About Me...

My name is Erica Burrell. I am a junior at the University of South Alabama. I am majoring in Elementary Education. I plan to graduate in Fall 2011. I have wanted to be a teacher since second grade. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Powe, inspired me. She also made a difference in my life. Like her, I would love to make a difference my students' lives!

My Personal Philosophy of Teaching

I have identified my teaching values. The values that I have chosen are most important to me. When I become a teacher, I plan to stand by my values. My values are as follows:

Respect for others. My personal definition of this value would be to treat people the way that I would like to be treated. I feel that respect is a very important aspect to life. Without respect, some of us would not be the people that we are today. This value will affect my teaching in a positive way. When I show students, parents, and colleagues a great amount of respect, hopefully I will receive the same in return.

Leadership. In my opinion, leadership means to be a good role model. Leadership allows people to look at you as a leader. When I demonstrate leadership to my students, I will show them that students can be leaders as well.

Commitment. I believe that commitment is a wonderful teaching value. By being committed, you stay true to what you are supposed to do. I will always tell my students that once they agree to do something, then they should stay focused and committed. They should also work hard at what they are doing.

Intelligence. Being intelligent is a plus when it comes to teaching. I will tell my students to share their knowledge because knowledge is, in fact, power!

Personal Development. In my opinion, personal development helps a person grow in life. As each day passes, you will know more than you did the day before. I will always tell my students to learn from their mistakes and continue to grow personally.

In all, my priorities are to teach and learn from my students. I would like to make a difference in their lives and I hope they make a difference in mine. Students can expect a kind, heart-warming, caring, and helpful teacher. With that being said, this is my teaching philosophy.