Ms. Colena Jenkins
Teaching Philosophy
“To teach is to touch a life forever”- anonymous. As a teacher, I want to be able to change one child’s life in some way, either inside or outside of the classroom. As a teacher, I show why school and life skills are meaningful in a child’s life, showing that every child has strong skills to benefit them in their schoolwork. Strategies I use are hands-on, and I illustrate how these strategies work both in and outside of the classroom. I believe students should work as: partners, groups, buddy systems, and alone. Students should learn how to work independently and with others in many different situations.
In the classroom, I use hand motions to communicate with the students. I use the “close your eyes and raise your hand if you know the answer” technique. I believe this way helps with different students who are struggling or embarrassed to admit they are working. I love the “thumbs up or thumbs down” method where the students are directing the classroom. There should be a buddy system in school where the students get a partner with a class from a lower grade level, and they work together on special projects or activities.
As a teacher, I always want feedback from my parents and students. I have the students tell me if they liked the lesson or the project. I love to see what the students like to do and how they love to learn; my classroom is a place of collaboration between teacher and students. Parents can give feedback, and I send home a feedback sheet each quarter or semester if they have any questions or concerns. Teachers are constantly learning and learning how to change benefits their students.
Being a teacher is very important to me because, as a child, I always struggled with learning in a specific way, and I had some fantastic teachers who would help me. I want every child to feel essential and purposeful in my classroom. I will learn from others and watch other teachers. We are shaping these young students into adults of America. As a teacher, we can never give up on our students; every student should know that their teacher will help them to the end. I will always fight for my students and let them know their worth in my classroom. I want to be the best leader I can be for my students. I want to keep my students motivate and help them strive to their best ability. For them to have their best outcome starts with me.
Overview of Curriculum
In ELA (English Language Arts), we use Journey’s book, and the students are taught whole and small group instruction. We are working on differentiating phonics/vocabulary reader, comprehension, phonics, and fluency. Learning how to make connections, write to persuade and different parts of speech.
In Math, we use the McGraw Hill Math book in second grade. We learn how to add two and three digits numbers. Learn how to create different graphs such as picture, bar, and tally marks graphs.
In Social Studies, we learn about people in the community. We know about the government and how the government works. Learn about the different essential workers.
In Religion, the students learn to prepare for the two sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion.
In Science, we focus on physical science and the way things work. We use student guides and do scientific experiments. Topics we discuss are physical properties of matter, observing rocks and minerals, forces, and work. By the end of the year, we learn even about different types of birds.
Educational Background and Experience
- BA in Education Studies from Gwynedd Mercy University
- Attending Gwynedd Mercy University for a Master’s Degree in Education
- Orton-Gillingham Certified Reading Specialist