During my student-teaching semester, I read The 1619 Project: Born on the Water aloud to my students to help them explore identity, ancestry, and the history of African people before and after slavery. I chose this text intentionally because many of my students rarely see themselves reflected in the curriculum, and I wanted them to experience a story that honored their culture and humanity. Reading aloud allowed me to slow down the language, check for understanding, and create space for emotional and academic reflection.

This experience reinforced my belief that culturally responsive teaching is essential for student engagement and self-awareness. My students connected deeply to the narrative, asked thoughtful questions, and expressed pride in learning about their roots. By using this text, I supported learners with diverse cultural backgrounds, reading levels, and emotional needs, ensuring that every child had access to a meaningful and affirming learning experience.

During my student-teaching experience, I reinforced a positive learning environment by implementing the HUMS PRIDE expectations poster as a foundational behavior framework in the classroom. The PRIDE values Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence helped establish shared norms around movement, communication, responsibility, and academic effort. I consistently referenced the poster during lessons, transitions, and student conferences to support students in self-managing their behavior and understanding what success looked like in our classroom. This structure contributed to a learning environment where students felt supported, accountable, and motivated to engage with both their peers and their work in meaningful ways.

During my student teaching, I used a laminated communication board as a support tool for students who needed a nonverbal and developmentally appropriate way to express how they were feeling and what type of help they needed. Each student kept the board in their notebook and placed it on their desk during class. With a dry erase marker, they could check boxes to show whether they felt confused, overwhelmed, unsure of the directions, or in need of a break or teacher support. Well my mentor teacher would teach or when I'm teaching, I would circulated around the room, I paid close attention to these boards, using them as a quiet signal to identify which students needed clarification, redirection, or emotional support without drawing attention to them in front of their peers.

This tool was especially effective for students who struggled with self-advocacy, students with IEPs, English language learners, and students who experienced anxiety when asking questions out loud. By giving them a simple, accessible visual they could use independently, I ensured that every learner had a way to communicate their needs in real time. This artifact demonstrates my commitment to understanding individual differences and creating an inclusive classroom environment where all students feel seen, supported, and empowered to ask for help.