My Classroom Management Philosophy
Classroom management is more than just how to control the behaviors; it is also about how to change the classroom to fit the needs of the individual students. Throughout my experience, I have found that there is no "one right way" to do things. There are a lot of studies that suggest different techniques to use in the classroom, but I think it's important as a teacher to develop a toolbox where I would implement different techniques dependent of the needs of the students.
Goals:
In the future I hope I can create a classroom that has these features:
Flexible seating
Morning routine where students come into the classroom and know the expectations of being responsible for checking they are there for the day, starting their morning work everyday, and students with jobs such as agenda checkers starting right away.
Classroom jobs
Classroom Constitution
Possibly a sound wall
Technology in The Classroom
Integrating technology in today's society is essential. Every student has some type of interaction with technology before they start school. As a teacher, my number one priority to make sure I teach first and technology comes second. Using technology in the classroom can be an amazing experience for the students if it is used properly. As a teacher, we need to make sure that we teach first then find ways to enhance your lessons to help your students. Students will be in awe of using technology at first, but then it becomes a part of their daily routine. Technology will gain their interest at first, but then can become a waste if you use it unnecessarily. In one of my classes at Oakland, I learned the value of technology in classrooms and how it can enhance and extend learning in numerous of ways. I am really excited to focus on the following:
Using technology to give students more diverse learning opportunities. Every student has a unique thumbprint and the way they think. Not every student learns the same way and at the same speed. Having the option to use technology in the classroom opens up a lot of new methods to teach. If there are English Language Learners in the classroom, they will have the ability to translate words or look up examples if they don't understand what they are working on. Also, being able to use computers for lessons offer ways for students to learn by visually, orally, and kinesthetic. You can use videos, podcasts, and simulations. There are a lot of resources teachers and students can use to fit every student while they are learning different methods of learning.
Using technology to give students immediate feedback about their work. Being able to give students immediate feedback is very important. Using Google Suite offers a teacher to see what the students are working on while they work on it. They can also see the progress of their work by looking at the history of the document. With this tool, teachers can see who is working on what and can give students immediate feedback before they turn anything in. If the students comes up to you as the teacher and asks for help, you can go on your computer and insert a comment that will remind you what you told them and how to improve it. Even after school you will be able to give them immediate feedback because you're able to see the document that is shared with you. Another way to give them immediate feedback is to look at their progress while they are working on it to make sure they are on the right track.
Using technology to improve the scaffolding in my lessons. When creating my lessons, I will make conscious decision to make sure that the technology we use in class is appropriate. I am a strong believer that learning comes first then technology. Being able to use SMART boards will allow students to always be able to see what is on the board because it is bright and the markers will never fade or run out. Having a SMART board allows the students to have more interaction with the content as they can drag, write, match, and many more features that SMART boards have. If I don't have to use computers in the classroom for every student, then I won't. I always make sure there is a purpose for what I do and to make sure I enhance and extend their learning.