Week 1: Meeting the Teacher
Welcome! Read on to learn more about my ambitions as a preservice teacher and the experiences that have shaped my values and teaching philosophy.
Hello and welcome to my education blog! Here you will find updates on my latest educational projects at Indiana University, descriptions and evaluations of my teaching field experiences, and my personal responses to local and national current events in education. But first, I believe some introductions are in order:
MY BACKGROUND
My name is Casey Hennings, and I was raised in the rural farming town of DeMotte, Indiana, located in the Northwest region of the state. In 2016, I graduated from Kankakee Valley High School in Wheatfield, Indiana as valedictorian with an Academic Honors diploma. I am honored and humbled to say that I was also the recipient of Jasper County's Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, a fact which has undeniably changed my life and my future aspirations. Because of this scholarship, among others, I have had the privilege of pursuing my lifelong dream of becoming a teacher without the overwhelming burden of debilitating college debt, for which I am endlessly grateful. It has also evoked in me a strong desire to remain in Indiana as a teacher so that I may give back to the community that has supported and poured into me for countless years. My dream is to one day be able to teach at a mid-sized public middle school right here in my home state.
MY EDUCATION, CAREER GOALS, AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Currently I am studying Secondary English Education and Computer Education at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where I have had the opportunity to deepen my loves of teaching and English while also exploring my newfound passion for computer science. I have
become particularly interested in the intersection between learning and the efficient use of technology--where technological resources are beneficial and where they are restrictive to learning outcomes. For this reason, among many others, I decided to pursue a Computer
Educator License in addition to my (pending) B.S.ED in Secondary English Education. I strongly believe that students should be well-versed in basic and intermediate technological skills for their future employment, as our society is becoming increasingly more dependent upon technology and employees who can both manage and advance it. I am also excited to represent women in the male-dominated field of STEM. There is something particularly thrilling about subverting the social norms in professional domains! By entering the field of technology I hope to inspire my students to follow their own passions, regardless of the social conventions that try to limit them or tell them they aren't good enough to achieve their goals.
“In short, I will strive to make each student feel loved, welcomed, heard, and represented."
Over the past four years I have been fortunate enough to travel frequently, both within the United States and internationally. These experiences have had a profound impact on my teaching philosophy; they have challenged me to not only recognize and promote the diversity among my future students' identities but also create a classroom environment that is welcoming to and accommodating of all learners, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or first language. In short, I will strive to make each student feel loved, welcomed, heard, and represented. I believe that diverse identities in the classroom are an invaluable asset to learning about the world and human nature, and I intend to use them as such.
Photos from my journeys to France and Boston!
"In my classroom, every student is welcome, every student is capable, and every student is valued."
My teaching practice has also been undeniably influenced by my strong Christian faith. I believe that each student should be endlessly and unconditionally loved, not because they are my student, but because they are a person and are automatically worthy of that love. I view my job as a teacher not to judge my students, but rather to greet them with unconditional positive regard and help them flourish into the best, kindest, and most thoughtful versions of themselves. As a teacher, I am in a special position to influence the ways in which my students personally grow. I hope to provide a positive and caring impact on their development; to be a source of love, wisdom, and support, regardless of whether or not they are receiving those things at home. In my classroom, every student is welcome, every student is capable, and every student is valued.
FAST FACTS
A few other important things to know about me:
Je parle assez bien le français. (I speak French fairly well.)
I enjoy creative writing and am a published author.
I am a multipotentialite. Alternatively called a "polymath," it means I am intensely interested in a wide variety of academic and creative subjects (which change frequently).
I am an avid reader with a diverse taste in literature. However, my favorite genre of literature is Young Adult.
I am vegan and a fierce proponent of animal rights.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and the experiences that have shown me the kind of person and teacher that I aspire to be. Check back often for new posts! Also, feel free to follow me on twitter at @CaseysClassroom.
Carpe diem!
Miss Hennings
Comments