This week’s profile is on Brianna Dioses, a senior Urban Education Early Childhood and Women and Gender Studies double major. Dioses is an active member within the TCNJ community, and is following her passion to pursue education and she works hard to be an effective teacher and role model every day.
This past summer, Brianna had an experience that reaffirmed her love for teaching – she spent two weeks in Philadelphia with a program through TCNJ called the Urban School Seminar. There, Brianna was placed in a third grade classroom with a “life changing” co-operating teacher. Brianna reflected on the experience as a whole, and stated one of the best aspects was her ability to co-teach and help take over the classroom instead of just solely observing it.
Brianna states that, “from day one she opened the classroom to me as if I were a co-teacher”. Dioses felt like an equal in the classroom, thanks to her co-operating teacher and gained meaningful classroom experiences.
Throughout the seminar, Brianna met with faculty and students and taught lessons that dealt with behavioral issues. During it all, Brianna said she experienced several moments that reinforced her passion and love for teaching. In particular, on her last day, she recalled conversations she had with two different students, whose compliments shook her, making her realize her potential.
One of the students told her, “you were the only person that never gave up on me and now you’re leaving.” In response, Dioses promised the little girl that she would always be there for her, and that anytime the little girl heard the words “this is your education, you can do this” in her head, that it would be Brianna saying that with encouragement.
Another student, who had difficulty behaving in her classroom, told her on the last day, “thank you for never giving up on me, never yelling at me and always caring for me.” Those were words Dioses said she refuses to forget.
Brianna’s experience made her realize the impact she can have on children and that she has the possibility to be the one thing that changes their lives. A huge takeaway Dioses gained from teaching was that educators constantly label students without realizing that students themselves become the labels – she found that the more negativity the students face, the less they will improve. Essentially, it is vital that teachers notice the language they use because it can greatly affect their students.
“Love is the forefront of education”
Keep working hard, Bri, and be the teacher you want to become!