First Day of School- Preparation and Materials
Before my first day of school, I would organize and decorate my classroom to welcome the learners and create the learning environment. I would place my math clock in my room and other math related objects that I have found over the years. I would have various mathematical and inspirational posters on the walls. For example, I have a poster with possible math and science careers, which demonstrates where one can apply mathematics in the real world. Here are some examples of posters I would have in my classroom:
Also, I would hang up the classroom social contract that each class created on one of the walls. In front of the room, I would have a smart board as well as a small white board to write the learning targets. On the side walls, I would like to have white board spacing for the students to problem solve. Lastly, I would have a Grand Valley State University flag hanging on the back wall of the room to represent my alumni.
The classroom structure is the centerpiece of the classroom management. In order to maintain appropriate control, the teacher must constantly walk throughout the classroom and be able to assist every desk. The classroom must be arranged for maximum teacher mobility, physical proximity to students and moment-to-moment accountability of students. Therefore, I would like to setup the classroom in arrangements of groups with four desks, and multiple walkways to reach each student quickly. The best arrangements put the least and fewest barriers between the teacher and any student in the classroom. This will allow the students to form cooperative groups as they work on assignments and have small group discussions.
I would prepare my materials and resources in order to provide my students the best educational experience in my mathematics classroom. I would have my units plan for the semesters, which are aligned with various activities, worksheets, projects and assessments. I would make sure each learning activity is aligning with the learning targets and the Common Core State Standards. I would have spare copies of my lesson plans on top of the desk so a substitute teacher could pick up on the lesson easily when I’m absent.
For the first day of class, I would create a syllabus explaining the content and learning targets the students will be assessed on throughout the semester. The syllabus will include my philosophy of Love and Logic and Responsible Thinking Process. I would attach a welcome letter for the parents, which will be attached to the syllabus. The student’s guardian will read over the syllabus and sign it. Also, the students will sign the syllabus. As the class begins with each unit, I would send another letter to the parents introducing the new unit and let the parents know what learning targets and concepts the students will be assessed on.
On the first day of class, I will give the students an opportunity to create the classroom social contract. This will be great introduction lesson for my students to create their classroom expectations for their peers and myself. An example of this is included under the samples tab.
The classroom structure is the centerpiece of the classroom management. In order to maintain appropriate control, the teacher must constantly walk throughout the classroom and be able to assist every desk. The classroom must be arranged for maximum teacher mobility, physical proximity to students and moment-to-moment accountability of students. Therefore, I would like to setup the classroom in arrangements of groups with four desks, and multiple walkways to reach each student quickly. The best arrangements put the least and fewest barriers between the teacher and any student in the classroom. This will allow the students to form cooperative groups as they work on assignments and have small group discussions.
I would prepare my materials and resources in order to provide my students the best educational experience in my mathematics classroom. I would have my units plan for the semesters, which are aligned with various activities, worksheets, projects and assessments. I would make sure each learning activity is aligning with the learning targets and the Common Core State Standards. I would have spare copies of my lesson plans on top of the desk so a substitute teacher could pick up on the lesson easily when I’m absent.
For the first day of class, I would create a syllabus explaining the content and learning targets the students will be assessed on throughout the semester. The syllabus will include my philosophy of Love and Logic and Responsible Thinking Process. I would attach a welcome letter for the parents, which will be attached to the syllabus. The student’s guardian will read over the syllabus and sign it. Also, the students will sign the syllabus. As the class begins with each unit, I would send another letter to the parents introducing the new unit and let the parents know what learning targets and concepts the students will be assessed on.
On the first day of class, I will give the students an opportunity to create the classroom social contract. This will be great introduction lesson for my students to create their classroom expectations for their peers and myself. An example of this is included under the samples tab.
Extracurricular Activities
I would like to volunteer and seek leadership opportunities within my school district. I would like to be assistant coach for Science Olympiad, Math Olympiad or similar competitions or tennis. Science Olympiad is a team competition for elementary, middle school or high school students which compete in various science discipline events, including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and engineering. Teams compete every year and if the team excels it would qualify for state competition and then possibly progress to the national competition. Math Olympiad is a middle school team math competition where the team uses problem solving and critical thinking skills to solve problems. I would live to be a coach while I’m a teacher and would like to be within my school community. I want to teach students how to problem solve and critically think. It would be very rewarding to encourage students to apply their knowledge in various situations as found in Science and Math Olympiad. Besides having a passion for mathematics and biology, I’ve played tennis for over 9 years. I would like to be a coach for the middle school or high school, where I could teach the students a sport where they can have fun for a lifetime. If the school doesn't have a program, I would invest time creating a recreational tennis club to promote the learning of the sport.
Classroom Procedures
I expect each of my students to arrive in a timely matter and be ready to learn. The students should bring writing utensils, paper and their homework to class. The students should also be ready to be active learners and come to class with a positive mind. As the student enters the classroom, the students should take their assign calculators, turn in their homework and sit in their assigned seats. Once the student sits down, they should immediately work on their warm-up silently until the teacher starts the lesson.
After the warm-up, the teacher will communicate the daily agenda and instructions so that every student understands the expectations. This will allow the teacher to set the expectations and provide clear/specific instructions for the work requirements for the assignments. It is desired that students should actively participate in class discussion by sharing their ideas with their peers and work on their assignments. It is encouraged that each student has a voice in the class and should share their thoughts. Their peers shouldn't judge them personally or their intellectual abilities. Instead, they should help promote each other’s learning. The students will either be taking notes, working on worksheet, and/or working with group work. I would encourage the students to ask three other classmates for clarity before asking the teacher. This would allow the students to problem solve and help each other out since they rely on their peers for assistance. The teacher will also circulate to assist and ask questions to stimulate the child’s thinking. The students should also have their reflection journal with them which will allow them to reflect at any moment throughout the lesson. The students will complete an exit slip before leaving. The students are encouraged to write one thing they are confused from the lesson and what they need re-explained. This will give me feedback and allow me to review the misconceptions. Therefore I could address this at the next time we meet. Before class is over, the students will place their papers in their binders and store their calculators. Lastly, the students will remain behind their desks until the bell rings. From these procedures, I hope to promote learning and good behavior by providing a positive environment. Also, the student will be held accountable for his/her own work and take ownership for their learning.
After the warm-up, the teacher will communicate the daily agenda and instructions so that every student understands the expectations. This will allow the teacher to set the expectations and provide clear/specific instructions for the work requirements for the assignments. It is desired that students should actively participate in class discussion by sharing their ideas with their peers and work on their assignments. It is encouraged that each student has a voice in the class and should share their thoughts. Their peers shouldn't judge them personally or their intellectual abilities. Instead, they should help promote each other’s learning. The students will either be taking notes, working on worksheet, and/or working with group work. I would encourage the students to ask three other classmates for clarity before asking the teacher. This would allow the students to problem solve and help each other out since they rely on their peers for assistance. The teacher will also circulate to assist and ask questions to stimulate the child’s thinking. The students should also have their reflection journal with them which will allow them to reflect at any moment throughout the lesson. The students will complete an exit slip before leaving. The students are encouraged to write one thing they are confused from the lesson and what they need re-explained. This will give me feedback and allow me to review the misconceptions. Therefore I could address this at the next time we meet. Before class is over, the students will place their papers in their binders and store their calculators. Lastly, the students will remain behind their desks until the bell rings. From these procedures, I hope to promote learning and good behavior by providing a positive environment. Also, the student will be held accountable for his/her own work and take ownership for their learning.
Classroom Rules
Besides the procedures that were discussed as above. I will allow the students to create some classroom rules and vote on them as a class. The classroom rules need to be observed, enforced as age appropriate. This will also reinforce what the clear expectations are for each student as well as being consistent with the schools rules and procedures. The rules should teach the students appropriate classroom behavior. I want to receive the students input and allow them to share their opinions about fair classroom rules. Thus, I will empower the students by allowing them to take responsibility for creating the rules and ownership for their education. Once the rules are in place, then the students will sign the classroom social contract and I will place the constitution in the class so each student can see them. The students will understand the consequences for breaking the classroom rules. If a student’s breaks one of the rules, I will have them review the classroom rules and make them reflect on their actions. For minor infractions, I will follow the three step process: The first strike could be a student-teacher conference out in the hall, the second strike might result in a call to the parents, and the third strike could result in a discipline referral to an administrator. For major infractions, I may remove the student immediately from the classroom depending on the offense. I will reinforcing the rules throughout the class and make sure the punishments are fair for each student. The teacher will monitor the student’s behavior regularly by surveying the classroom and practicing routine checks on students before errors are practiced and reinforced.