Brandi McGinnes

December 8, 2016
SPED 3310
Final Reflection

To the District Superintendent of Providence Public School District:

During my time at the University of Texas at El Paso, I feel I have made exponential
growth as an educator. I focused my time studying with a concentration in Generalist instruction
for grades 4-8 and I have always been very confident in my choice. I can say I never doubted my
decision to teach the middle grades in what some might call a traditional setting until I had the
opportunity to explore outside the traditional classroom. I have always done research on learning
disorders and children that come from different backgrounds as a part of the goal I have set for
myself to ultimately become an ambassador and advocate for all students in the American
education system. As a parent I felt the need to know the standards for development and be
prepared for possible outcomes as my child grew; from the mild to severe. By the time I finished
my formal education I had a new point of view and a glorious realization.
As a student I became familiar with the formal education standards that built my
foundation. I developed my ability to create lesson plans that were grade appropriate and
engaging, my ambition was always to make the students think in a way that they hadnt before;
to sort of take what they knew and turn it upside down. As someone with an interest in
multicultural education, I want to help others see the world from the viewpoint of others. To
appreciate anothers experience brings us closer to acceptance and respect for those that are

different from us. During the many courses I have taken as a student combined with my in-class
experience and individual self discovery, I have found helpful strategies and important resources
for teaching. I have also found the unique benefit that peers can bring to my classroom. I will
always value the contribution that my peers and superiors offer after seeing how much it can
change the outcome of a task.
I am an excellent candidate for a teaching position because I recognize the standards and
test taking serve a purpose for educators from a polaroid perspective, where I stand apart is my
ability to also acknowledge the much larger picture of education. I have learned how to be
inclusive, responsive, and commutative while interacting with students and their parents. I
understand that learning doesnt end when a student leaves a classroom, and I know that there a
more lesson to be taught than can be found in a textbook. My biggest achievement as an educator
is not every student achieving high standardized test scores, my biggest achievement lies in the
journey the student takes in discovering that their self worth lies in their own hands; noncontingent on the opinions or standards of others.

Sincerely,
Brandi McGinnes