Our Classroom Vibes
This is a Community not just a Classroom!
I believe in a student-centered classroom structure that is built on team building and collaboration. A classroom should be built on trust and friendship. Students should feel like their classmates are a part of a team that works together to share in common goals. We will help build this community through collaborative lessons, team building activities, and an environment that encourages each child and the unique things that they bring into the classroom.
There are many ways to help build this community. The most important part of this is making the students feel comfortable with me, and with one another, to share their ideas and feelings. We will help build this trust by having team building exercises periodically that allow them to get to know each other better and feel less anxious about contributing to the group discussions and whole class activities.
I will do my part in building this trust by letting the students know what I promise to always do for them. These things include:
1. I will always be open minded.
2. I will always appreciate each student for the unique person they are.
3. I will always build my lessons around activities that allow each student to flourish.
4. I will always be an open book. My expectations will be clear and apparent at all times.
5. I will always be a sounding board for student's to come to to express ideas, worries and thoughts.
6. I will always have fun with the curriculum and try and make every learning experience a relatable one.
7. I will always make the students a part of the decision making process.
8. I will always be there for them if they need to voice a concern.
9. I will always be their biggest cheerleader.
After the student's understand what they can expect from me, we will have a classroom discussion and come up with ideas they give me for our classroom expectations. This will not only give the students accountability for their actions and behavior, it also allows them to come up with things that they think are important in a classroom.
There will be a lot of collaboration in our classroom. Teams will be chosen at random and then will be changed AT LEAST once a quarter. By doing this it helps build a more cohesive community. Students do not get stuck working with the same people at all times. This gives them the opportunity to work with, and get to know students that they may not have taken the time to get to know otherwise.
Active Participants
Students will move from being bystanders in their own educations to becoming the pilots that decide how and where that education goes. Lessons will be designed around all of the different learning styles that are in the classroom. Students will be in charge of setting up expectations and consequences as well as rewards. They will take an ownership in the classroom and the day to day things that are expected of them. Each student will have a job in the classroom and will be expected to perform that job to the best of their abilities.
Students will come up with different topics they would like the lessons to be structured around. This will allow them to take special interest in the material and will keep them engaged. By immersing them into the curriculum, this will provide them with life ling learning opportunities that they will remember for years to come.
Multiple Intelligences
I understand that no two students are the same and that each child that walks through the door will learn things differently. It is this diversity that will help drive the way I structure my lessons. My lessons will not just concentrate on one way to teach things. I will take each of the different learning styles into account as I am planning my activities and expectations. Students will be able to choose which way they feel is the best way for them to show their knowledge of the content. No more "one size fits all" type of assessments. We must structure things in a way that helps all students achieve mastery of the skills they need.
These learning styles are :
Bodily/kinesthetic: These students learn best through doing hands on activities.
Visual/Spatial: These students learn best through graphical information such as maps and charts.
Linguistic: These students learn best through oral and written language.
Logical/mathematical: These students love abstract problem solving and using equations and proofs.
Interpersonal: These students learn best through social interaction with others.
Intrapersonal: These students learn best through self reflection and working by themselves.
Naturalistic: These students learn best through looking at information and how it relates to the natural world.
Musical: These students learn best through using music and other auditory devices.
In order to gauge what type of learners make up our classroom, we will take the learning style quiz that tells you what kind of learner you are. This will help me figure out how to plan my lessons to engage all of these learners.
Here is the link for that quiz: https://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-assessment