Changing Your Future
The Personal Website of Cara L. Morris
about me
I come from a very long line of elementary school teachers—my great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, aunt, sister, cousin, ... I have always had a desire to help children discover, learn, and grow.When I was 5, I made an "All About Me" book and wrote that I was going to be a teacher when I grew up. I still have that book as a reminder of my early dream.
Today, I am a 1st grade teacher in the California public school system. My school, at which I have taught for 11 years, has a large percentage of minority and low-income families. This presents challenges; however, I love these kids and I wouldn't trade this school for any other "better" location.
I have 20 students in my class. 75% of my students have attended kindergarten and pre-school at the same school and 75% of those students have siblings who have attended the school for three years or more. These numbers are higher than they have been in the past and that is a great testament to the impact of our school on the community. Many people would look at our kids and see "lost causes." I only see children, children who, despite the challenges in their lives, come to school excited about learning and excited about their future.
Someday in the future, I would like to open my own learning center where I can ensure that all children in my care are learning in the best way possible for them. This is what I work towards. This is my "Why."
email me
Friday, February 21, 2003
Welcome back! I have been really busy testing and writing report cards in preparation for Parent-Teacher Conferences. We started conferences on Wednesday. I meet with each parent for 20 minutes (if they show up) and we discuss their student's progress, behavior, and ways they can help their student succeed. You can really tell which parents work with their students at home and those who do not. Students who have involved parents have higher level thinking skills and that is demonstrated in everything they do. Some students amaze me. They seem to be on their own as far as support is concerned, yet even without any extra support, they exceed grade-level expectations. I believe that these students are remarkably intelligent.They are completely responsible for their own learning and their own motivation and they continue to do well. I can only imagine what they could accomplish with supportive parents who worked with them and encouraged them.posted by Cara at 6:19 PM |
⊗
Thursday, February 06, 2003
Sometimes amidst all the frustrations of this profession, I forget that I do have a big impact on the lives of my students. All I have to do is leave the class with a substitute for a few days and I am reminded of the impact. I was out on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. When I returned today, my students were SOOOO happy to see me. It's amazing to me how even though I have to be "mean" sometimes and we do some "boring" stuff, they hate it when I am gone. It just goes to show that they have formed a connection with me and that connection definitely aids in the learning process. And. . .it's nice to be missed! :)posted by Cara at 12:22 PM |
⊗
Graphics and design by Ann Stretton ©2001
links
TeacherEase
Baby Timothy
Trich
Our Wedding Pics
