Learning Environment – The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.
Rationale: The artifact that I created is a 3rd grade class website. This website was designed for an specific class and it contains important information for parents and the students. I created this artifact during my Spring 2019 semester in my AEDU 380-General Methods Class.
Self-Evaluation: Creating this website I was able to learn how to effectively involve and communicate with parents and students using technology, more precisely a classroom website. By completing this artifact I was able to demonstrate how to structure a healthy and safe environment for my future students. In this website I included a brief welcoming and a mission statement. I included a classroom map and an explanation as to why I choose such structure and my intentions behind such design. I included topics of importance for parents and the students for an effective learning school year. The topics included are: rules and expectations, rewards and consequences, procedures, instructional style, embracing diversity as a teacher, news, projects and a letter for parents who might be limited with technology. I embrace the idea that a classroom website serves as a great aid for parental involvement and as a mediator for communication and keeping parents well informed.
Standard Connection: This artifact "Class Website" intentionally interrelates the ideas presented in Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 4, to embrace the creation of a positive and culturally responsive learning environment. During the process of creating this website I was able to learn and reflect on the different topics that are fundamental for effective teaching and learning. Developing a teaching philosophy can be very challenging. There is so much to consider and so many ideas out there as to what proactive teaching is. I personally believe that as future educators we need to think outside the box in order to fully understand diversity. It is important for teachers to be familiar with curriculum and teaching strategies but at the same time it is crucial for teachers to be sensible. As an educator one must embrace all children and be alert in order for learning to take place, I was able to gain from making this artifact, I gained educator valuable knowledge. I was able to rationalize the importance of communication between parents and educators and how to implement it.
Rationale: The picture book touches important themes such as diversity, friendship ,kindness, tolerance and acceptance. This book embraces the story of a grade school boy who has facial deformities and who faces big challenges in his journey to adapt into a school setting after been home schooled all of his life due to health problems. I will encourage critical and reflective thinking throughout the unit making usage of different activities. I truly believe that social emotional well being is crucial for an effective learning environment.I believe that this book sets the tone for a compassionate and caring atmosphere in the classroom. There is so much that students can learn from this picture book. Students can reflect on the importance of choosing kind and been themselves always. The book touches many details and diversity, not only students with special needs will feel identify but many others. The author gives hopes through the different characters and students have options as to who they can identify with. I believe this book does an outstanding job making all students feel identified it is hard not to feel related one way or another.
Standard Connection: The artifact relates with Illinois Teaching Professional Standard #4 because I was able to structure a safe and healthy learning environment and facilitated a cultural responsiveness while taking into consideration emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.
Self-evaluation: I find this book to be very educational for students. I believe that this book sets the tone for a compassionate and caring atmosphere in the classroom. There is so much that students can learn from this picture book. Students can reflect on the importance of choosing kind and been themselves always. The book touches many details and diversity, not only students with special needs will feel identify but many others. The author gives hopes through the different characters and students have options as to who they can identify with. I believe this book does an outstanding job making all students feel identified it is hard not to feel related one way or another.