I could not have been many days into kindergarten when I first met Ms. Bucholtz. Her straight black hair hung just beside her eyes and her leggings were hidden beneath an oversized, stripped tee-shirt in earth tones. Looking down at my own legging-clad legs I knew that the woman smiling intriguingly at the front of the room was going to be my friend; after all as a kindergartner you think that you are at school to make friends, not to learn anything. Her classroom was to become a place where I would learn that just because you do not possess any natural talent in a subject does not mean that you are a failure. I would also learn that cooperation got you farther than stubborn independence, and that beautiful music could come of it. Ms. Bucholtz was an excellent teacher; she was kind and patient and genuinely invested in her students’ lives and well being. Personality was her strength and it carried her through everything. Each child in our classroom was mesmerized by the energy and enthusiasm with which she taught. In learning to become an effective teacher I can better reflect on the tactics that I believe made Ms. Bucholtz such a positive role model in my educational experience. Her love of children and wholesome attitude made her approachable; it seemed that whatever you presented to her she was able to talk through with you. As a teacher I aspire to have the same impact on my students, I hope that my passion for the subject matter and the success of my students will be conveyed through my lesson plans and classroom systems. I recognize and fully appreciate the benefit of having a classroom oriented towards students’ success and confidence building, while maintaining structure and regulations to ensure a safe and academically respectful environment. I hope that I will be able to tap into my own creative side as I believe it is extremely beneficial to elementary school students to have a role model who is not always business but with whom they can connect and bond.
Jana daSilva
Elementary Education and Human Development
Boston College Lynch School of Education 2008
feel free to contact me at dasilvje@bc.edu