Helping

Tap Paper
3rd quarter
3/21/13
TAP Paper
The opportunity of being a tap student for Mrs. Teberg’s fourth grade class has been an amazing experience for me so far. It is an experience I feel each student in our high school should consider. To many it will boost their self confidence in being around a younger group of people, as well as creating a mind set of helping others succeed. When I was in first grade I remember a similar experience where I was able to team up with a mentor as well as my whole class. I remember seeing my mentor as a person of strength and someone I could look to for help with my work. It was very valuable to me as a youngster. As a tap student, I am able to help students with schoolwork and help them enjoy school when they are feeling down. Just the other week I was able to lift this kid up emotionally as he was very stressed about his schoolwork which was due the next day. It was good for me to be able to do that. I am also able to help Mrs. Teberg with her duties as a teacher. For instance, I helped her file papers, grade papers, decorate the class room, and take down decorations as well.
On some occasions I even shared treats with the class. Some things that I have observed while tapping for my tap grade are in a way very simple; the first being your smile. I’ve observed that a smile can brighten up anyone’s day. It also reminded me that when any human smiles it releases a chemical in one’s body that creates a happy scene of attitude in them. To a young kid, such as a fourth grader, looking up to an older person as a leader is a gigantic help to them and their life. Some things I’ve learned about myself include my ability to put myself in their shoes. As they struggle with their work, I remember how I needed help with my homework. I’ve learned that it is to my benefit along with the students’ benefit to get down to their level. By this I mean actually squatting down and seeing them eye to eye. What that does for any person is actually non-verbally telling them “hey I am thinking at the same level you are, I know what you need and I’m able to help in any way” it shows no superiority, which for young learners, I feel is key. My thoughts on teaching are simple. It needs to be done and it does by all means take a special person to have the true ability to teach any mind. In society today there are many gifted teachers which hold a special talent. That talent is having the ability to teach through all means of a student’s career in school. There are some teachers in society today who cannot teach and do not seem to be giving full efforts to what they have once worked so hard to get. I’m thankful for the teachers in my life who have gone above and beyond to help me understand difficult concepts. I have never thought of becoming a teacher. I have never seen myself as having the ability to be in a school environment for more than twelve years. My thoughts for the future are tech. school. I see myself going to a technical college for sales and marketing. That set aside, this experience as being a TAP student has given me some insight as to what teaching involves, even though I feel I only scraped the surface. Though I only scraped the surface, it has been a wonderful experience for me and has by all means helped me learn a little more about my self and what I am capable of accomplishing as a young adult. I have enjoyed this experience and even though I have a few more months left of tapping I am happy to help Mrs. Teberg.