Kristin's information
I am a newly qualified teacher through New York State and a recent graduate from College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York with a great passion for teaching and history. The degree I received from the College of Saint Rose was a Bachelor of Arts in History & Adolescent Education. My New York State certification is in Adolescent Education in History for grades 7-12. Although my certification is from New York State, in the United States as a whole, I am qualified to teach students from ages twelve to eighteen.
Being a teacher is the greatest passion in my life. I like to create and execute lessons that meet the needs of every student in my classroom. Rather than teaching using only direct instruction, I believe that students should be active participants in their learning. Students should explore history for themselves and not be forced fed information. I believe the classroom is a place where students should feel comfortable learning. The more comfortable students feel in the classroom, the more students will ask questions. I also believe that what students learn in the classroom should be related to modern day events and situations. This helps students to better understand and process the information they are learning. When possible, I like to incorporate the use of technology (Power Point slides, the internet, etc.) in the classroom. Students greatly benefit from the use of technology in the classroom.
History is my second passion in life especially when it comes to European, English, and American history. In the autumn 2005 term, I had the opportunity to study abroad in London, where I completed history requirements need for my degree. I absolutely fell in love with London and all it has to offer. Whilst studying in London, I had the opportunity to study life in England under Roman rule. This course required studying Roman ruins in various parts of England. Some of the places we went were Newcastle, Hadrian\'s Wall, and Lullingstone Villa in Kent. I liked the fact that England is a place where history comes to life right before a student\'s eyes. I feel as though London is my second home and I would love nothing more than to relocate to London or the areas outside London that are only a train ride away.
In the first two years of college, I volunteered tutored students in grades four to six in Language Arts after school. In my teacher education training, I taught at a public school in grades nine and ten teaching World History and at an all girls Catholic high school in grade eleven where I taught American History. I believe that since I have not really taught in New York State for a long time or anywhere else in the United States, I will have no trouble adjusting to neither England’s curriculum nor life in England as well.