It is said that life is filled with many experiences that ultimately have us changing and shaping our identity. In the past few years, I have changed from student to tutor and from tutor to educator. In his poem, "in front of the class", Nuyorican poet, musician and educator Bonafide Rojas states: "i tell them to use their connections, intern somewhere learn to live live to write write to love love to learn" (Rojas 116) These are words that I constantly take into consideration when teaching my students. Making connections and using them to help us understand what is new to us is a key to succeeding in any of our goals in life. As Rojas states in his poem, "i have traveled as many roads / as they have" (115), I know what it is to be a student and to have faced many problems. As their educator, I try to help my students make whatever connections they need between what they know and what is being discussed in class so they can have a better grasp of their surroundings.
After teaching INGL3103 and INGL3104 for three semesters now, I have come to understand that by using connections we as educators can help students understand the world around them. Staying up to date on everything from academia to politics and even pop culture, especially pop culture, can we better engage with learners. At the beginning of every semester, I hand pupils index cards asking for their regular information such as name and field of study. In this card, I also ask them to write down their interests and hobbies. I tell them to fill out the rest of card with such information so I can get to know them and use that information in order to make connections as the class progresses.
In the following portfolio, I will show my growth as an educator and mentor in parallel to the teaching domains. I will explain how I have managed to use technology, creativity and connections in order to help learners better understand the world around them while perfecting their English skills. Hopefully, I have been able to help them achieve their goals or at least serve as an inspiration in their formation as future professionals as we all need an inspiration or a guide that can lead us excellence.