Explore, Engage, and DIFFERENTIATE!

When teachers are clear with their learning goals, by voicing and sharing “can do” statements and objectives with the students, it becomes clear to the class what is expected of them and they the teacher has confidence that they can do it! When they are able to master the goal the teacher has set for the students, they feel empowered and accomplished with their learning.

By emphasizing learning that utilizes hands-on, imaginative practices, I know students will have an increased desire to want to become involved in the lessons I plan. It is my goal to link my teaching practices with the outside world, so that students will see learning as more than what goes on inside the classroom. I want them to take what we talk about and learn, outside and into the world. I want them to use their imaginations to relay and experiment with things that will change the world as we know it.

                             

I plan on setting high expectations for not only myself, but for my students as well. I want them to grow and improve on a daily basis, so that they can move toward becoming the best version of themselves that they can be. By providing them with authentic activities that are engaging and fun, I feel that I will be moving toward my ultimate goal of material retention due to interest and love of learning. I want to involve the full range of students in my class with this overall engagement by asking a lot of questions, using assessments to gage their understanding and interest levels, and by observing their overall attitude about learning.

                               

It is my goal to make learning fun and enjoyable, but also to push them to be their best. If I do this with my own self, I feel that I will expect it of my students. I plan to explore any and all avenues of making hard work something that feels like fun.

Through differentiation of lesson planning, I feel that I can make this goal a reality and bring my students to a higher level than they knew or thought possible for themselves. I want all the students in my class to experience a feeling of accomplishment, and increase in self-belief.

                                    

                                              

Being an effective...

We all know that a lot of time, energy, and thought goes into being an effective teacher. In order to be one, it is important to be motivated and enthusiastic about working with and interacting with students on a continual basis. The amount of work that goes into lesson planning, classroom coordination, and core curriculum management, can either make or break the efficacy of your teaching goals, depending on the timing, efficiency of planning, and execution.

             

In order to ensure your year goes as desired, as a teacher, I know I must take into account what subject matter and approach to teaching it will best motivate student achievement. Students are all academically, socially, and developmentally different and through differentiated lesson planning, I plan to fine tune their curriculum material to meet the needs of all the students in my classroom. I plan to get to know my students so that I can make decisions that will best fit their situation.

        

A students’ attitude is closely linked to the enthusiasm of the teacher. If I am excited to teach a fun lesson, full of interesting subject matter, games, or activities, a student is much more likely to want to participate. Teachers who reflect on their teaching strategies, not only give room for improvement, but allow themselves to accept credit for the things that went right during the process. I find it is important to build a positive self-esteem, based on the positive things that happened during each stage of the day and with every aspect of the lesson. I feel that when teachers take credit for the things that went right, and focus less on what went wrong, they set themselves up for success and build their own efficacy based on the high standards they set and achieve.  This is something I need to work on for sure!

By establishing classroom routines, both for myself and my students, I hope to become effective at managing time with flexibility and efficiency. Students need to know what is going to happen during the day, so they know what to expect. When students are given a schedule of the day’s events, they have time to mentally take note of anything new or different that may happen that day. By having this type of knowledge, they feel empowered and are not taken by surprise when events change. I want to provide this type of inclusion as a safety-net for students who would otherwise feel out of control with change or disruption to their daily schedule.

As a new teacher, I feel that classroom routines are especially important to encompass. With the rising number of autistic students, who have difficulty with schedule change, I want to make them feel at ease and reduce the amount of anxiety they experience in my classroom. I also feel that by establishing a consistent classroom routine, I will be able to plan for my lessons in a way that will leave me open for unexpected changes, without getting too behind on my curriculum schedule.

I truly can see the importance of having a good attitude when it comes to teaching. If I want my students to love school, it better start with me loving it too! 

So what does it matter?

Ever ask yourself why things matter so much to some students and not to others? What is it that causes one student take an interest in a lesson, while another tunes it out?

It’s all about interest. If a student feels the lesson subject matter is useful to them, they are more likely to take interest in a particular idea and pay attention, practice the skill, and utilize the teaching done under the subject.

What can be done to spark the interest of students who do not hold an interest in subject matter that is deemed valuable for curriculum?

Provide a variety of subject matter that can be connected to the lesson objective. Giving students choices in their own learning, ensures focus and increased interests. By providing students with choice during lessons, a teacher not only increases participation, but also opens the doors to engaged learning. The motivation of an interested student can be witnessed through the completion of projects and assignments that otherwise might require excessive coaching and encouragement.

Looking for fresh ways to present and explore ideas is the ultimate goal for making learning relatable and inviting. By providing a variety of ways to encourage student participation, such as role playing, pantomime, or monologues, students are able to crack the shells they hide under without even realizing they have become active participants.

            

Using music, art, or photographs also encourages student participation and engagement by waking the senses in a way that students approach learning as a game or activity to be enjoyed. Technology can awaken and enliven students who would otherwise drift off into dream land during important instruction time.

                                   

When teachers show their human side and share experiences that have made them who they are, they offer students a way to feel comfortable with their selves as well. They learn that all of us make mistakes, and can rise from our past experiences.  Their eyes are opened to the potential that their past does not have to become their future. We all have the ability to change, no matter what our life circumstances are.

I want to share with my students, in a way that allows them to relax around me, and accept themselves for who they are. I want to implement different learning strategies that will open the minds of my students through the senses. I enjoy being in a classroom that is full of engaged learning, as well as relaxed fun! I intend to become the type of teacher who is willing to let my hair down once in a while and not hide my imperfections. I feel that through the inclusion of connected interest activities, such as music during writing or testing, brain boosters in between instructions, and plenty of exercise, students will naturally become more engaged learners who will make the most of their time in the classroom.

Be the change you want to see…

The importance of engaging and focused work shows itself through the eyes of the students, who bask in your educational energy. This does not come without genuine learning and teaching, done by both student and teacher. If the teacher fosters an exploration of imagination and curiosity, the student is much more willing and able to take ownership and responsibility for their personal outcome.

To capture a students’ interest, a teacher must instill a level of confidence in the student that allows them to feel safe and free to express themselves in class. Once this interest is peeked, the student are able to experience a more satisfying learning experience. They are also able to extinguish negative self-talk or messages that might have held them back in the past. When students feel that they are worth your while, they create ties that bind them to the engaging learning, and allow them to recognize their individual successes. They develop a sense of power and worth that cannot be built or created without such support for learning. The service a teacher provides goes far beyond the confines of a classroom and extends into their personal life and self-beliefs about what is possible or them.

By making learning engaging, student become motivated, and the likelihood of their success increases exponentially. What greater sense of accomplishment can a teacher ask for than to foster love of learning and self in a classroom that carries over into other aspects of a students’ life.

Through development of a desire for daily learning to be satisfying, teachers foster attitudes in their students that offer them deeper insight into what they are capable of accomplishing.  

I want my students to feel my excitement for teaching. I want them to feel that there is no place that I would rather be than with them, in the moment, teaching with love and desire for them to grasp the concepts in the curriculum. I plan to seek out the most engaging strategies possible in order to keep their interests, and increase their overall desire to learn. I also plan on using differentiated learning strategies to capture their readiness level for the material being taught, so they can take as much with them as possible. I feel that the inclusion of lesson material that is specific for students finishing time, eagerness to learn, and attention level, makes the utmost difference in how much of a lesson actually sticks with them over time.

A lesson that is uniform to fit all students, and that has no variation of material content is like trying to put your students in a one-size-fits-all pair of jeans. It may work for some students, but the majorities needs will not be met. Thoughtful planning must be at the top of a teacher’s priority list in order to make the biggest difference possible for each of the students throughout the lessons taught. That is my ultimate goal as a teacher, to be sensitive to the needs of my students in a way that will allow them to bloom and grow into their potential. I understand that to do that, I must model and be that myself first.

Teaching with respect…

I know for myself, that when I am in a classroom where I am respected, I am that much more willing to give it in return. Caring about others deeper aspects of life is a learned skill, not practiced by all. In order to be an effective teacher, one must continually emphasize the key element of interest and acceptance. A supportive environment is one where students are emotionally welcome to be themselves in a way that is accepted without guidelines of perfection.

There is no shortage of caring teachers in the field of education, but there needs to be a fostering of such an attitude in order to maintain a motivation of high standards of respect for students and teachers alike. In creating caring relationships with our students, we need to remember to emphasize love as the key element for success.

In my elementary school experience, I had a teacher who took particular interest in me. She showed me unconditional love, no matter what the outside circumstances were. She pointed out my strengths, was warm and friendly, helped me to be strong in tough situations, and fostered an overall feeling of love and acceptance in her classroom. She was an example to me of what I want to be like for my students. It’s easy to love the clean, smart, well-mannered kids, but it takes work to really appreciate all students for what they are deep inside.

As a future teacher, I want to develop an awareness in my students that stems outside of school activities. I want them to be able to open up to me about struggles they have on the playground or at home. I want to be an advocate for their safety and good mental health. It takes direct interaction to build the kind of relationship that fosters trust and motivation for achievement, but through a loving and supportive attitude, it can be done.