Using Research to Inform Practices  

I research principles that I consistently apply in my classes, which is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Throughout my teaching, I have noticed that using SEL with students has a positive effect on their academic performance, behavior, and mental health. It's important that students get a space in at least one classroom where they are able to talk about themselves and get to know each other on another level. SEL supports skills like self-regulation and goal setting, these are just some of the aspects that make excellent students. Working with students and having a class discussion on the SEL warm-up changes the environment because students get to let go of those emotions that could affect their engagement in the classroom. As a teacher, I recognize the importance of this strategy, as it can also be applied to us, reducing burnout. 

A research principle that I have always used as a teacher and student is using color coding. Its highly effective as a visual learning strategy that can support memory, organization, and comprehension. As a teacher, I have always found it hard to make the students focus on the most essential parts of the summaries, assignments, and handouts. Using this simple but highly effective strategy, students are able to concentrate on the key aspects of a text without having to lose concentration. While many teachers and students see color coding as something simple, studies have shown that it can make a difference in the life of a student because it helps them process, retain, and apply information. In my classroom, I always make students use color coding to improve their organization when they write a paragraph. When students associate a specific color with a type of content, it reduces cognitive overload. Most of my strategies in the classroom focus on looking out for the student, both inside and outside the school. It's essential to teach the students healthy strategies to use in their daily lives to overcome different issues that they may have.