Conclusion of Culminating ePortfolio 

From August 2021 to November 2024 (let's just go with December), I have grown and gone through numerous experiences to get me where I am today. I have experienced tremendous growth from even 2018 to 2024 when I first started my teacher education journey in high school, to finally graduating college. As you have been able to see, change can be seen all throughout the ePortfolio presentation today, from the intro to my teaching philosophy, and even the artifacts. However, I feel that I can only communicate that so much. I feel that the title I made for this as my conclusion best represents my growth thanks to being in this program and personally being at UNLV compared to other programs. From August of this year even to now, in November I have grown tremendously. From being an excited freshman ready to conquer the program to getting to the end of the semester and letting the spring semester of 22' kick me in the butt. Thankfully the courses in this program personally challenged me to push further than I thought and produce excellent work. I have been able to turn things around from my early years to where I am now with a great GPA because the courses challenged me in a way that not only helped me academically but more importantly, helped me grow for my future career as a teacher. Hopefully, the work seen in my artifacts and my newer teaching philosophy has been able to accurately represent that. One of the best parts of this program I'd say is the pre-service and student teaching portions of it. Practicum 1 and, 2 & student teaching helped me grow as a professional. The academic work helped me grow philosophically and academically, but it was the work I did in the classroom that helped me gain the confidence to enter the professional ready to go. Being able to be in the classroom setting for over a year truly helped me, and I would say the biggest jump in growth happened in student teaching this semester. As I have said, from August to December, I was able to see and feel myself become a professional finally, and gain the confidence to handle almost any situation a teacher can face in their first year in the field. My students enjoyed having me as their teacher, and I enjoyed having them as my students even if just for a semester. Without student teaching, I am not sure If I would have the confidence to do all the little things that don't/can't really get taught in the classroom setting early on in the education program. Things like confidence to lead a classroom of 30+ 17-18-year-olds. The ability to effectively teach lessons every day, 5 days a week. Being able to rely on a support group of people around you helps you get by each day and makes you a better teacher. One of the most important aspects that nobody talks about; is being able to be a teacher, but also be you, and have a life outside as well. Managing teacher burnout, I can definitely understand that as I have felt it at times this semester. From August to December, I am now ready to tackle the next challenge, and fall into love with my next chapter in my life.