My responsibility in the classroom is to give students a solid foundation, encourage higher-order thinking through meaningful interaction, and to instill a desire to gain more knowledge. My interaction with my first graders is underscored by organization of the content, unique design of the lessons, as well as coherent instruction. These staples allow me to effectively reach my students on a consistent basis. I work every day to better understand how to relate to my students and effectively communicate with them. I work tirelessly to inspire the young people in my classroom and to instill a sense of self-worth and value in each individual child. My classroom environment reflects my personal values, temperaments, experiences, and skills. I am completely dedicated to teaching my first grade students how to read, write, spell, solve math problems, interpret classic literature and garner important facts from history and science. However, my role as teacher embodies so much more. I have the responsibility to prepare each student to be a good citizen, as well as make them well rounded individuals with a strong foundation in character education. I believe that we as teachers individually and collectively can not only change the world, but also improve it, and in the process find personal and professional renewal. I hope to someday be counted among those in whom future preserves of teachers found inspiration.