Meet Ms. Langford
Hello, and welcome to my classroom blog - Langford's Little Learners! I am so thrilled to be a part of Hartselle City Schools and F.E. Burleson Elementary School this year. Great things are happening in this wonderful school and in the school district as a whole, and I am extremely honored to join the "FEB family" and become a part of it!
I am originally from Cullman, AL. I graduated from West Point School, where I attended from the very first day of Kindergarten. Upon graduating high school, I moved to Birmingham to attend UAB. During my time at UAB, I was very involved in both academics and extracurriculars. I was a member of the University Honors Program and Alpha Omicron Pi. I was also selected to be a New Student Orientation leader, serving one summer as an Orientation Leader at both transfer student and freshmen orientation sessions, and serving a second summer as the Orientation Leader Coordinator.
Completing my undergraduate career in Birmingham allowed me to be exposed to a variety of diverse school settings, as well as many different teaching techniques and effective modes of technology in the field of education. I had assignments across several schools in the Hoover City and Vestavia Hills districts, and I completed my student teaching in 1st grade at Vestavia Hills Elementary West. I obtained degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education in December 2012. According to Alabama Department of Education requirements, I am both certified and highly qualified to teach grades P-6.
After graduating from UAB, I moved back to Hartselle, where my family has resided since 2002. I served as a substitute teacher for both Hartselle City and Morgan County schools soon after returning back home. I then served for one year as a full-time 4K classroom teacher at Decatur Baptist Childcare Center. I am thankful for all of these experiences in the field of education, but I am more than excited to finally become an "official" classroom teacher this year as a Kindergarten teacher at F.E. Burleson Elementary.
When I am not teaching or working on my classroom, I like to spend time shopping, painting, antique shopping, traveling, and spending time with my family and friends. I'm very happy to be back in Hartselle with my parents and my brother and stepbrother, Dillon and Alec (both graduates of Hartselle High School). I'm a member of Decatur Baptist Church.
Why I Chose Teaching
If there is one pet peeve I have that irks me above all else, it's hearing the misconception, "Teaching is an easy job; anyone could major in elementary education." I have never understood how anyone could have come up with this misinterpretation. Those of us who are called to teach know that this is anything but the truth. Those of us who have been exposed to the hard work required of those who go into the field of education know just how false those assumptions are. In fact, unless teachers have a true passion for teaching children, it is unlikely that they will even prove to be effective in their career of choice.
Like many of my colleagues in the Teacher Education Program at UAB, I have known for as long as I can remember that I wanted to be a teacher. Though my motives for becoming an educator have changed over the years, I can clearly remember just how much I wanted to be a teacher in Kindergarten. Back then, I just knew I wanted to grow up and be just like my own Kindergarten teacher. I longed to do everything she did in my own classroom one day - everything from wearing decorative themed outfits for every holiday and special classroom activity, to reading aloud from Laura Ingalls Wilder books to the students every day during nap time. Though all of those things remained in my mind all of these years, and though I still want to be a teacher now just as much as I did back then, my reasons for choosing this profession have transformed over time.
As a child, I distinctly remember going through some things that other children in my class were not experiencing. In my early elementary years, my parents separated and eventually divorced, which is something that did not happen as frequently back then as it does today. Instead of allowing the things I was going through at home to negatively affect me, I remember focusing all of my time and attention to school. I made all that was happening at home stay at home, and while I was at school my only thoughts were on what I was learning and doing in the classroom. Academics were my main priority, and thankfully that is something that stuck with me. I had the desire to learn all that I could possibly take in from my teachers and textbooks, and that in turn helped me to become the lifelong learner I am today. I think back to all of those teachers I had in elementary school; though I was such a young age, I distinctly remember how positively their teaching, advice, praise, and compassion affected me. I'm reminded of a quote by Maya Angelou,
"...People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Childhood is such a crucial time in every single life, and teachers have a very significant opportunity to contribute to the lives of each of those they encounter. Teaching is not a profession that can be taken lightly, and educators must be mindful that every single thing they do and say to their students has the potential to stay with them forever. It's up to the teacher to decide whether the legacy they leave with their students is a positive or negative one. My teachers helped me to make it through a difficult time in my life, which ultimately led me down a path of successes rather than one filled with failure and bad choices. If I can influence the students I come into contact with in the same ways my teachers influenced me, I will be serving as more than a teacher to these children. I'm choosing to be a motivator, an encourager, a role model, a life saver, and so much more. That's what my teachers were for me, and the fact that I have the opportunity to do that for children in the same (or worse) situations than I was in assures me that there is nothing else in the world that I would rather do with my life.
As a pre-service teacher, I learned very quickly firsthand that teaching is a lot tougher than our society makes it out to be. There are aspects in the field of education, such as laws, standards, meetings, new advancements and techniques, and so many more, that are unseen to the rest of the world. When a teacher has a passion for the profession, he or she will be more likely to stick with it even when it becomes clear that the "lack of difficulty" claims are untrue. I am well aware that this career path is anything but simple, and I am ready and excited for the challenge. I know that in this field, there are always new techniques and technology to be learned in order to stay up to date on the best and most effective educational practices. My passion for learning has remained ever since my own elementary teachers helped to instill that in me, so I am always looking for new practices that I can one day incorporate into my own classroom. I am always craving to learn ways that I can better myself as an educator, and I am looking forward to the day I can inspire children to be lifelong learners such as myself. When the students see their teacher cares about their education, and that she is compassionate about what she is teaching, the students are likely to gain the same desire to learn more, as well as the confidence they need to feel that they will be successful as a result. This excites me to no end, and though I know it will be no easy task, I accept the challenge and stay mindful that this is what motivated me to be a teacher all along.
Like many of my colleagues in the Teacher Education Program at UAB, I have known for as long as I can remember that I wanted to be a teacher. Though my motives for becoming an educator have changed over the years, I can clearly remember just how much I wanted to be a teacher in Kindergarten. Back then, I just knew I wanted to grow up and be just like my own Kindergarten teacher. I longed to do everything she did in my own classroom one day - everything from wearing decorative themed outfits for every holiday and special classroom activity, to reading aloud from Laura Ingalls Wilder books to the students every day during nap time. Though all of those things remained in my mind all of these years, and though I still want to be a teacher now just as much as I did back then, my reasons for choosing this profession have transformed over time.
As a child, I distinctly remember going through some things that other children in my class were not experiencing. In my early elementary years, my parents separated and eventually divorced, which is something that did not happen as frequently back then as it does today. Instead of allowing the things I was going through at home to negatively affect me, I remember focusing all of my time and attention to school. I made all that was happening at home stay at home, and while I was at school my only thoughts were on what I was learning and doing in the classroom. Academics were my main priority, and thankfully that is something that stuck with me. I had the desire to learn all that I could possibly take in from my teachers and textbooks, and that in turn helped me to become the lifelong learner I am today. I think back to all of those teachers I had in elementary school; though I was such a young age, I distinctly remember how positively their teaching, advice, praise, and compassion affected me. I'm reminded of a quote by Maya Angelou,
"...People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Childhood is such a crucial time in every single life, and teachers have a very significant opportunity to contribute to the lives of each of those they encounter. Teaching is not a profession that can be taken lightly, and educators must be mindful that every single thing they do and say to their students has the potential to stay with them forever. It's up to the teacher to decide whether the legacy they leave with their students is a positive or negative one. My teachers helped me to make it through a difficult time in my life, which ultimately led me down a path of successes rather than one filled with failure and bad choices. If I can influence the students I come into contact with in the same ways my teachers influenced me, I will be serving as more than a teacher to these children. I'm choosing to be a motivator, an encourager, a role model, a life saver, and so much more. That's what my teachers were for me, and the fact that I have the opportunity to do that for children in the same (or worse) situations than I was in assures me that there is nothing else in the world that I would rather do with my life.
As a pre-service teacher, I learned very quickly firsthand that teaching is a lot tougher than our society makes it out to be. There are aspects in the field of education, such as laws, standards, meetings, new advancements and techniques, and so many more, that are unseen to the rest of the world. When a teacher has a passion for the profession, he or she will be more likely to stick with it even when it becomes clear that the "lack of difficulty" claims are untrue. I am well aware that this career path is anything but simple, and I am ready and excited for the challenge. I know that in this field, there are always new techniques and technology to be learned in order to stay up to date on the best and most effective educational practices. My passion for learning has remained ever since my own elementary teachers helped to instill that in me, so I am always looking for new practices that I can one day incorporate into my own classroom. I am always craving to learn ways that I can better myself as an educator, and I am looking forward to the day I can inspire children to be lifelong learners such as myself. When the students see their teacher cares about their education, and that she is compassionate about what she is teaching, the students are likely to gain the same desire to learn more, as well as the confidence they need to feel that they will be successful as a result. This excites me to no end, and though I know it will be no easy task, I accept the challenge and stay mindful that this is what motivated me to be a teacher all along.
What I Believe
I believe that all students can learn, and all should be challenged.
I believe that the teacher should serve as a facilitator, motivator, & lifelong learner, encouraging students to be lifelong learners themselves.
I believe teaching is most effective when it is student-centered & inquiry-based.
I believe assessment drives instruction.
I believe the teacher is responsible for creating an inviting and engaging classroom environment.
I believe teachers should be held to the highest degree of professionalism.
I believe that the teacher should serve as a facilitator, motivator, & lifelong learner, encouraging students to be lifelong learners themselves.
I believe teaching is most effective when it is student-centered & inquiry-based.
I believe assessment drives instruction.
I believe the teacher is responsible for creating an inviting and engaging classroom environment.
I believe teachers should be held to the highest degree of professionalism.
I believe that communication & collaboration are essential in the field of education.
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