Welcome!
Thanks for visiting my Teaching Page. I'm fortunate to be teaching 11th and 12 grade high school English. It's an honor to be part of the lives of young people as they build their identities and discover their passions. In many ways I don't call myself their "teacher" but their guide—by the time they're in my classroom, many already have their life-maps fleshed out, and only need help from a more experienced lifer to spot the pitfalls and dangers ahead.
As you navigate through my page you'll find links to my other works, as well as my teaching philosophy and the teaching standards I hold most dear.
Thanks again!
Ms. T
My Philosophy
I'm a secondary English educator with a philosophical emphasis on self-reliance and principles of constructivism. I think that part of the process of retaining knowledge is through building onto one's existing foundation and embracing each individual's unique experiences, beliefs, and methods in understanding. As an educator, I want students to see how and why literature can be a link between history and art. I implore we share our perception of the world, so that one day it might project what we see onto screens, books, or canvases. Then, maybe others can catch a glimpse from our perch.
I believe learning is an active process, social activity, contextual, and very personal.
Learning is a verb. We do it, plain and simple. Each of us have different needs and ways to absorb new material. So, I do my best to cast my students a broad net. Not because I'm afraid they'll fail if I don't, but because I know the learning process is always in motion, and one-dimensional choreography (aka line dancing) just isn't my style.
I believe knowledge is built upon other knowledge.
We all come from different walks of life with different pasts, insight, and values. I'm not interested in teaching students to forget who they are, where they come from, or what they believe. I am interested in helping them figure out how to best work with what they've got. Together, we sharpen their tools, patch some of their shoddier holes, and scaffold for understanding as needed.
I believe learning is an active process, social activity, contextual, and very personal.
Whether adults want to admit it or not, if we weren't motivated in high school, we didn't retain much either. I create engaging, thought-provoking material that mix history, art, and life-lessons whenever possible. I encourage everyone to share stories - I tell them about myself, what I've seen, and some of the blunders I've made along the way.
The humanness of how we see ourselves and each other is often motivation enough. Sometimes it all clicks. Sometimes it doesn't. But what matters is the motivation that often sparks within my classes. Some students may not remember the unit, the assignment, or even the target objective. But they will remember the subject matter and how it made them feel. And to me, that's motivational learning at it's finest.
"The best teachers are those who tell you where to look, but not what to see."
~Unknown
My Standards
As an experienced educator, I have developed a set of high standards for myself that shape my teaching philosophy and guide my classroom practices. These standards are not merely a set of rules to follow; rather, they serve as a compass that directs me towards achieving academic excellence and personal growth. By creating an inclusive environment, fostering critical thinking and communication skills, and nurturing curiosity, I strive to prepare my students to be successful individuals capable of making meaningful contributions to society.
Becoming a teacher is not merely a profession, but a calling to make a lasting impact on the lives of young minds.
~ Tera Johnson-Swartz
Cultivating Teacher Identity and Agency
For some, it can take a lifetime to know who you really are. I've known since I was a child, though I spent decades trying to hide it. Now, I embrace my true self - my core values of adventure, self-discovery, courage, honesty, and love.
I am a warrior.
I wake up every day and put on my war paint. I march to life's battlefield to do whatever needs to be done - feed the hungry, aid the sick, protect the fallen. I don't wait for permission and I don't yield out of fear. Some days I come with an army of supporters, others I come all alone. But I show up.
I'm not about winning, I'm about living.
And that's everything I could hope to instill in the hearts of my students.
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."
~ Aristotle
Supporting Students Across Their Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs
We all have different wants and needs, and even greater differing ways in which to achieve them. What I want most is for students to recall their learning experience in my classroom as one they found grounding, safe, and free to explore content, perspectives, the world, and themselves.
I want participation, authenticity, and respect.
I tell my students from day one, I give them exactly what I expect to get in return. I don't expect 100% perfection, but I do expect 100% effort. Every day I participate in conversations, tasks, and routines I sometimes don't particularly love. But that's okay. I still show up - and that's half of the battle. I ask them to be real with me - as real as I am with them. Don't tell me you're "fine" when you're not. And don't tell me you "get it" when you don't. Authenticity is what stands out most in the workplace. It's how I've gotten 98% of the jobs I've had in my life. And as for respect...well...I don't ask for it, I demand it. Not because I'm some big hotshot know-it-all teacher. But because I have enough self-respect and dignity to demand nothing less and I tell my students to demand the same from me and anyone else they encounter in their lifetimes.
"When people support each other, incredible things happen."
~ Unknown
Designing and Implementing High-Quality Lessons Aligned to Standards Relevant to District, School, and Content Needs
Some of my most memorable school days were those that left a mark on my emotional soul. The way a discussion or lesson made me feel resonated far longer than the test or the essay, and in my humblest opinion, that should be the standard for all educators. With each of my units I douse the more boring parts with as much humor and raw emotion as possible. Because I remember when my biology teacher told us that engrams are memory traces in the brain - he told us this between laughs while he paced the room and talked about ADHD and how that may or may not have been caused by the lead in the paint chips he nibbled as a child.
Students might not remember everything about a lesson, but they will remember how it made them feel.
My units are part history, art, and a lot of life skills related to problem based learning. I give students the breadth to define and absorb what they need to make their lives fuller and richer. Maybe they won't remember all of the lessons in American Transcendentalism and Gothic lit, or the mere basis of the papers they wrote. But I'm confident they'll remember the way they felt as we met or exceeded the Colorado State Standards of Reading, Writing, and Communicating.
"Courage is grace under pressure."
~ Ernest Hemingway
Designing and Implementing Appropriate Measures of Student Growth
Sometimes I still catch myself comparing my teaching style and lesson plans to that of other educators. But what stops me, is the reminder that if I'm truly measuring a student's growth, it should be against themselves and their goals - not their peers. Life experiences, successes, and setbacks simply aren't designed for a one-size-fits-all, so why should learning?
Students will be encouraged to track their own growth patterns - without comparing themselves to others.
At the beginning of the year I have students show me an example of their best work. I look closely at what areas I believe I can improve over the course of a semester and year and roll up my sleeves to see how and where we can work together to achieve those individual goals. Some students need more help than others. Some simply need the validation that they're on the right track. Whatever they need, I'm here to be the cheerleader, the coach, or the drill sergeant. Each student gets to choose which hat I'll be wearing during our academic journey.