Hi, my name is Maria Christine Westendorf. I am a recent graduate from UC Davis, both as an undergraduate and as a graduate student from their School of Education. I graduated as an undergraduate in 2006 with a major in Women and Gender Studies and a minor in Education. I completed their credential program in June of 2007 and will complete their masters program in March of 2008.
I have always loved teaching and it is through this program, and through student teaching, that I have truly come to realize that this is the only job for me. I love to teach!! It is the only job that I have found that is interesting and challenging every single day! The students are hilarious and even when the day has been especially challenging I still find myself able to laugh and appreaciate the experiences that I have shared with my students.
My philosophy statement fully encompases my beliefs about teaching, but the short and sweet version is this, I believe that every student has the right to feel welcome and at home in their classrooms. I believe that you cannot teach children until you have built a classroom community in which they feel comfortable learning and taking risks. I believe that learning about your students and from your students is as much a part of teaching as instructing them and guiding them through standards based curriculum. I believe that to teach effectively you have to think of your student's needs more than your own daily! I also believe, most importantly, that teaching is a way of life and that for me, being a teacher is a blessing and an honor.
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