Teaching Philosophy Visualizer
Any Classroom of Mine Should Be...
Engaging and Welcoming
From the moment I first saw it, this page in I Spy: School Days shaped my view of an ideal classroom environment. While I still can't say what exactly it is that draws me in so quickly, the sheer amount of skills and knowledge shared in a creative, fun, and accessible way -from color coding and text blocking to the combination of reference and practice all available in a relatively compact space- is something I strive to bring into my own classroom. Shown below are some pictures of my own classrooms. As you can see, I love to include color in my classrooms (and if the occasion calls for it-glitter!)
Differentiated
A classroom is a collection of individual students learning together, and as such, it is logical that their instruction should be individualized to a degree. I have found that differentiating comes easiest to me when I follow a general set of guidelines:
1. Get to know my students- skills, talents, interests, challenge areas, etc.; this is where pre-assessment comes in, but also Erwin (above left) my teaching assistant/student advocate. I have seen a lot of success with students engaging with Erwin as a bridge between myself and them.
2. Create reference and practice materials to be displayed (right) or utilized in centers
3. Show students materials, scaffold their use, encourage independent engagement with materials
**All throughout this process, students are encouraged and facilitated in identifying and expressing their needs and problem solving**
Integrated and Experiential
As I hope that all of these pictures show, I am devoted to making the learning experience, an actual learning EXPERIENCE, as I have seen (especially of the elementary level) that having a hand in the creation of something or being part of a process is what helps information stick, and provides opportunity to practice a skill. Beyond that, there are relatively few people who would rather be talked at for hours on end rather than participate in something for the same amount of time! Beyond this, I am also very passionate about ensuring students are made aware of the interconnectedness of all subject areas, and how they all support or enhance each other to uncover the full human experience on this Earth!