Meet me,
Mary Herrington
High School Class of 2027
Enrolled at Marion High School &
Indiana University of Kokomo
about me
Sports
I have been involved with my High School Swim Team all four years.
Work
I work for a local nonprofit that focuses on creating a more “fulfilled and flourishing world.”
Community Service
For the past five years, I have participated in summer camps focused on the well-being of elementary-aged children in our community.
Hello! I’m so glad you’re here!
I’m Mary Herrington, a current student at Marion High School who hopes to become an Elementary Special Education Teacher. Over the past year, I have been blessed to engage in internships at local elementary schools in my hometown. Each experience has helped me understand where I feel comfortable and called to be.
As the youngest of five, I have always longed to take care of someone the way I was cared for. One way I’ve been able to do this is through a local non-profit in my area that hosts summer camps for elementary-aged kids every year. This summer camp works with small groups and focuses on emotional regulation and children’s well-being. Through this program, I have experienced many situations that have led me to continue working with kids.
This website introduces my previous experiences, my current skills, and the tools I have learned in my current Indiana University class.
Teaching Philosophy
I believe that every child I interact with is creative, unique, capable of solving complex problems, and worthy of attention, love, and respect. These beliefs shape both my typical interaction with kids and how I respond to them in a learning environment. I also believe that students learn best when they feel safe and cared for. In my classroom environment, this looks like clear boundaries around bodies, materials, and emotions, as well as predictable structure and permission to be wrong and messy when learning something new.
My teaching style revolves around the individual student. Since my experience is mostly centered in Special Education classes, I have usually shaped by skills around what a certain student needs. I do this so that each student can feel supported and comfortable when I am working with them. Within small group settings, I work well with demonstrations and short activities. I follow an “I do, We do, You do” flow. This allows the students to see a model, try and be supported, and then try on their own.
To assess student learning, I observe their processes. I look for evidence of thought as opposed to guessing, and I look for ability and understanding through accuracy and repetition.
Technology Integration
In today’s digital World, there are so many tools open for teachers and students to use to enhance learning. One that I plan to use is Google Classroom. Since COVID, Google Classroom has been adding features that make it even better for classroom communication, planning, and learning. I will definitely use Google Classroom for E-Learning days and other days when students miss school. There is a really great math game that students use called Prodigy. I plan to use this in the classroom because it teaches and refines math skills at all ages, while allowing students to work at their own pace.
Students in my class would be able to collaborate using technology. With websites like Google Slides, Canva, and Adobe, students would be able to work on the same assignment through their own device. This could be used in groups where students make graphs, write and illustrate a short story, or even just present a slideshow. Technology allows students to work on assignments from wherever they are, even if they’re not together. This builds communication and planning skills that students will use as they continue their education.
One of my long-term goals for integrating technology into my teaching practice is to build awareness in the students so they know when technology is a tool and when it is a toy. All the time, new games, puzzles, and websites are coming out for students to use. This is great if they know when they’re supposed to be working and when it doesn’t matter. As students move through their education, teachers will become stricter and will not put up with the students’ inability to stay off their devices. So, I hope that I will be able to teach the students when they’re supposed to be doing something and when they’re not, so that they’re successful in the future.
Since technology can be such a trigger for kids, I don’t plan to use it every time I’m teaching. I understand that technology may allow me to work through lessons quicker, but quicker doesn’t always mean better. I plan to incorporate mainly paper-and-pencil when teaching and having students take notes. However, the world is evolving, and technology is only advancing. So, I will make sure to use technology when reinforcing learning or even when first introducing complex situations.