PARENTS' PAGE
WHO IS MRS. SMITH
6th GRADE TEACHER
AT MOODY MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBJECTS Pre-AP/Advanced History Teacher Technology Teacher ABOUT MRS. SMITH
Mrs. Smith grew up in Opelika, Alabama. She attended Auburn University majoring in music performance. While living in Auburn, she married and had her first two children. She worked with the Opelika - Auburn Homeschool Association teaching literature. In 2007, her husband took a job in St. Clair County. The family moved to Moody and soon after the move, Mrs. Smith had her third child. In 2009, Mrs. Smith enrolled at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education in 2011. Mrs. Smith currently teaches 6th grade Social Studies and specializes in technology education. She loves traveling and going on adventures with her family. She enjoys shows, movies, and books of the fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural, and dystopian genres. Mrs. Smith is a big Auburn Football fan; a comic book geek, and a tech nerd.
Her favorite thing about teaching is getting kids pumped up about learning. “I love teaching them the things they need to know using the things they already love.” PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY
The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence. ~ Denis Waitley ~ Great teachers do not chose to be teachers. Teaching choses them. When you are called to teach, you know that you have a mission and that nothing in the world seems right unless you are engaged in accomplishing that mission. You can feel like giving up or even say you are giving up, but something inside you won’t let you. People have different words for “the calling”, but whether you call it passion, obsession, or insanity, one thing remains constant. Everything you do and everything you are is about doing what is best for children and preparing them to be positive contributors and future leaders of our society.
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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
~ Maimonides ~
My teaching philosophy can best be described as progressive. I believe that we, as educators, have one goal. This goal is to prepare students to become positive contributors to our world and future leaders in our society. There is only one way to properly attain this goal. Educators must provide a safe learning environment with authentic learning experiences designed to maximize student potential.
I believe it is more important to teach students skills than content. Students who have been taught literacy skills, study skills, test taking skills, social skills, critical thinking skills, technology skills, and problem solving skills have the tools they need to become life long learners. They will know how to search the answers to their own questions and will be motivated to use their knowledge to make our world a better place. Students who possess these skills will be able to compete and thrive in an ever changing world
I believe teaching students is the most challenging job in the world. We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet! Technology is developing faster than we can teach it. This is why I believe it is crucial to teach our students about technology. It is the most sought after skill by every employer in every occupation. Students who are knowledgeable in technology are able to compete for high paying jobs and will enjoy job security as adults.
LITERACY SKILLS
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
~ Nelson Mandela ~
~ Nelson Mandela ~
I teach a variety of literacy skills in my classes including:
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INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
~ Benjamin Franklin ~
~ Benjamin Franklin ~
I use a variety of instructional tools in my classrooms. I work hard to design lessons where students are involved in their own learning. I want them to experience history so that they truly learn from it! Some of the instructional tools I use include:
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EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES
Everything that is past is either a learning experience to grow on, a beautiful memory to reflect on, or a motivating factor to act upon.
~ Denis Waitley ~
~ Denis Waitley ~
I use a variety of progressive instructional strategies in the classroom to allow students to experience and learn from history including:
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