Reich College of Education

Over the past few years, my experiences as a college student at Appalachian State University have prepared me well for a future career in education. As a rising senior, I find myself reflecting on my time in school and considering the opportunities that I have had to prepare for the real issues that American students face. It is without a doubt in my mind that I can accredit so much of my personal development to the moments I have had as an undergraduate student. The James Patterson scholarship has made all of my development possible. My past year as a student has brought about opportunities for a deeper understanding of what students need and how I can be an advocate for American children.

One of my favorite aspects of reaching junior year is taking classes that are all entirely related to my major. As a Secondary English Education major, that means that I have had a lot of English classes. Last semester, this included an Adolescent Literature course. After a semester of reading adolescent literature from a future teacher's perspective, I was creating reading activities in my sleep and feeling more prepared to use literature as a way to start the important conversations that students need to have. One idea that my professor stressed was that college readiness is important for American students, but the truth is, there will be students in my classroom that will not attend college. As their teacher, I will need to prepare every student with the life skills that they need to be productive citizens. To me, that means that my goal is for every student who enters my classroom to leave with a love of reading and an ability to think critically. Most students will not become English majors. Teaching adolescent literature in conjunction with the classic canon helps students to understand that texts that feel relevant to their lives are worthwhile. Adolescent literature brings up subject matters that are important to teenagers. From mental health to parents, puberty, race, sexuality, and the list goes on, adolescent literature helps students to learn and live vicariously through the texts they are studying. With a wide variety of genres, adolescent literature also provides the opportunity for diversity and exposure to new categories of reading. The literature gives teachers the opportunity to present the different critical approaches to text at a level that students are ready to access. Teachers can use adolescent literature as a great pairing resource to canon literature. Additionally, adolescent literature is an outlet where students can learn about advocating for themselves. Young adult fiction is often under the fire of censorship and becomes known as "banned books." Students can learn about the political factors at play that attempt to prevent them from reading texts that were written specifically for their age group. From my time learning about the significance of adolescent literature, I now feel more equipped for presenting accessible literature and meaningful conversations to my students.

As for my own development, college has given me plenty of opportunities to work one-on-one with students. This semester, the chance came about through my Creating Inclusive Classrooms course. The class focuses on Special Education, and I was lucky to be placed in a 6-8th grade EC classroom. Being a Secondary English Education major, I feel honored to have the chance to work with a group of students with whom I may not normally have experience. My time in the middle school has consisted of one-on-one time with students where I have been able to provide tutoring. The students in the classroom are overcoming intellectual and learning disabilities that give them major setbacks in their general education courses. Working alongside these middle schoolers has given me a deeper understanding of the cycle of setbacks that students face. Often times, students that are considered EC are misunderstood as lazy in their general education courses because they may need to work at a much slower pace than their peers. I have seen first hand that students with learning disabilities work very hard, and often harder than their general education peers to keep up with their classmates. Still, when students start to fall behind in their classrooms, and they see their grades slip despite hard work, many children begin to fall behind. I know I will carry my experiences from the EC classroom into my general education class. I am learning how to be a more supportive teacher for students who have differentiated learning needs.

The past year has brought along the opportunity to grow as a leader. After coming to Appalachian State, I loved most everything that my school had to offer. Becoming adjusted to the community, I took on leadership studies through the Emerging Leaders program and began volunteering in the Multicultural Center and with the Appalachian Educators. I loved being involved but wanted to be a part of something like the Catalyst Conference, a conference that had influenced my life as an adolescent. I saw a need on our campus for a social justice conference for high school students. That is why we decided to start the Appalachian Socail Justice Summit. The Diversity Committee, through the support of Appalachian Educators, gave me the platform I needed. What I learned about leadership through my experience on committee chair is that if there is a need, leaders make changes, and if there is work to be done, leaders step up and go the extra mile. Along with my co-chair leader, going the extra mile was exactly what we did. Two people planning a weekend-long conference for high-school students is as exhausting and daunting as it sounds. It required long nights of work, extreme organization and planning, and a whole lot of teamwork. Just when I thought that we were not going to make it, I remembered back to the Catalyst Conference and the difference it had made in my own life. I knew it would be worth the effort. From that experience, I learned so much about myself as a leader and as an advocate for youth. I know first hand how important it is for students to have meaningful experiences outside of the classroom setting that connects them to the topics that they are passionate about.

Appalachian State University has given me these experiences and more in and outside of the classroom. From my curriculum to internships and leadership roles, I am becoming a more well-rounded, well-equipped educator every day. I am thankful for the opportunities that I have due to the financial assistance of the James Patterson Scholarship. Thank you for your continued support.