Christina LeonChristina Leon is a freshman at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. She is majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Secondary Education to pursue a career as a high school math teacher. She is from Franklin Park, a northwest suburb of Chicago, and went to East Leyden High School. She has recently been named a 2016 Golden Apple Scholar and hopes to teach in a school of need.
It wasn’t until eighth grade when she realized she wanted to pursue teaching. She was inspired by her eighth grade math teacher, who was also a Golden Apple Scholar. She is passionate about helping people and being able to make positive impacts on the lives of her future students. Christina took EDUC 201 to explore the new community she was coming into as a freshman. She didn’t know what to expect from the class but was happy to have made the connections she made through volunteering with Don Moyers Boys and Girls Club Reading Partners Program. She hopes to continue volunteering within the community to make more connections and eventually be considered as a member of the community. |
Student Voices with Christina Leon
On Planning For Her Future
My ideal location would be to work in Chicago Public Schools. I have always been wanted to help kids in need and a lot of kids in CPS are the ones who need it the most. I am a finalist for a scholarship that entitles me to work in a school of need for 5 years after I graduate from college (Golden Apple Scholarship), but even if I don't get this scholarship I still plan on working at a school of need. Chicago Public Schools are not the only schools that are considered schools of need. Many schools in the suburbs qualify as schools of needs. By definition a school of need is when more than 30% of its students are on free or reduced lunch. But in my opinion a school of need is defined by more than just their students’ family income. It is defined by what their students are capable of and what they are lacking. Many students in schools of need do not meet or exceed standards set by the state and I feel like working in a school where students are not meeting those standards would be very fulfilling for me. I have actually used the Illinois Report Card website before and looking at schools near my own neighborhood was very shocking. When you are not looking at schools from a student perspective you learn a lot and see that some schools are in need more than others, which could be something you never expected. I feel like working in a community in which is in need of qualified teachers would be beneficial for its students because they can be lacking that push and motivation from an adult figure to do well in school.
As a future educator I hope to teach my students not only the basic understanding of mathematics, but also the basic understanding of how to succeed in life and to follow their dreams, no matter how hard they may seem. Working at a school of need may mean that I would have to work harder to make connections with my students because I would have to gain their trust first before I am able to teach them the things they so desperately need to learn. As I teach them I hope that they also teach me. I want to become the best teacher possible, and I know I will grow as a teacher whenever I am put into situations that I have never dealt with before. I will make connections with my students and become a part of their community so that I am able to make a bigger impact and motivate students to become more successful.
Working in CPS, or any school of need, I know that I will be faced with many issues. Some may include resistance to do work, the inability to do work, ditching, or even violence. Even though at this point in my life I don't know what I would do if these situations arose, I know that eventually I will be able to learn how to manage and deal with anything that happens in my classroom. I know that I will learn by experiencing these situations and by learning from my fellow colleagues. As a teacher you never stop learning, each day is a new day brought with new learning experiences.
As a future educator I hope to teach my students not only the basic understanding of mathematics, but also the basic understanding of how to succeed in life and to follow their dreams, no matter how hard they may seem. Working at a school of need may mean that I would have to work harder to make connections with my students because I would have to gain their trust first before I am able to teach them the things they so desperately need to learn. As I teach them I hope that they also teach me. I want to become the best teacher possible, and I know I will grow as a teacher whenever I am put into situations that I have never dealt with before. I will make connections with my students and become a part of their community so that I am able to make a bigger impact and motivate students to become more successful.
Working in CPS, or any school of need, I know that I will be faced with many issues. Some may include resistance to do work, the inability to do work, ditching, or even violence. Even though at this point in my life I don't know what I would do if these situations arose, I know that eventually I will be able to learn how to manage and deal with anything that happens in my classroom. I know that I will learn by experiencing these situations and by learning from my fellow colleagues. As a teacher you never stop learning, each day is a new day brought with new learning experiences.