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I believe one of the most important qualities a teacher can posses is being a leader. To me, a leader is not an all-powerful, dictating force. A leader is someone who works alongside those she is leading, serving as a listener, motivator, and challenger. The leader sets the environment and atmosphere of the classroom, and I feel that it should be one that invites thoughtful comments, creativity, and constructive criticism. As a teacher, it is both my job and duty to lead my students in a way that encourages them to step out of their comfort zones. On this page, I have included my teaching philosophy, my role as a program assistant for Auburn's ePortfolio Project, and my work as a writing center tutor. I believe that these artifacts exemplify diverse aspects of my leadership skills, including my ability to facilitate presentations, create helpful materials for students, lead workshops, and collaborate with those around me. My teaching philosophy is centered on my passion to build not only better readers and writers, but also better students that will continue to grow beyond their time with me. I believe that leaders are willing to take on whatever role is necessary of them in order to best benefit the greater structure, and I hope to model this understanding for my students.
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I believe one of the most important qualities a teacher can posses is being a leader. To me, a leader is not an all-powerful, dictating force. A leader is someone who works alongside those she is leading, serving as a listener, motivator, and challenger. The leader sets the environment and atmosphere of the classroom, and I feel that it should be one that invites thoughtful comments, creativity, and constructive criticism. As a teacher, it is both my job and duty to lead my students in a way that encourages them to step out of their comfort zones. On this page, I have included my teaching philosophy, my role as a program assistant for Auburn's ePortfolio Project, and my work as a writing center tutor. I believe that these artifacts exemplify diverse aspects of my leadership skills, including my ability to facilitate presentations, create helpful materials for students, lead workshops, and collaborate with those around me. My teaching philosophy is centered on my passion to build not only better readers and writers, but also better students that will continue to grow beyond their time with me. I believe that leaders are willing to take on whatever role is necessary of them in order to best benefit the greater structure, and I hope to model this understanding for my students.
Photo Credit: Bev Wade
Hello! My name is Parker Wade, and I am a graduate student in the English Language Arts Education program at Auburn University. I was born and raised in Memphis, TN, and I have a passion for traveling, my friends and family, and teaching. Growing up, whether it was a birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day, or Father's Day, my parents always received a framed "Poem by Parker" as a present. Looking back, the poems were not very good, and my eight-year-old vocabulary was far from impressive, but I loved the challenge of sitting down and piecing together words that rhymed and flowed. At the time, I did not connect my love for writing with a future in teaching English; however, throughout high school, I began to appreciate English as more than just a subject, and I grew to understand the life lessons that each lecture had the ability to hold. I believe that writing is an incredible form of expression, and I want to demonstrate its importance and effectiveness to my future students. My love for reading came later in life when I was 17-years-old and read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers for the first time -- I recommend giving it a try if you have not read it. Since then, my love and appreciation of literature has continued to grow. I believe that literature is a wonderful teaching tool because it has the ability to communicate ideas and issues that are bigger than the classroom.
On my home page, I have the quote, "No two persons ever read the same book." These words struck me because I believe that books affect everyone in a different way; they are personal, inspiring, and unique to each individual. Too often, however, schools turn students away from reading by choosing books that they cannot relate to and pairing them with pop quizzes and long assignments. This has resulted in a population of people who think that they hate reading, simply because they have never found the right book. (I actually wrote a little something on how to find enjoyment in reading while completing my masters - if you're interested, you can download it by clicking here). I want my future students to learn how to think for themselves and determine their own interpretations of this world, as well as develop ways to respectfully engage in conversations regarding their views. Above all, I want my students to leave my class knowing how to critically read and interpret writing in a way that is personal and unique, showcasing their individuality and creativity.
bonus content
Beyond who I am as a professional and teacher, I wanted to share some of the other aspects of my life that are important to me. Simply hover over each image below for a brief caption, or as I like to call it, my bonus content.
