Introduction

My name is Bethany Kolkebeck and I am a junior Early Childhood Education major & TESOL minor.  I hope to teach 1^st grade somewhere in Illinois and then in different places overseas (maybe 1-2 years each?).  I’m not really sure where I’ll end up but I would like to teach in many different contexts and cultures.  I’d love to teach kids that live in severe poverty or children in another country that otherwise wouldn’t receive an education.  I really just want to love kids and make a difference in their lives.  I find high-need areas to be extremely challenging and rewarding.  I’m hoping to learn a lot in this class that can prepare me for my future endeavors.  I want to have a well-rounded knowledge of theory and research that I know how to successfully implement in the classroom.  I want to be up-to-date on best practices in teaching language.