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My Thoughts on Education
Knowledge is Power
My educational beliefs stem from my upbringing. I spent every weekend of my childhood visiting my grandparents in Marin City. After church on Sundays, we would have dinner and then I would her stories about my grandparent's childhood in Magnolia, Arkansas. They would speak fondly of their teacher whom they referred to as "Professor Green". I was taught that education was valuable and a means to a better life. My grandfather who had an 8th grade education challenged us grandkids to go further than he did in school. That has always been a driving force for me. My parents encouraged education and had high expectations for me. I always knew that I would attend college. Teachers were held in high esteem in my family. When I decided to become a teacher, my father said to me proudly, "We finally have a teacher in the family."
What I Believe about Teaching
Like doctors, nurses, and ministers, I believe that teaching is a calling. It is not just a job or a way to make a living. Those who enter the profession for the wrong reasons will quickly exit. Teaching is a sacrifice of time, talent, treasure and a pouring out of yourself. Much of the hard work is done as a labor of love and is rarely acknowledged or recognized. We don't do it for the glory. We teach because we feel it is necessary. We teach because the next generation needs us and the world needs them.
A Safe Place to Learn
A Safe Place to Learn
In order for children to learn, they must feel physically and emotionally safe in their environment. How can we insure that this happens?
The classroom must be well-managed with clear rules and consequences if they are not followed.
Children can help to establish rules in the classroom in the form of a cooperation contracts that everyone signs. It should be posted in the classroom .
All rules should be framed in a positive way that will state what children should do as opposed to what they will not do.
Rituals and Routines should be established. Children respond well to situations that they are familiar with and used to.
Begin the day with tranquil focus music and student expectations on google slides.
The classroom space must be predictable, trustworthy, consistent, engaging, and flexible.
No tolerance for shaming, bullying, name-calling.
Daily Morning meetings
Students take turns picking the morning greeting
Mindfulness activity
Sharing (30-second weekend share on Mondays)
Gratitude circle to help create an attitude of optimism
Practice Social Emotional Learning
A counselor comes to my class weekly to lead the students in social emotional conversations. School-wide we practice WELLNESS WEDNESDAY. We have Wellness Google Classroom with resources for students as well as staff.
Guiding Principles
KNOW YOUR STUDENTS
Who is in your classroom?
What are their likes/dislikes
What are their academic strengths/weaknesses
How do they learn best?
KNOW YOUR STUFF
Be Prepared
Study
Engage Yourself
Immerse yourself in your lesson
Your students will only be as excited about the lesson as you are.
KNOW YOURSELF
What creativity, gifts, and interests do you bring to teaching?
Infuse those tools into your teaching. It will make the teaching/learning experience enjoyable for you and your students.
Culturally Responsive Teaching
A classroom must be representative of all of the members of that class. It is the responsibility of the teacher to know who is in their classrooms and become a student of those they teach. That means you must study and learn about the values, norms, nuances, and cultures of your students so that you can teach responsively and responsibly. Your class and what you teach should be infused with parts of everyone's culture. Students should also be exposed to the cultures of those who are not like themselves.
Differentiated Instruction
English Language Learners
English Language Learners
English Language learners must be supported and nurtured in the educational process. There must be separate designated time and space for ELD instruction. Learning another language is very scary. Students learning English feel very intimidated as we all do when there is something that is new to us, particularly learning a new language. Students must be given time to feel comfortable to engage with conversation. A teacher must not force the issue, but provide the necessary scaffolding which should include helping them to gain background knowledge, vocabulary support, phonics, and word work to name a few things. They will feel more comfortable in small group settings as opposed to whole group.
Universal Design For Learning
Universal Design For Learning
UDL guidelines should be the starting point for lesson planning. It is essential that you plan to reach all learners. By using UDL you can adequately prepare for all of your students including ELL, SPED, and Neurodiverse learners. The Three aspects of UDL are Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression. These different components and the checkpoints are guides to insure that a teacher meets the varied and complex needs of all students.
Neurodiverse Learners & Special Education
Neurodiverse Learners & Special Education
Modifications and Accommodations must be made for students according to their IEP or 504 Plans. Although these students learn differently, they are talented in many other ways. As a teacher it is your job to find out how to bring out those talents and to teach students how they learn best. Neurodiverse students need a lot of support and there is not just one approach. You must study the student's IEP's and communicate with parents to learn their likes and dislikes and how to best work with the parents to support them. When you get to know your students it will be a great deal easier to teach them. You must also provide space for them to redirect. I use the calm down corner in my classroom as a free space for students to do this.
Final Thoughts
All Children can learn. We must seek to teach in a way that they are ABLE to learn.
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