 Eileen DulmerGrade 3
My name is Mrs. Eileen Dulmer and I have had a teaching position at Chester Andover Elementary School for 10.5 years. I have lived in Chester for 34 years. My philosophy of education is that all children want to learn and have fun. I would have to say that my classroom is run in the middle of constructivism and cognitivism and maybe a splash of behaviorism. I realized, as a learner and a teacher, I would not function on a strict diet of any one method. There are many experiences that are involved in teaching children, both on a personal level and on a professional level. To be successful with children, I feel, a teacher must be able to blend the lessons learned and apply them to the classroom situation.
Academically, I didn’t go back to school until my youngest children were in first grade. I then decided I would chip away at my degree knowing that my children were my inspiration to succeed. I knew that children learn from experience and the best example would be from me and finishing what I had started long ago. I graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science in Education, from Johnson State College and shared my success with my whole family. I not only had a degree, but I also realized how much I enjoyed the whole process of learning. I taught for a few years and set a personal goal to get my Master’s in Education. I received my Master's Degree in Math Instruction and Curriculum Design, from the University of Vermont.
Personally, I have successfully raised four children to adulthood with children of their own. All four of my children attended Chester schools, from C.A.E.S. through high school at Green Mountain Union High. From this experience I learned to show patience, understanding and that children from the same family act and learn very differently.
I feel all children are learners, and it is our responsibility to provide each child with a learning environment. From the very early years of a child’s life, learning begins and the process should never be terminated.
I know that the first process of learning is acquired through environment and family. As the child grows so does the sophistication of his/her questions. The child must be provided with an environment to fulfill these needs. The school, along with parents, must meet these needs.
I feel in the primary years of a child’s formal education the tone for future learning may be set. The primary teacher may be the first person to take the child through this new process of gaining and storing information. The teacher’s responsibility is to guide the student through the beginning of this process. It is also the job of the teacher to be compassionate and understanding when the time arises. A positive reinforcement can encourage a child to persevere when they want to give up. The teacher must plant the seed of learning and keep it growing.
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