My name is Joel Nauton, and I would like to be an elementary school teacher. 

I feel I will be an excellent teacher;  I appreciate and respect the joy of discovery, and want to help cultivate a life-long passion for learning in my students.   I believe in teaching with joy and humor, with passion and excitement, and I believe in learning with my students, not merely teaching to them.

I believe in hard work, in the satisfation of overcoming challenges.  I feel all children must be afforded the opportunity to participate in an education that will help them grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.  To be a teacher is not just to be employed; teaching is part of who I am as a father, a coach, a member of society.  I believe it is a great responsibility to be a teacher, as great as the need for quality educators.  I would like the opportunity to assume that responsibilty, to become a teacher.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

  This video-cast is an example of how I might introduce myself to a new class or to parents on Back to School night, as well as provide my students a preview of the technology they will be able to use.  Podcasts, slide shows, and video can be part of assessing student understanding with any content area.

In 2006 I had the opportunity to return to school and complete my education.  While a student at San Diego State I inadvertently began a career in retail management; two decades later I was ready to finish my degree and work towards a more personally rewarding career in Education.

I regard my retail career as an important part of my education.  I learned how to work with many different types of people, how to solve problems quickly and efficiently, and how to stay focused on the proper priorities even during stressful moments. 

In 2006 I had the opportunity to return to school and complete my education.  While a student at San Diego State I inadvertently began a career in retail management; two decades later I was ready to finish my degree and work towards a more personally rewarding career in Education.

I regard my retail career as an important part of my education.  I learned how to work with many different types of people, how to solve problems quickly and efficiently, and how to stay focused on the proper priorities even during stressful moments. 

I am currently in the Master's in Education: Digital Teaching and Learning program at Azusa Pacific University. 

These are examples of various websites and online programs I have worked with and that I feel would be of use in the classroom.  The advantages to students having access to real-world information and experiences presented across multiple learning styles through the Internet are immense, and vital in preparing children for the 21st century.

Yet while I appreciate the potential for technology to be a great aid in education, and the need for today's students to be prepared for their digitally expanding  future, I also understand the ever-increasing need for educators to utilize "old school" methods.  Students still need hands-on experiences, writing and creating and building to solve real-world problems.  Digital technology is another tool to help students learn cause and effect, to research and discover, to practice discernment and understand consequences. 

Power Points and Lesson Plans

The tessellation presentation was done by combining several power points found at "Pete's Power Point Station" (www.pppst.com)