Welcome! Hello,
my name is Christine Joan Chan. I was
born in San Jose, CA. My parents emigrated from Hong Kong in 1972 and
have remained in the US since then. I have two older sisters and a
younger brother. My family has a self-owned flower shop in Mountain
View, CA. My elementary education began at a small Lutheran school in
Fremont, CA and later moved onto public school in the 2nd
grade in Mountain View Los Altos Public School District.
Looking
back on my childhood, I remember great memories from school. Whether it
be playing on the jungle gym with my friends, doing cartwheels on the
lawn, or playing kickball with the boys, memories of elementary school
are very fond. I remember there were teachers that had influenced my
life in ways that have shaped who I am today. I had teachers that
believed that I could learn English regardless of how difficult it was
for me and for them and in the future I could have the “American
dream,” successful future.
I
grew up in a very Chinese cultured family, where my first language was
Cantonese and English was non-existent. I do not recall speaking
English until I was entered into Kindergarten. It was definitely hard
for me with so many changes and transitions that I had to made. But
with a very dedicated and faithful teacher, I was able to overcome my
fear of embarrassment and humiliation and succeed with confidence and
the skills I needed to learn.
I graduated
from University of California, Davis with a Bachelor’s of Science in
Human Development with emphasis in Child Development and a minor in
Education. After much consideration, I decided to accept my admissions
to UCDavis’ School of Education for the Credential and MA program. I
feel that the schools in Sacramento and around the area of Davis have
much diversity. With the demographics of CA constantly changing, I can
see how the different ethnic backgrounds can benefit the future
teachers of America.
During
my senior year at UCDavis, I had the privilege of interning in a 1st
and 2nd grade classroom in Davis. I also worked as a
research assistant in Sacramento Schools as an English Proficiency
Assessor. I was given the opportunity to work with bilingual students,
both Spanish speaking and Cantonese speaking, and help assess their
English proficiency in order to help resources and future teaching
materials for bilingual students.
As a
future teacher, I know I still have much to learn and much experience
to gain. The teachers that I interned for commended me for my ability
and willingness to learn. I was able to work with students individually
and also in groups. I worked with students on their reading, writing
and math. I would say that I am responsible and able to set limits with
students. Mrs. Teaford my internship teacher said. “She is intelligent
and highly motivated. She is
not only incredibly responsible and reliable, but has been successful
in managing and motivating student learning.”
For
my future plans, as I am entering into the MA/Credential program at
UCDavis, I want to clear my credential in a public school closer to
home which is in the bay area. I have been looking into schools in San
Francisco or Cupertino because of the immersion programs in Mandarin
and English. As I mentioned earlier, I grew up speaking Cantonese, yet
mandarin is a completely different dialect. Growing up with a bilingual
background, I see the greater need for bilingual teachers and what an
asset they are to schools and students and their parents. Even further
into the future, my dream would be to teach English overseas to
elementary aged students, but that is getting a little ahead of myself.
But
for now, I am eager to get my hands and feet into the classroom and
take in the many things that I will learn in this next year. I want to
better understand what teaching not only looks like but also the
reality of teaching, both goods and bads.
If you have any questions or comments
please do not hesitate to contact me!
Christine Joan Chan
Email:
misschristinechan@yahoo.com
