Imagined Classroom

This is the type of picture that would be seen on the wall. Encouraging an environment of learning, the students would understand that there is opportunity in each day to learn when desire and effort are put forth. (Image taken from http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/inspire-u-poster-make-today-the-day-to/p/702590/)


As is mentioned later on, students in my classroom will be grouped in fours to encourage group discussion. Students will work on projects with their groups and will have the opportunity to switch groups and interact with all students in the class. (Image retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elementary_classroom_in_Alaska.jpg)


This would be similar to the reading center I would like to create in my classroom. This reading corner would be creative, colorful and learning enriching. To encourage reading and literacy, students would be given time each day to spend in the reading center. (Image retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS593US593&biw=1366&bih)


As my focus is Math, students will be able to understand that Math is more than a problem on a worksheet, but that it is seen all around us. This picture shows the application of Math and would help children understand how to search out Math in their day-to-day lives (Image retrieved from http://330207677764321891.weebly.com/class-photos.html#PhotoSwipe1375268085863)


This picture illustrates the concept of group work. Through group work, my students will be able to share understanding and work on problem solving skills (Image retrieved from http://montessoriguide.org/elementary-age-work/)

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   2.     Imagine the surrounding in your classroom. What does the room look like? What resources are available for students? How are the resources used during the lesson?
   • Pulling open the door to the classroom, the individual's attention is first drawn to the desk alignment. With space to carefully move around, the desks are grouped in fours with the desks facing inwards. 6 clusters of desks are seen throughout the room, allowing for group work and discussions. Walking closer, name tags the colors of red, yellow, and blue have been carefully taped to align perfectly with the top edge of the desk. Along the back wall are cubbies for the students to store their school supplies. A hook for a backpack has been carefully placed in the center and directly above this is a shelf for the storing of the student's class workbooks along with projects that they have begun. The workbooks are used daily as we examine the principles of math, reading, writing, and science. Assignments can be removed from the workbook and taken home to work on. The wall opposite the door has been created into a reading center. Bean bags, chairs, and pillows lay on the floor waiting for the company of a student. This area is surrounded by a wide selection of books to meet the needs of advanced readers and beginning readers. The books have been worn down over the years of students going to the reading center during their "reading time" or when they have finished their in-class worksheets. Opposite the wall of the reading center is my desk.  
   2. Describe the students in your classroom. What are their backgrounds? What are their interests? What are they doing during the lesson?
   • Students in my classroom are roughly 8-9 years old. Most of them enter in the classroom full of energy with the occasional student who grudgingly drags their backpack into the classroom, only because there exists a greater desire to sleep in. Teaching in the Utah area, a majority of the classroom comes from white American Mormon families. Although there are moments of sass and attitude, most of the students are found reaching out to others and slow to act in bitterness towards classmates. Problem solving is evident and hands are always outstretched to include others. At the age of 8, most students are developing the ability to think abstractly and it can be seen on their faces, heard in their questions, and evident in their imagination. This stage causes many to react in excitement when they understand the new principles or concepts that are being taught. Recess is a highlight. The students raise towards the playgrounds for games such as "Hot Lava", jump rope, tag, and kickball. Energy is expended at recess and tired bodies return to the classroom ready to pull out notebooks and try their best to focus as their minds start to wander, thinking of the snack Mom has waiting for them at home. 
   4.     Describe your classroom policies. What are your classroom rules? What is your discipline plan? What are your homework policies?
   • More than only logical thinking, creative thinking is inspired. Posters hang on the wall encouraging exploration, learning, and diligence. It will be expected of students to complete the assigned worksheets that will be sent home with them. Worksheets will be given a grade for completion and will be reviewed in class so students can understand where they answered incorrectly and why. In situations of students acting up or defiantly disobeying, they will be given a warning privately. I will approach the situation, explain what I am seeing and let them know the consequence if the action continues. If a student causes continual disruptions, an email will be sent home so that I may meet with the parent and student to discuss options of how to solve the situation. 
   4. Describe a typical lesson you will teach in your classroom. What will you teach? What is the topic? Why did you choose this topic? How will you teach it? What is the main thing you want students to learn during this lesson?
   • I would like to focus on Mathematics. Through personal experience, I have found a love for Math and desire to help others understand the concepts and daily application of the topic. I loved that through a process of methods, one could find an answer to a problem. This logical thinking gave me great satisfaction as I learned math over the years. I desire to now not only focus on teaching the methods of math, but also understanding why it works and why we learn it. Although my focus will be on 3rd grade, I would search for opportunities to help the older grades with Math as well. Simple addition and subtraction problems combined with story problems would be seen daily in my classroom. 
   5. Imagine your work as a teacher during this lesson. What are you doing during the lesson?
   • Understanding that muscle memory comes with time, I begin the lesson with a warm-up problem on the board. A problem to review what we have learned in the previous class. Students are invited to discuss possibilities of the solution to the story problem or question that I have posed. I walk around the classroom, listening in on conversations, pausing occasionally to ask students "Okay, so what are we thinking?". A general understanding of where the students are has been gauged and I return to the board. I open it up for students to share their answers and how they arrived at the point. I also give students the opportunity to question what they are hearing and to provide their thoughts. I pose another question that leads the students to ponder or question more advanced concepts. This provides the perfect segue into our new concept for the day. I walk around the room asking questions to help the students consider different options of solving a problem. I don't give the solution or method right away. My questions are given to probe at their understanding. More than giving a lecture, I am acting as a catalyst for their thought process of problem solving. After we have explored the concept, I give a general understanding and clarify any confusion. I lead the students into different forms of practice in hopes of leading them towards mastery and application.  
   6. Imagine your students again, what are they doing during the lesson?
   • Students are actively participating in the warm up. They feel confident in solving the problem because they have learned the concepts and methods in our previous class together. They eagerly share their answers with others in their group and noise fills the air. Their confidence allows them to shoot their hands up to share their strategies in solving the story problem. At times, their conversations about solving problems carry them into other topics, but they are able to refocus easily. 
   7. Imagine how you will assess your students' learning and achievement. How will you know they have learned?
   • As one of my objectives will be to help students master the concepts of mathematics, I will use group projects related to application of the concepts. More than a test or quiz, I would like the students to understand the daily application of what they are learning. Tests will be used to evaluate basic concepts; however, to analyze the process of learning/application, they will do group presentations of how the principle is evident in every day life. Students will show understanding of learning the concept (through worksheets and tests). Application will then be applied as together they think of a real problem that can be solved.