Born to Teach

"I always wanted to be a teacher."

by Jennifer Pappas
Edited by: Jo Ann M. Whiteman,
TechEd Times Writer

I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was 10 years old. I did not know what I wanted to teach, nor could I have known what I would end up teaching at that time. I set my goal to become a teacher at that point. I graduated Seabreeze High School, Daytona Beach, FL as an International Bacheloreate student and applied to the University of Central Florida. Once I entered UCF I still did not know "what" I wanted to teach; however, I wanted to do something with computers. Towards the end of my sophomore year it was necessary for me to declare a major. I went into the Education Complex Building and was directed to Dr. Hudson. After talking to him for a few minutes, he decided this was the program for me, as did I. My major was declared before I left his office that day; Technical Education & Industry Training. I breathed a sign of relief as I set up a plan of study; which included the courses I needed to reach my goal.

That summer I got right into my classes where I met Dr. Jo Ann Whiteman. She continued the encouragement and support that Dr. Hudson started. She has always been there for me and all of my fellow classmates through the entire program! She helped to make sure I got to graduation in December 2005, even when new things kept popping up on my degree audit! She also observed me during my internship at Pine Ridge High School, Deltona, FL and was there to share my excitement when I was hired as a Business Education teacher.

I currently teach Digital Design, BST (Business Sytems Technology), and have taught Web Design. In my classroom I use projects created by other teachers in the District called FCAT Connection Projects. These projects not only teach the students necessary skills for the FCAT, but seamlessly incorporate all of the skills they are required to learn in each class. Currently my Digital Design students are working on creating a Flyer, tri-fold brochure, and two page newsletter focusing on teens, informing them about why it is important to stay in school. This includes things such as cost of production, surveys, research and of course the final products of the Flyer, tri-fold brochure, and two page newsletter. In my BST class the students are currently learning about Natural Disasters. They are creating charts with statistical information in Microsoft Excel, writing informative reports in Microsoft Word, and presenting their project using Microsoft PowerPoint. This is incorporating the majority of the programs they learn in my classroom through another FCAT project.

I could not imagine myself outside of the classroom. I love working with my students everyday and love seeing their reactions when they learn just how to place that image and scale it down and the amazement on their faces when they print out a final draft to turn in. They express their sense of accomplishment when they take a blank screen and create a product that in most cases could be sent to a printer for mass production!

I've now started my next educational journey this Spring as a student in the M.A. Vocational Education program.