Henley Shull

hps3uw@virginia.edu

To whom it may concern,

I want to be a part of your school community, because I believe that every child deserves equal
access to quality education, and I can help make that a reality. As an educator, I have the
opportunity to provide each and every student in my classroom a window to success through
quality education. I believe that I can equip my future students with the tools they need to be
successful inside and outside of the classroom.

Through my education at the University of Virginia, my practicum placements, and my

substitute teaching experience I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of learners.
Fostering a classroom environment that values diversity of all kinds is a goal that I plan to
achieve in my future classrooms. It is extremely important that all learners explore and task risks
in their classrooms, and I believe that valuing diversity allows students to feel comfortable
enough to do so.

Forming quality relationships with my students within the first two weeks is another goal of
mine that I want to achieve in my classroom. The relationship that I have with my students will
influence other aspects of their educational experience in my classroom. Establishing caring
relationships that are built on mutual respect is a top priority for me.

Providing students opportunities to discuss elements of their lives in and outside of the classroom
is key to building a classroom community. Regardless of the grade level, I think that coming
together as a community and sharing information about ourselves can be done efficiently and
effectively through different activities at morning meeting. Sharing information about myself and
allowing students to do the same will help us establish mutual respect for each other.

Since I started working with children in a variety of settings, I knew that teaching is the
profession for me. Being able to witness learning take place, having the opportunity to influence
students’ lives inside and outside of the classroom, and being able to send my kids off with a
smile everyday are just three of the reasons I continue to teach. Developing young influential
learners into caring, global citizens will always be my passion. Thank you, and feel free to
contact me with any questions about my philosophy of teaching and prior experience.

Sincerely,
Henley Shull
University of Virginia, Curry School of Education, Class of 2017