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Hunter Hall
Dr. Trupe
PDP-450
6 December 2015
Reflection Essay
It would be an understatement to say that I have grown as an individual over my years at
Bridgewater College. I am graduating from the college as a much different individual than I was
when I entered. I am also graduating with an entirely different degree from an entirely different
major of study than I thought I would be when I started at Bridgewater. I entered Bridgewater
College with the intentions of spending my four years in the Health and Exercise Science
Program. My intentions in that program were to work towards the ultimate goal of becoming a
pediatric physical therapist.
Within my artifacts, there is an assignment that was completed during my second year in
the Health and Exercise Science program before I switched my major. The assignment was about
my information and expectations at the beginning of what was either a biology or exercise
science class. Looking at the assignment now, I can hardly believe that the information I put
about myself ever actually applied to me. During that time, I worked at Good Shepherd School
and Daycare to gain experience working with children; however, it is through that experience
that I discovered my love for teaching and switched my major.
Since that point, I have experienced the most intellectual growth overall in my teaching
philosophy and I have discovered so many strategies for instruction and classroom management.

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My classroom management model is included in my artifacts and shows my entire theory on
classroom management that I developed during my time in the Teacher Education Program.
Through my academic involvement and field experiences, I discovered that I prefer working with
elementary students especially upper elementary or into the sixth grade. Despite my preference
for upper elementary grades, though, I keep receiving praise for my ability to work with
kindergarteners. All of my field experiences, except one in the fourth grade, were all in PreK 2
classrooms, plus the bulk of my work experience was with preschoolers; therefore, it may simply
be experience that lends to my ability to work with students in lower elementary grades. If I do
end up in lower grades, the classroom management model that is in my artifacts will need to be
adjusted kindergarteners cannot be held to the same level of self-discipline or expectations of
intrinsic motivation that upper elementary students can. Also, pertaining to intellectual growth,
my overall GPA has increased by nearly a point after switching majors. I tend to put the most
effort into the things that I love, so it makes sense that my GPA would rise during my
progression through the teaching program.
One thing I specifically learned from the education program is the importance of helping
students make cross-curricular and community connections. For one of my education classes I
had to create an entire unit, and within that unit I had to make a list of cross-curricular and
community connections that were relevant to the unit. The list of connections from my unit is
included in my artifacts. My unit was about early explorers of America, so my community
connections were things like visits to Jamestown and other settlements or having a Native
American speaker come in to visit the class. Many students do not realize that Native American
still exist in modern day society, so it is important to help them realize that and the effect that
explorers and immigrants had on their lives. Through these strategies, I can help my students to

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be responsible members or citizens of their communities. This document also contains strategies
that help students connect learning over to reading and math. Although the connections are
mostly through extending activities that can be completed after main assignments, it still allows
the students to apply learning from one subject to other subjects. During student teaching this
semester I tried to help my students make cross-curricular connections. For example, I taught a
Power Up group that focused on writing enrichment with higher-level readers; so, during the
Native Americans social studies unit I would prompt my Power Up group with fictional picture
books about Native Americans to help them make connections and inspire their writing.
Although being a good member of society is highly important, it is also important to be
an academic citizen that is involved in the school. At Bridgewater I was involved in intramural
sports, club lacrosse, club ultimate Frisbee, the Interfaith Board, the teaching club for future
educators, and CRU. Being involved in these various ways helped me to connect with my peers
through athletics, academics, and faith. In my teaching philosophy I always stress that teachers
need to make connections with their students; therefore, being involved in a wide variety of
activities and interests helps me to connect with peers and students through many different types
of connections. During student teaching I would throw football with my students at recess every
day. Instead of standing around and talking to the other teachers, it helps me to have
conversations with the kids Im throwing with and make connections with them. I was able to
build relationships with many of the 2nd graders at my placement and not just the ones in the
class I taught.
My courses within the Teacher Education Program at Bridgewater College also provided
me with opportunities for ethical development. The Bridgewater TEP required me to complete
my training in regards to child abuse and neglect. The training was on recognizing, reporting and

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responding to students who may be experiencing child abuse or neglect; the certificate of
completion is in my artifacts. Having gone through this training, it is ethically required of me to
report any suspected case of child abuse or neglect that I detect in my classroom or in my school.
I also went through online training for the Virginia State and Local Civic Education Model the
certificate is in my artifacts. Civics helps individuals to me responsible and ethical members of
society; therefore, having completed the training, I am to further promote the aspects of civics in
my classroom and school.
During my course in classroom management at Bridgewater I completed multiple online,
mandatory courses that increased my knowledge in health and wellness related to schools. I
completed online training for the use of an AED, bloodborne pathogen exposure prevention,
CPR and First Aid. This training provides me with the knowledge on how to handle medical
emergencies in my classroom to ensure the safety and health of my students. I always engage
with my students on the playground as well to make sure that I am present in the event of a
student injury. Through throwing football daily with many of the students at my student teaching
location, I am typically present in the event of any injury given my proximity to the students.
Often students who are injured on the playground have to walk all the way over to the teachers to
report the injury, but when I am there I can immediately address the situation when it happens.
Throwing football and running around with my students is also a healthy activity. My
students only have P.E. twice during our 12-day rotation of specials, so I think it is important to
promote exercise when we have time outdoors. This sort of activity is beneficial for me as well,
considering it has only been eight months since I had my ACL replaced and my meniscus
repaired in my right knee. I tore my ACL playing a game of basketball with my friends at
Bridgewaters Funkhouser Center, also known as The Funk, just before Thanksgiving last year. I

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spent quite of a bit of my time on campus during spring semester on crutches and going to
physical therapy. Now that I am able to get around well, I take advantage of any opportunity to
be active. One of my artifacts is a paper written for philosophy that is about healthcare. I was on
crutches at the point in time during which I wrote the paper. I do not recall the score I received
on the paper, but I would think it was good given the amount of time I had recently spent in the
U.S. healthcare system!
Everything I write about these days seems to always relate to teaching and education. My
growth as an individual has been simultaneous with my growth as an educator, so I tend to tie
them both closely together. Changing my major halfway through my time at Bridgewater was the
best decision I made in college. I did make a few poor decisions while at Bridgewater my
Alcohol 101 essay is not included in my artifacts but my good decisions outweigh the bad
ones by far. Both good and bad contributed to my growth as an individual, but I have fully
embraced the good. I foresee a very bright future as an educator as I embark on my next journey
departing from Bridgewater College. I completed my student teaching on Friday and will begin
substitute teaching on Monday, so I am more than ready to enter the real world and apply all that
I have learned.