Teaching is Learning Rachel White Teaching is a constant learning experience, we may have achieved mastery of our content and

curriculum but mastery of teaching will always be an ongoing process. The students that cross the thresholds of our classrooms each day are what make the process so dynamic. Each student is thoroughly unique and will require individualized treatment, relationships, accommodations and instruction in whatever classroom they may be in. We will never be finished mastering how to pristinely execute this teaching relationship with each student and thus we will always be learning. Every student will teach us something new, and as we progress in our careers we gather a wider knowledge base of just how to address each student most efficient and effectively. Teachers must be adaptable and able to think on their feet, as teaching is a profession that is incredibly fast paced and unique each and every day. There are an immense number of circumstances that we must consider as we head to our jobs everyday including culture, expectations, discipline, the curriculum and our strategies. I strive to create an environment in which every student can feel comfortable enough to let down their guard and actively participate in a way that allows me to share my knowledge of the content successfully and meaningfully. Developing a classroom in which all students can feel comfortable enough to learn and grow in is a classroom that requires much planning and strategy. It is important that my students know what is expected of them as soon as they walk through the door. Among other things, these expectations include a respect for me as their teacher and their peers along with participation in a daily routine that would be established on the first day of school. Routine is important for students who may not have this type of structure on other parts of their lives and it allows students to feel more comfortable because they will know what they can expect when they come into my classroom each and every day. The daily routine in the classroom will require students to actively participate and construct knowledge of our curriculum based on what they already know. This constructivist approach to learning may take the form of direct instruction, modeling, discussion, question and answer sessions, drill and practice, and inquiry or discovery based lessons. The employment of all of these strategies will be used in order to reach the greatest amount of students possible as some students will respond more positively to one instructional strategy opposed any other. The most important part of each of these instructional strategies is the kind of questions that are asked of the students. Asking students questions that challenge what them to use what they already know to solve unfamiliar problems is an important part of these strategies. This idea is heavily influenced by Vygotsky and his zone of proximal development. The use of Blooms taxonomy will be used to develop questions that require students to think at many levels of thinking, not just knowledge and comprehension. These higher level thinking questions are extremely important to the development of knowledge. This goes hand in hand with the expectations that I have for my students and myself in the classroom. From my students I expect respect towards their peers and towards any teacher. Students will always know what is expected of them in my classroom by using a behavioral contract at the beginning of the year along with a posted list of expectations in the classroom in case they need that reminder. Due to the nature of the routine in the classroom, participation will be required from all students. A discovery based lesson involving discussion and question and answer sessions cannot function without the participation of the students. The culture that everyone is expected to join in and that mistakes are a welcome part of the discussion will be apparent from the first day of

class. The competition that is inevitable in many classrooms due to the nature of the grading system will be discouraged in my classroom. There will be a focus on making mistakes for the betterment of the community and working hard to teach others what you know if you are succeeding yourself. The expectations that I have for myself in my classroom is that I always do my best to provide engaging lessons that will capture the attention of the students. This will be done by the use of inquiry based lessons and discussions that do not require the students to just passively absorb information. I recognize that there are times that it will be important to engage in direct instruction to clear up misconceptions or teach something that cannot be easily discovered during a lesson. Expectations are an essential part to the functionality of my classroom. Consistency is imperative to the execution of many of these ideas in the classroom, including discipline. It is extremely important that all students know what the expectations for behavior in the classroom are. At the beginning of the school year, each student will sign a behavioral contract and share this with their parents. This leaves no room for questions about what is required and expected of the students in my classroom. The rules will be explicitly stated in the room and visible to all. It is important to me that the rules be stated in a positive, observable and enforceable manner. There will be a hierarchy of consequences for the students that will hold for the range of behavior issues addressed by the contract that the explicit classroom rules. The rules will include being respectful of other students ideas and beliefs so that everyone may feel comfortable enough to share with the class at no risk. The use of proximity control will be employed in situations that do not put the rest of the class at risk and other situations in which this may be appropriate. In certain cases, the discipline may be tailored to the student who has broken a rule or someone who has reached the top of the hierarchy of consequences. It is important that the consequences for each behavior be tied to that specific behavior in order to properly correct it. I will model self-discipline in my own interactions with the students in order to help them develop this skill for themselves. A classroom that is consistent and explicit with rules will be one in which everyone can grow and develop without risk. The last element of our classrooms that is important to acknowledge is culture. This includes both the culture of each individual student, the school as a whole and the community. In my classroom I will strive to create an environment in which every student can maintain their own unique identity and also bring something important to an assimilated classroom. It is very important that all students are treated in a way that suites their own personal needs and cultures. Using differentiation, we can help all students obtain what they need in order to succeed in our classrooms. However, I think that it is important that we treat everyone in a way that feels equal to all. No student should feel that they have been neglected or not given enough assistance to succeed in the school and within our classroom. It is also important to consider the places that all of our students come from and to accept all of the diverse experiences that our students shoulder every day. The importance of acceptance within the school and classroom is a factor that will prevent students from learning if they do not feel that they belong. I hope to create an environment where everyone feels that they belong and a place where all of the students can feel equal. The culture of the classroom is created through an assimilation of all of the diverse experiences that the students bring with them into it. As teachers it is our job to help mold this atmosphere into a positive one where everyone may feel welcome. All of these circumstances help to build my philosophy of education; however the most important component for me to remember is that teaching is learning. The mastery of teaching will constantly be an ongoing process and my students may teach me as much as I teach them.