I was solo teaching in the classroom and we were doing a journal writing and making turkey families based on our own families. Some of the students were so excited. Some of the students where quiet about what they were drawing and some where upset. One boy in particular was very sad that we were doing a turkey family. He stated that he thought this was stupid and didn’t want to do it. I told him that I would love to see his family and that we all have different families and that is what makes us special. He broke down crying saying he hated school and wasn’t going to do the assignment. I told him to go sit by my desk while I got the rest of the students going. He cried while I taught the rest of the class. Once I got the class started on their turkey families I went back to the boy to discuss what was wrong. I let him know that I was sorry he was feeling like this was a stupid assignment and that I was sorry that it was upsetting to him. I told him that I wanted to know why he felt so strongly against this assignment of journal writing. He said that it was because his dad was in jail and he wasn’t sure what to put for his turkey family. I told him that I was very sorry and that we all have different families and stories. He really showed that everyone has a story to tell and sometimes in the classroom it comes out very real. I was glad that he showed me that even a small and simple assignment to me can be huge and significant.

A less traditional aspect that I want to incorporate into my classroom comes from Paulo Friere. This approach to teaching is called liberation pedagogy, where the professors are no longer the single source of knowledge in the classroom but rather are engaging in helping students move from passive recipients to active creators of knowledge and ideas. In order to do this, I will set up a syllabus that can be adjusted to the needs of the students. We will engage in open discussion and use workshop as a way to learn about each other. The classroom should be a place where students and teachers are in mutual respect and are able to express opinions freely. I hope to have a teaching setting that prepares students for the real world and not just the classroom.

• https://sites.google.com/site/unmprofessionalportfolios/
• https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/
• http://www.unm.edu/

Project Base learning at our school:

My name is Evie and I am a student at Northeast Family School. When I was three years old I got very sick with pneumonia and had to spend a week in the pediatric unit of San Juan Regional Medical Center. I was there for my birthday and for Halloween. My brother, sisters and I had to spend a lot of time on in the pediatric unit when we were younger because of respiratory illnesses. My school challenged each of us kids to come up with a service project to serve someone else this holiday season. I chose to serve the pediatric unit at SJRMC to say thank you for helping me. I am collecting new or gently used pj’s, comfortable clothes (such as sweat pants and t-shirts), colorful blankets and pillowcases. As a kid it is nice to be able to wear fun pj’s instead of a hospital gown and the comfortable clothes will be given to children who do not have clothes to wear home (ie. If they were in a car accident or from out of town). The colorful blankets and pillowcase are to bring some fun into the hospital room where these kids are stuck. I am also trying to organize a night for people to come help make pillowcases and blankets. If you would like to donate your time, bring a sewing machine or donate fabric for this activity, please let me know. Otherwise I will be collecting any donations of new and gently used pj’s, clothes, pillowcases and blankets for children age 0-18 years old. Thank you