1: Introduction and Course/Program Goals

My name is Elizabeth Ann Miskelly. I graduated in May from Mississippi State with a degree in Business Administration. My family has a furniture business so I think I spent my four years of college convincing myself that I wanted to pursue a career in the business world. I spent all of the spring and summer traveling and interviewing for different positions only to realize that this was not at all what I wanted to spend my life doing. At the end of the summer I began to look into the different routes I could take to becoming a teacher. When I found out about the MAT-M program through Mississippi State it was exactly the type of program I was interested in. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you as we start this new chapter of our lives together.

Since we haven't met yet here are a few things I enjoy: traveling (not necessarily to different countries but anytime a road trip opportunity arises, I am the first one to agree to go), riding hunter jumper horses, training riders, and going to horse shows, and finally, tutoring and babysitting some of the cutest kids on Earth.

Some goals I have set for myself include learning as much as I can about becoming a future educator. I have a business background so I feel as if I am totally clueless when it comes to all of this right now. I want to learn how to understand middle school students today and their way of thinking in order to be able to teach them to the best of my ability. Finally, I want to set a goal of having a 4.0.
My general expectations for this class include learning how to manage a classroom of middle schoold students as well as how to teach a diverse classroom.

Three things middle school teachers do that are beneficial to the overall learning experience of middle school students-
1. They teach the students how to be independent in their studies and thought process
2. They expect the students to be responsible with their work and due dates
3. They let the students take responsibility for their actions instead of "baby-ing" them through middle school

Three things middle school teachers do that are detrimental to the overall learning experience of middle school students-
1. They treat students as a group instead of as individuals
2. They expect students to be independent without first teaching them ways to stay organized and on top of assignments
3. They do not cater to the ever-increasing diversity in the classroom

I think that I can offer the class community with feedback and hopefully some notes from in-class experience. I am on several substitute lists for schools in my area and if there is anyone in the class like me who has no in-class experience I hope that I will be able to share with you all what I observe and that we can learn together from it.