by Rebekah Rhinehart
I have unofficially been a teacher since the age of three when my parents bought me a chalkboard easel for my birthday. Every day, I would teach my dolls the alphabet. This is where my passion for teaching first began. Throughout the years, my passion has only grown stronger. I value the responsibility I have in a child’s education. I believe that every child has the ability to learn. I feel that I have the skills to reach children on their level and promote their learning success.
To achieve this dream, I looked no further than the education program at the University of West Georgia in Newnan. After participating in Teacher Pipeline throughout my high school career and working in the Coweta County School System, I simply could not pass up the opportunity to be a part of the Newnan campus. Here, I was able to complete my education course work and intern with the finest teachers of the Coweta County School System. At the UWG Newnan center, I was also faced with many professors who “cared” about my success. Most of my professors were actual teachers in the classroom for many, many years. This gave me more opportunity to be successful, because they were able to apply the content to real-life experiences.
I am currently participating in, what I believe, is one of the finest programs and opportunities a future teacher can have. This is a fourth year internship program in which, though I have not received my diploma, I am teaching 19 wonderful students under an expert supervising teacher at Arnco-Sargent Elementary. I am independent in the fact that this is my own classroom, I plan my lessons, and I am responsible for my students’ success. However, I have the unwavering guidance, support, and advice from a marvelous teacher who has been teaching for 14 years. This program perfectly marries learning and teaching, which has made me grow as a teacher much more rapidly than most first-year teachers.
The preparation for teaching that the UWG Newnan has offered me made me the teacher I am today – a teacher cares, reflects, learns, and teaches. Here at Arnco-Sargent, our goal is to promote life-long learners. Because of the opportunities UWG Newnan has given me, I too will be a life-long learner and teacher.
Rebeckah Rhinehart is majoring in early childhood education.
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