about children's development. 

Throughout my time at JMU I have been able to take advantage of numerous courses. During my freshmen year I participated in a service learning course that allowed me to volunteer at a local elementary school and help with center time in a kindergarten class. I was also able to do an independent study when I studied abroad in London. Working with a reading professor at JMU, I designed a children's literature course that allowed me to explore different British works of classic and contemporary children’s literature by conducting studies of each author’s work. The course centered on five specific readings that varied in genres and time periods in addition to numerous picture books. These experiences have helped to prepare for my future endeavors.

Teaching Philosophy

For me teaching has always been about the students and the community that is created among my students. 

In the future I want my classroom to be an inviting, learning community where my students feel comfortable to share their common values and beliefs, while actively engaging in learning from one another. A learning community allows students to develop meaningful ways to enhance, enrich, honor and celebrate each other. This form of education places a primary focus on the development of trusting, supportive, and resilient relationships between all members of the learning community.

A learning community supports and inspires the intellectual and personal development of all members of the community. It fosters an environment that values diversity, differences, and the rights of all individuals in a supportive atmosphere where nobody feels judged. It supports and creates new knowledge through research and scholarly inquiry on the part of teachers, staff and students, and it shares that knowledge with the broader community. A learning community is centered on the classroom, but extends throughout the school and into the world around it. In such a community, all activities, roles, and responsibilities are related with its members engaged in a common enterprise.

To establish a learning community in my classroom I would encourage cooperative learning which is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Students work through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and complete it. With cooperative learning students are encouraged to ask partners for help before they ask the teachers. Students work better together as groups. Students work more effective in learning communities of support. Teachers need to provide students with opportunities to take ownership in their own learning. 

Personal and Professional Goals

1. To continue to grow as an individual and an educator.

I believe education is a life-long process and that anyone can always continue to learn. As an individual and as a future educator I wish to take full advantage of any opportunities that I may come across. Taking part in the Cultural Practicum in Rome I feel will give me amazing memories, but also a way to incorporate diversity into my own classroom.  As I grow I have realized how important experiences are and how beneficial it is to connect real life experiences with the classroom. The world is such a unique place, which is why I hope to encourage my students to travel and achieve their dreams. I want them to be proud of themselves and know that they can make a difference in the world. I hope my acceptance and appreciation of other cultures will help shape my students’ experiences. 

2. Strengthen my communication and behavioral management skills with my students.

An important part of any teacher’s life is creating a lasting impact in their student’s lives inside and outside the classroom.  I want my students to know they can depend on their me and feel welcomed in my classroom. I believe teachers should know their students as individuals and they should connect with them on a personal level. As a future educator I want to be an effective teacher that helps each student to receive the education they deserve. I look forward to observing my practicum teachers in Rome and observe how they create a strong connected classroom. 

3. Develop strong relationships with trip participants and Marymount staff.

Teaching is a cooperative effort that involves a strong support system among co-workers and the school's administration. I look forward to meeting and working with the Marymount staff. I look forward to observing their teaching philosophies and hearing the advice they can offer me for the teaching profession.