1. Five images (you can take them or they can come from the Internet [provide proper credit]). These images should reflect, in some way, what you imagine your classroom will look like once you are a teacher. Please annotate your images by providing a description of the image and how it relates to your future classroom.
In high school, I had the privilege of participating in an education program where I helped in an elementary classroom for an hour a day four days a week and learned college curriculum regarding teacher during class on Mondays. The following pictures were taken during my time helping in a kindergarten classroom my senior year. I used these photos to reflect on what I hope for or anticipate in my future classroom. A white board and/or a Smart board may be available with which to teach the students. A projector, which is allowing me to show the picture book on the screen in this photo, will also be available. I do not plan to read books to my students in the way that this picture presents though. Instead, I hope to have a rocking chair which I can sit in while I read to my students, practicing the skills I have learned about reading to children. This picture also shows posters which the teacher made in class, similar to the way I hope to make and hang posters to show what my class is learning[JM1] . I believe that the blue thing hanging on the wall next to the board may at one time been used as a calendar. This picture shows some of the technology I plan on having access to as well as some of the things I may want to hand on my classroom walls. This picture shows some of the storage I hope to have access to in a future classroom. It also show the sink, which will be helpful for keeping things clean and sanitary as well as for doing art projects. There are tables instead of desks in this photo, and I do hope that my future classroom might have desks, but whether tables or desks, I like the idea of seating students in groups. Of course, the seating needs to be far enough back from the front of the classroom that students can sit criss-cross applesauce as a class, just as they are in this photo. I also anticipate thereto be an American flag[JM2] . My students may finish tasks in different amounts of time, just as in this picture too. Pictured here is the small group of students I worked with each day. I hope that parents or other volunteers [JM3] will come to my classroom to help me as well. A table at the back of the classroom, like this one, would be really nice in that case. This table was also used by my mentor teaching when working with students in reading groups, another activity which I anticipate having in my future classroom. Another small table was also available in the back of this classroom and was used for working with students one on one or grading papers. I think one table, like this one, would be sufficient for all these jobs though. As a teacher, I intend to walk around my classroom, helping students who may need it and simply checking in to see how work is going when I have told my students to work on a particular assignment (which may have been followed by a subsequent assignment for when the children finish). In addition to showing that, this picture is a good example of the classroom being filled with signs and posters as well as a good representations of the storage I imagine being available. This does not show how I anticipate students being able to hang their backpacks though. I image long cubbies or a long deep area in the storage with hooks on the wall inside. This is an example of a cute bulletin display which I may have hanging outside my classroom. I absolutely loved this one and may very well do one quite similar to it when I have a class of my own. I also like how it shows each of the students in the class, helping them each to get a little recognition. While this picture was taken too close to capture the whole phrase or class, it says "College Starts in Kindergarten" and each picture that is up features a child in the classroom holding a sign up which says what they want to be when they grow up. [JM4] 2. Imagine the surrounding in your classroom. What does the room look like? What resources are available for students? How are the resources used during the lesson? The class is surrounded by four walls and a roof, all in good condition. There are no leaks in the roof and the walls have good insulation. One wall of the classroom is mainly made up of cubbies and storage cabinets, which were built into the classroom at the time the school was constructed. There are enough cubbies for every student to have room to hang a backpack and there may even be room for a small tub or school box which students may keep additional school supplies for themselves. At the end of this wall, there is a sink with hot and cold water. Soap and a paper towel dispenser are both available nearby the sink. In the front of the classroom, there is a Smart Board and a whiteboard. On the ceiling in front of the smart board, there is a white projector mounted. Desks are set up in groups of four to six, facing the front of the classroom[JM5] . In the desks, students could keep school supplies or books. This would mean that room would not be needed in the cubbies for anything but a backpack. However, if tables are available instead, as was the case in the kindergarten classroom I helped in, this room would likely be necessary. I would likely have my desk near the front of the classroom, to the side. [JM6] A bookcase with many books from a variety of reading levels will be available for students to read. [JM7] An additional table may or may not be available in the back of the classroom so that students can work in small groups with the teacher or another volunteer, or so that volunteers might be able to come in and help correct papers during class time. Along the walls, there are a variety of educational posters[JM8] , some are laminated, easy to read, professional posters. Others are ones we made, with what we have been learning written in marker on butcher paper which I got from the office. [JM9] The alphabet is posted along the top of one of the walls. A calendar is somewhere else, with numbers too. Student artwork may be posted on bulletin boards right outside the classroom, or even inside the classroom[JM10] . Outside the classroom, where we walk in each day, there are pictures of each of the children with their name on a cute bulletin board. Student names are also available on their name tags on top of their desks/table. 3. Describe the students in your classroom. What are their backgrounds? What are their interests? What are they doing during the lesson? The majority of my students will likely be middle-class Christian Caucasians. Their families will likely care about sports and perhaps politics. Whether the majority of students will have parents with Democratic or Republican views will depend on where I live. Were I to stay in Utah, they would likely be Republics. If I returned to Washington, most would be democrats. Not all of my students will fit in with these majority statements though, and I would hope not. I look forward to having students from diverse backgrounds in my classroom. Some may be white, others African American or Hispanic or Asian or Pacific Islander or Middle Eastern. While some may come from Christian homes, others will probably have parents who are atheist or agnostic. Still others may be from Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu or some other religious background. [JM11] Some parents may read with their child every day and take them to museums and to the library and to the park and help them with their homework every night. Others may not check in with their child about school or read books with them. Children may miss out on the opportunity which other students have when it comes to homework help or chances to improve their literacy not because their parents do not care or do not want to provide their children with those experiences, but simply because they themselves may struggle with English and may not know how to help.[JM12] During the lesson, some students will try to pay very good attention. However, others may be thinking about something else, perhaps stresses at home [JM13] or perhaps something more exciting like play time or recess. Some students may interact in ways which distract from the lesson, whether talking to a neighboring student, disagreeing with another student, or simply trying to engage with the learning at an inappropriate time[JM14] . This will distract more students who will then also become distracting, shushing or complaining. 4. Describe your classroom policies. What are your classroom rules? What is your discipline plan? What are your homework policies? My number one rule: respect[JM15] . Every individual has worth. Every individual matters. Even when people may get on our nerves, we should do our best to respond calmly and treat them with respect. [JM16] We should take into account how the other person might feel or why they might feel that way. There may very well be something else going on in their lives which makes things difficult. No matter what, bullying is never acceptable though. As a teacher, I should do what I can to prevent bullying and do what I can to bring it to a close and protect students at risk of being hurt, emotionally or physically. In [JM17] these cases, I will worry about all students involved, wondering in the back of my mind if a student who may be struggling to be nice to other students is being treated nicely at home or if the student's parents treat each other with respect. I will recognize too that while these sort of things may factor in, I cannot assume that anything like that is going on unless I have more reason to believe so. I may choose to take this rule (respect) or a similar rule that might come off a little warmer, and use it for a base in explaining my expectations. Students do better when there are less rules to keep track of, to the best of my understanding. Respect can include listening when the teacher or another student is talking, being nice to one another, treating the items in the classroom properly. While I have heard that red, yellow, green cards are not the best, until I discover a better option, I may use these for this sort of misbehavior. Though, I may try and talk to the student during a quieter time to explain why it is so important and to explain that I care about their learning and other students' learning and that misbehavior like that interferes with that learning. Recess time may be deducted[JM18] for misbehavior or mistreatment in the classroom. This may help allow me the time to talk with the student(s) one on one as discussed above. Homework assignments will be due on the day that they are due[JM19] . However, since I will be working with little kids and grades do not work as they do in middle school, high school, or college, I do not know if I will penalize late work. I may accept it later. I recognize that sometimes students will choose not to turn an assignment in at all and that working on past assignments when present ones are due can be overwhelming. It can be a lesson in itself to simply get behind. I will likely only press getting the assignments done before the due date arrives and then when it does arrive asking the students to bring it tomorrow if they have not yet turned it in and that I will accept it then. Maybe a week later I may tell a student that they still have not turned in a spelling packet or something like that, but otherwise I believe I will leave it up to them to remember what they have yet to complete. 5. Describe a typical lesson you will teach in your classroom. What will you teach? What is the topic? Why did you choose this topic? How will you teach it? What is the main thing you want students to learn during this lesson? Reading. If I was teaching a kindergarten class, students would be at various levels of understanding. I would want to help students progress no matter their current level of understanding, so I would teach some of the basics and also teach new concepts. For example, when I am having a daily talk about the day and week, I may also have other patterns to follow. For example, focusing on a specific letter each day. I would go over the sound the letter makes in different words and how to properly draw the letter on three-lined paper. I would also go over words that start with the letter[JM20] , probably letting students share their ideas. I may give examples of words that start with a certain letter by using different categories like animals or toys or activities[JM21] . I chose this topic because I want the students to learn in depth about each letter, to really gain an understanding and be able to work with and understand the sound that the letter makes when they come across it in different words when reading. The main thing I want them to learn is the sound the letter makes and to become familiar with words which have that sound so that they will be able to figure out words which they have not yet come across in their reading. 6. Imagine your work as a teacher during this lesson. What are you doing during the lesson? As a teacher, there will be a lot of work for me to do. During a lesson, I will be giving instruction. At least, that is the main part. However, I will also be needing to keep an eye on the clock and helping students to stay on task. It will also be important for me to gauge how much they are understanding so that I might be able to help them if they struggle. Lesson plans include more than just instruction though, so the word lesson may denote more than that, reaching forth to include the activity or assessment which may follow. When students are working on completing an assignment, I will likely walk around the classroom, as I mentioned above, helping them to stay on task and to answer any questions they may have, as well as simply telling them that they are doing a good job. While I may be able to go back to my desk and answer emails or grade assignments during this time, I think it would be worth my time to do that later and spend more time interacting with and helping the students[JM22] . 7. Imagine your students again, what are they doing during the lesson? Students will be sitting criss-cross applesauce on the floor [JM23] in the front while I read a book to them or teach a lesson which involves the projector or whiteboard or Smart board. Students will be trying to pay attention, commenting on what I am teaching and sharing their own thoughts and ideas. Others may be sharing with students sitting next to them or simply telling a friend about something completely off topic. Others may be getting annoyed with other students, particularly ones who appear to be off task. Students may be mindlessly distracted, looking around the classroom or playing with their hair or a toy or something they should not have out. Some students, who may have come from homes where English is not the primary language, may be trying to understand what is going on or may give up because they do not understand. [JM24] While students may get off task, I hope that I will be able to help them get back on task. At times, it may be easier to keep the kids on task, like when we are singing a song together or doing a dance. When the students are involved, I feel that they will have an easier time not getting distracted or bored. Other times, students will be sitting at their seats while we go over an assignment together. I may have a little less control of how well they are behaved during this time, but they may also be more on task having something to work on right in front of them. 8. Imagine how you will assess your students' learning and achievement. How will you know they have learned? There are a number of ways to asses learning and achievement[JM25] . Of course, there are the traditional tests, and I will probably have some simple ones of those. Since I will be working with young kids (preschool through third grade), the tests probably will not be too intense. Some short math and reading or spelling tests may be part of my curriculum. Attention spans are only so long. However, I do not intend for this to be the only form of assessment used in my classroom or even the most common one. Worksheets will be used a lot more than tests. However, I still hope that this is not the main form of assessment in my classroom. While this sort of work may be enjoyable to certain students, other students would much rather get up and move around or express their learning in some other way. I hope to incorporate a number of the activities discussed in Drama for the Elementary Classroom (TMA 352) [JM26] since they seemed to encourage depth of thought in an engaging way. Art may be another medium through which to have students show their thoughts. My goal is to help my future students learn to love learning. I will know they have learned when I see them answer the problems correctly or when I see them using correct strategies to figure the problems out. When I see them talking about what they are learning or see the progress in what they are able to do, I will recognize this too. I readily admit that assessment is something I have more to learn about and I feel grateful knowing I have many more college courses left in my study which will hopefully help me to figure that out a little bit more before I go into teaching and learn even more still. |
[JM1]I do not know how to help my students who may be less outgoing or who may be scared to speak up due to circumstances or home lives which have silenced them. How do I help students be a part of this and not just benefit the learning of the outgoing or students with greater advantages (whether due to race or social class, personality or lack of disability)?
[JM2]So, I definitely think this is important, especially with the home and family (extended and immediate) that I have. However, I can see how to someone who came from another country, this could be hard – not feeling represented or just having a reminder that they left their home country (if I have students who are immigrants). It may be beneficial to include more flags in the classroom or have students tell of the countries of they are from or their ancestors are from. [JM3]Somewhat disruption. This may benefit students whose parents come in. While this is the case though, parents could help with students who are doing better while I help struggling students since parents do not have the same training on how to help these students. Or, parents could simply grade papers in the back of the classroom. While it may been seen as an advantage that some students parents get to come in, it is also a disadvantage because they are more distracted then. [JM4]I want to acknowledge and encourage diverse ideas and this can even be seen in variations of future hopes an dreams. I also think it is important to encourage students from a young age that they can go to college. With that said, I understand that some students may not be able to go to college. Hopefully, starting good habits and motivation for school early on may help them to maintain good habits later on which might help these students to get the scholarships necessary to go to college if that is what they wish to do. [JM5]I will be careful and purposeful in how I set these desks up so that all students are able to traverse the classroom, regardless of ability. [JM6]I may keep my desk near the back of the room so that I can keep an eye out if there is ever something suspicious going on outside the classroom and so that I might not distract students while they are working, but still be able to keep an eye out as far as who might be not be on task and who might need some extra help or motivation. [JM7]Books not only from a variety of levels, but with a variety of topics and backgrounds. I want to be sure that the book selection exposes students to diversity which they may or may not see in the classroom and their own lives. This means books with characters from a variety of nationalities, ethnicities/races, families, abilities, religions, etc. I want the students in my classroom to feel represented and feel as though there are stories which they can relate to. However, I hope that books in my classroom will help students learn to embrace diversity. [JM8]In addition to educational posters which can serve as aids to the students, I want to have some posters which talk about or show diversity. I want to be sure that students or people on posters are not just Caucasian, but that other races are represented as well. It is also important to me to have some sort of poster which talks about respecting and caring about everyone regardless of race, class, ability, or gender. I may have a rainbow or LGBTQ poster as well as posters which represent other groups. [JM9]Considering that some students are more extraverted than others, I may consider having an exit task where students write on a piece of paper one thing that they want on the poster, that way everyone can be involved even if there are students who would not feel comfortable raising their hand and sharing an idea in front of the whole class. [JM10]That said though, I may want to take in student input on the matter because while I loved having my artwork hanging, other students may not. Unfortunately, I am still not sure how I would want to approach this though as I could take a vote but that does not really accommodate every student, just the majority or I could respect each student’s wishes but then that leaves some out and I would not wish to do that. That said, not putting up any student artwork because a couple do not want to does not seem very fair. This is something that I may address with each class, but then that comes back to voting and after talking so much about majority versus minority issues I do not know how to feel about that. [JM11]This I am leaving and a happy to have found in my original imagine classroom. It is important to consider diverse backgrounds and how they impact my students and their learning experience. [JM12]This is another important factor to take into account. However, I missed another reason students may miss out. Time. Parents may work a plethora of hours or hold multiple jobs and not have the chance to read with their kids. Or, they may be limited by their work hours and not be able to go to the library for books and not have money for books and therefore not be able to read regularly with their children. [JM13]This is another important factor to take into consideration. This may include not being able to pay attention for lack of food which may lead to stomach aches and not being able to pay much attention. [JM14]This may be something to learn from rather than being annoyed though. [JM15]Respect for oneself, respect for others. Respect should be given regardless of social class, race, gender, sexuality, immigration status, ability, language, and culture. [JM16]It is important to humble ourselves and be willing to consider that we may be wrong. Though, sometimes students may truly be off task. We need not assume the worst but consider other possibilities. [JM17]One of the ways I can do this is by creating an accepting and embracing culture of diversity and not to promote competition. I need to be aware of the different reasons kids may be teased or harassed and realize that these factors do not affect that student alone but may be related to issues in society at large such as race, class, gender, or sexuality. [JM18]I need to be careful not to be taking free time away from students who have not really done anything wrong though or who may not be entirely responsible for their behavior. Some misbehaviors may appear more understandable than others, but there is likely a reason for any misbehavior and I need to take this into account and care for the students with love no matter what. [JM19]I need to consider that some students may not have the help they need at home to complete the homework, whether due to language or poverty. Students may have parents who do not read or write much, if any, English. There may also be students with intense fighting or abuse at home who may not have the time or support necessary. Some students may be without electricity. Many reasons exist for students not to have done homework and I need to take this into account. [JM20]This would be a good opportunity to introduce students to new words which may be from different cultures or in other languages. We could have a word of the day and have this exercise be intended to broaden student’s understandings of the world. [JM21]These could be from different places, especially wherever we may have students from, but not only those places as it could single students out. We could however have students learn at the beginning of the schoolyear where they are from and how stories or lessons from all sorts of places. However, not everyone may know and some students may feel torn if adopted so that could be tricky. [JM22]Teaching how to say the day of the week in another language having other objects from another culture talking about what weather might be like in another place Would add excitement to what might otherwise become a dull routine [JM23]Since there may be students with disabilities who are unable to do this, I need to be sure my classroom is easy to walk around in and that there is an alternate option for these students since being close to the front can at ties be more important and more beneficial than simply sitting in chairs at desks (plus, I feel like many students like to sit on the ground for a bit. [JM24]This is important to take into account and I am glad that I was already thinking about this before we had covered these topics in class. [JM25]And the best assessment methods may vary student to student. There is a story about a race with various activities using different skills and some will obviously do better than others and how if you were to change the skill, other animals would do better. The same is true for assessments or subjects in the classroom. [JM26]Drama and interactive ways of learning and teaching could help students with language barriers to gain a clearer picture. Some interactions in this learning style may be more difficult for some students though, like with ability differences, so I need to think about how I will address those possibilities. |
Reflection
This exercise helped me see that while I was aware of some of the differences and challenges that students could come with, I was ignorant of others, or perhaps just not fully aware enough to include these other ideas in my classroom. Going through this again taught me that to be more clear about my hopes and goals, I need to think them out more and be more detailed and descriptive. I seemed to have been aware of diversity of race and of language barriers that may exist, but I did not include anything else in my original ideas. Some ideas I still need to work through, working to find the balance on matters that serve some students and not others because I do not want students to miss out on opportunities which could be beneficial for learning and want to do my best to provide this to all without hurting any students or causing them to feel left out. While I do not yet have all the answers, this class has at least opened my eyes to more questions that I should ask.