My name is Stephanie and I am from the Fairmont area. If given the choice, I would choose either 1st or 3rd grade to teach. Teaching the younger ages has always appealed to me, but after participating in FSU Reads I also have found I enjoy the older kids as well. The subject I would love to be able to teach is reading. There are so many different ways to approach the subject and I believe that fostering a love for reading is extremely important.
I believe that children learn based on the atmosphere and enthusiasm provided by the teacher. If there is a teacher who dislikes what they're teaching then why wouldn't the students feel the same way about it? Children are influenced so much by adults and I don't think we take that into consideration as much as we should when we deal with them. They need to be enjoying what they're doing that way they will want to learn. I think that we should try to make their learning experience fun while still being educational. Ways that is possible is through different types of activities that keep them engaged while learning such as group  activities, art projects, and even music that can correspond with the given lesson or skill.