I think teaching is one of the most important professions in the world. Teachers get to wear so many hats (teacher, coach, counselor, mentor, cheerleader, etc.) and have an opportunity every day to impact students' lives. I love to help, I love kids, and I love sharing ideas, so teaching is the perfect career for me.
I aim to build my classroom around these five beliefs:
1. ALL students can learn if given the proper tools. It is up to the teacher to make the material as exciting and relevant as possible. It is up to the student to put forth his/her best effort.
2. All students learn differently; thus, classroom instruction should be presented in a variety of ways. I like to bring Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences into the classroom for this one and tell students the question is not if you're smart -- it's how you're smart.
3. Taking the time to build a trusting and loving rapport with each individual student is never a waste of time. Teachers cannot forget that we are not teaching curriculum; we are teaching students. It's important to nurture each student's social and emotional side while we are teaching the academic portion.
4. A successful classroom is one that runs on a balance of structure and variety. I prefer structured procedures and a structured overall daily schedule with a variety of lessons and activities that hit the multiple intelligences.
5. Communication is key. That sentence is a cliche for a reason! I think one of the most important things teachers can do is to be open to communicating with everyone around them. It's important to me to communicate with students -- what we're doing in class, why each lesson is necessary, etc. It's important to me to communicate with parents -- what I love about your student, what I think could use some improvement, what we're doing in class, etc. It's also important to me to communicate with colleagues -- to discuss/share lessons and ideas, to get advice, etc.
Here are the ways I implement the above-mentioned beliefs:
Belief #1: Give pre-tests (which could be as simple as an observation) to determine each student's strengths and weaknesses, and keep these observations in mind as I design lessons that are appropriate for the entire class. I modify each lesson for both lower-level students and higher-level students. I also take time to find out about each student's home life and try to ensure that every student has the tools for success at home, as well.
Belief #2: I aim to vary my presentation, activities, and assessment methods throughout the year so that every student has a chance to shine, regardless of his or her preferred multiple intelligence. This variation includes a hands-on approach, with creative projects and "get out of your seats" learning games. It also includes a lot of technology and "out of the box" teaching methods, as I feel that most students respond well to that.
Belief #3: I've found that whether a person is 5 or 55, everyone just wants to be respected, appreciated, and heard. I aim to do this by slowly building a trusting and loving rapport with each student and by establishing an environment of mutual respect. I talk to students as adults and show them that their opinions matter. We also talk about the importance of respecting peers so that students don't have to be scared or embarrassed to speak out in class. I model respectful and kind interactions in the classroom and outside of it. For little ones in a homeroom setting, I use morning meetings to allow peer-to-peer praise or gentle confrontation to settle issues. I allow students of any age to help create classroom expectations and to sign the "contract." I've been known to stay after school for hours to talk to kids who were having problems at home but didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone else. In essence, I believe in catering to the total child and not just the academic side of him/her.
Belief #4: My classroom is organized, and my schedule is systematic. I feel that students function best when they know what to expect in those realms. On that note, I also aim to be fair and consistent with consequences and routines. I feel that it is a fine balance between these consistencies and my varied teaching methods that helps make my students as successful and happy as they can be. They know what to expect as far as the basic schedule and motions of the day, but they are kept "on their toes" as to how each lesson will be taught and what we'll be doing with our new information.
Belief #5: Technology can be a wonderful way to connect a student's home life to his/her school life. For every teaching position I have ever held, I have created a classroom website in order to better communicate with students' families. I try to post as much information as is allowed, so that parents have every opportunity to be a part of their child's education. I believe everyone is happier when they know what is going on and why it is happening. I am also no stranger to e-mailing/calling parents and sending notes home. I don't believe that every communication experience with a students' parent has to be based on a negative behavior; instead, I jump at the chance to report positive experiences. I truly believe that a partnership between home and school is best for everyone!
Additionally, I like to collaborate with colleagues to try to find the best ways to teach my students. Although I have a lot of ideas about how to educate "my" kids, my teaching toolbox is by no means full, and I appreciate adding new ideas to it as often as possible.
I aim to build my classroom around these five beliefs:
1. ALL students can learn if given the proper tools. It is up to the teacher to make the material as exciting and relevant as possible. It is up to the student to put forth his/her best effort.
2. All students learn differently; thus, classroom instruction should be presented in a variety of ways. I like to bring Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences into the classroom for this one and tell students the question is not if you're smart -- it's how you're smart.
3. Taking the time to build a trusting and loving rapport with each individual student is never a waste of time. Teachers cannot forget that we are not teaching curriculum; we are teaching students. It's important to nurture each student's social and emotional side while we are teaching the academic portion.
4. A successful classroom is one that runs on a balance of structure and variety. I prefer structured procedures and a structured overall daily schedule with a variety of lessons and activities that hit the multiple intelligences.
5. Communication is key. That sentence is a cliche for a reason! I think one of the most important things teachers can do is to be open to communicating with everyone around them. It's important to me to communicate with students -- what we're doing in class, why each lesson is necessary, etc. It's important to me to communicate with parents -- what I love about your student, what I think could use some improvement, what we're doing in class, etc. It's also important to me to communicate with colleagues -- to discuss/share lessons and ideas, to get advice, etc.
Here are the ways I implement the above-mentioned beliefs:
Belief #1: Give pre-tests (which could be as simple as an observation) to determine each student's strengths and weaknesses, and keep these observations in mind as I design lessons that are appropriate for the entire class. I modify each lesson for both lower-level students and higher-level students. I also take time to find out about each student's home life and try to ensure that every student has the tools for success at home, as well.
Belief #2: I aim to vary my presentation, activities, and assessment methods throughout the year so that every student has a chance to shine, regardless of his or her preferred multiple intelligence. This variation includes a hands-on approach, with creative projects and "get out of your seats" learning games. It also includes a lot of technology and "out of the box" teaching methods, as I feel that most students respond well to that.
Belief #3: I've found that whether a person is 5 or 55, everyone just wants to be respected, appreciated, and heard. I aim to do this by slowly building a trusting and loving rapport with each student and by establishing an environment of mutual respect. I talk to students as adults and show them that their opinions matter. We also talk about the importance of respecting peers so that students don't have to be scared or embarrassed to speak out in class. I model respectful and kind interactions in the classroom and outside of it. For little ones in a homeroom setting, I use morning meetings to allow peer-to-peer praise or gentle confrontation to settle issues. I allow students of any age to help create classroom expectations and to sign the "contract." I've been known to stay after school for hours to talk to kids who were having problems at home but didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone else. In essence, I believe in catering to the total child and not just the academic side of him/her.
Belief #4: My classroom is organized, and my schedule is systematic. I feel that students function best when they know what to expect in those realms. On that note, I also aim to be fair and consistent with consequences and routines. I feel that it is a fine balance between these consistencies and my varied teaching methods that helps make my students as successful and happy as they can be. They know what to expect as far as the basic schedule and motions of the day, but they are kept "on their toes" as to how each lesson will be taught and what we'll be doing with our new information.
Belief #5: Technology can be a wonderful way to connect a student's home life to his/her school life. For every teaching position I have ever held, I have created a classroom website in order to better communicate with students' families. I try to post as much information as is allowed, so that parents have every opportunity to be a part of their child's education. I believe everyone is happier when they know what is going on and why it is happening. I am also no stranger to e-mailing/calling parents and sending notes home. I don't believe that every communication experience with a students' parent has to be based on a negative behavior; instead, I jump at the chance to report positive experiences. I truly believe that a partnership between home and school is best for everyone!
Additionally, I like to collaborate with colleagues to try to find the best ways to teach my students. Although I have a lot of ideas about how to educate "my" kids, my teaching toolbox is by no means full, and I appreciate adding new ideas to it as often as possible.