As I look towards the start of my teaching career, there are certain elements that I envision incorporating into my classroom. With a focus on an elementary or primary classroom, it can be fun to think about how I will decorate the room, what types of plants I will have in the window, or what kinds of fieldtrips I’ll be able to organize depending on the competency of the class. However, what I intent to prioritize in order to meet students’ needs goes beyond surface level visuals. As important as a welcoming but not distracting room is, it is exceedingly important to consider the values that will be portrayed through my teaching and other actions. The vision I have for my future classroom includes meeting the physiological needs of my students, encouraging socialization of classmates, and teaching for the margins to improve the learning outcomes of all students while maintaining high expectations for all learners.

What I intend to set as a priority in a future classroom is the physiological needs of students. As proposed by American psychologist Abraham Maslow, there is a particular order that human needs must be satisfied before being able to rise to the next stage which eventually allows for esteem and self-actualization. Referred to as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,” the first need that must be met is physiological needs (Hopper, 2020). This includes air, water, food shelter, and sleep. If these basic needs are not met for students, it will prohibit their ability to feel secure and connected to the class which greatly reduces their abilities to learn. If students are hungry and tired, their focus will be on those feelings and the resulting physical symptoms. If I can meet those needs for the students that are not experiencing them else where, they will be more able to learn what is being taught.

Although many schools currently have breakfast or lunch programs, there are schools where there are generally less needs that do not offer the same support even if there is still a small portion of students that would benefit from such programs. In this situation, I will meet the needs are those students that are slipping through the cracks by either bringing an extra snack or sandwich to school each day or by becoming a leader within the school that encourages student involvement in meeting these needs. This could translate to a group of students baking muffins each week or running fundraisers that contribute to a supply of food for the students that arrive at school hungry, depending on the specific needs of the school and the school policies that apply to such endeavors.

To meet the needs of students that require a chance to sleep, I will consider the day’s schedule when a student appears to need some rest. If there is a lower priority activity that the other students are outside of the classroom for, I would allow the student in need to have a nap during that time or find a quiet room outside of the classroom that could be used for a nap. If a student is struggling to stay awake for a lesson, it does not make sense for them to force themselves to try to learn. According to psychologists Kerstin Hödlmoser and Kathrin Bothe MSc, due to the enormous number of new experiences and skills children are exposed to throughout the day, “sleep seems to be particularly important for stable memory formation, especially in this early phase of development” (Hödlmoser and Bothe, 2023, para. 4). If all their energy is focused on staying awake, they will not be absorbing any information from the lesson anyways. It would be more beneficial for their learning to have a nap and return to the class after.

Additionally, the focus on meeting the physiological needs of students aligns with the First Peoples Principle of Learning which states that “learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors” (First Peoples Principles of Learning, n.d.). The hierarchy of needs aligns with the way in which this principle of learning focuses on well-being but the principle has a broader focus that incorporates more than just the student. As stated by Jo Chrona, an educator who is a member of the Kitsumkalum First Nation, “each aspect of well-being (self, family, community, land, spirits, and ancestors) is interconnected with the others” (Chrona, 2023, 122). By moving the focus away from successes of the capitalist economy and towards the well-being of the student and those who support them, learning can be built up from a foundation of wellness rather than trying to push students towards esteem or self-actualization before their physiological and safety needs are met.

Continuing up the pyramid of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the second level is safety needs followed by the need for love and belonging, which includes friendships and a sense of belonging. With this in mind, along with the increasing amount of technology in children’s lives, my vision for a classroom involves the encouragement of positive socialization. Many kids spend their afterschool and weekend time on computers or videogames, rather than interacting with their peers. School is the only time in one’s life that they are surrounded by so many people that are the same age as them, making it an ideal time to create friendships. Additionally, socialization is the best way for children to learn social norms. As stated by sociology expert, Dr. Nicki Lisa Cole, “it teaches children to control their biological impulses, such as using a toilet instead of wetting their pants or bed” (Cole, 2020, para. 5). Through strategic partner work, class discussions, and seating arrangements, I will encourage new friendships between students and help them learn more from and about each other. Further, when teaching high grade levels, my vision includes creating leadership opportunities between older and younger students. This may be done through buddy reading or organizing school-wide events that contribute to a positive school culture.

Another aspect of what I envision for a classroom is inclusive education that benefits not only those who need it most, but all students in the class that it could help. As explained by Canadian educator and special education expert, Shelley Moore, rather than creating a plan for most students and then adapting it for those students that do not fit into the plan, it is more effective to create one plan for all learners and eliminate the need to retrofit the original plan (Moore, 2021, 1:10). This means all learners, including those in the margins that have less apparent barriers, can benefit without multiple versions needing to be made of each lesson. Referred to by Moore as the “social model of support,” it connects to the universal design for learning (Moore, 2021, 5:30). Described in an article from Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education:

Universal design for learning (UDL) is an inclusive pedagogical framework that develops instructionally rich, barrier-free educational environments and accessible lessons for all students with and without disabilities. It prompts teachers to proactively eliminate barriers to achieve high-quality education for all. To address educational barriers, the UDL framework provides scaffolds, supports and flexibility in curriculum development and lesson planning. (Chen et al., 2023, 1)

Following this framework for the basis of all lessons moves the focus away from what some students in the class are unable to do and instead focuses on the positive by creating an environment that is safe and encouraging for all learners. By following the three UDL principles of offering multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement (Ralabate, 2011), the outcomes of all learners improve.

While prioritizing these aspects in a classroom setting, I intend to be a “warm demander” (Safir, 2016, para. 10) through encouragement and kindness while maintain high expectations for all students. Although there are other aspects that I look forward to exploring for a classroom setup that are more visual-based, the values that I will to portray through my teaching practice are my priorities. I want to meet the physiological needs of students, including food and sleep as required. I want to encourage socialization and positive relationships between students that would lend to a classroom that feels safe and welcoming. Finally, I want to execute lessons and units that reduce barriers and benefit the learning outcomes for all students in the class. My hope is that this vision will create an inclusive classroom setting that students feel they belong in and that feels like a safe place to learn, even when failures happen along the way.

References

Chen, H., Evans, D., & Luu, B. (2023). Moving towards inclusive education: Secondary school teacher attitudes towards universal design for learning in Australia. Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, 47(1), 1–13. https://doi-org.ezproxy.tru.ca/10.1017/jsi.2023.1 

Chrona, J. (2023). Wayi wah! Indigenous pedagogies. An act for reconciliation and anti-racist education. Portage & Main Press.

Cole, N. (2020, January 30). Understanding Socialization in Sociology. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/socialization-in-sociology-4104466

First Peoples Principles of Learning. (n.d.). First Nations Education Steering Committee FNESC. https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

Hödlmoser, K. & Bothe, K. (2023, October 24). Sleep tight, wake up bright. Monthly Pediatric Health Program. https://doi-org.ezproxy.tru.ca/10.1007/s00112-023-01858-9

Hopper, E. (2020, February 24). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Explained. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571  

Moore, S. (2021, October 8). Removing the barriers: Planning for all!. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzL8yMBKM7k

Ralabate, P. K. (2011, August 30). Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of All Students. The ASHA Leader. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/assistive-technology/articles/universal-design-learning-meeting-needs-all-students

Safir, S. (2016, January 21). Equity vs. Equality: 6 Steps Toward Equity. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/equity-vs-equality-shane-safir