My dream classroom is a cozy and inviting environment that encourages learning. To achieve this within a primary classroom, resources will be intentionally chosen for creating a classroom library, separate spaces within the room, along with resources that provide exposure to knowledge and inspiration for students.
In considering what teaching is like, many abstract comparisons come to mind, such as how teachers need to be like sponges that need to absorb and learn from everything around them. However, there are also more literal comparisons that can be made, such as how teaching is like project management.
While considering my teaching philosophy, I have been reflecting upon my own learning and how different teachers either worked or didn’t work for how I learned. When I look back on my time in elementary and high school, it was a time that I was simply meeting expectations of teachers. Although I did not dread going to school, I was not the type of student that enjoyed learning or that understood why we had to do certain things. As a very logical thinker, I simply did things that I knew I had to in order to move forward, not because I enjoyed doing them.
A common theme that appeared throughout the weeks of observations was adaptability. I lost track of how many teachers said their day was unusual for one reason or another. Sometimes they said it because their class was quieter than normal or because there was a special event happening that day. This was especially true on Hallowe’en. There were times that it was related to staffing, whether it was not enough substitutes or just substitutes that weren’t familiar with the school or students. Other times it was due to students being away. Regardless of the reason, teachers adapted accordingly and moved forward with their day.
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.
During observations, with a consideration to technology used in classrooms, there were some applications that seemed to be a positive and effective addition to lessons and other situations that seemed to be an overuse or reliance on technology.
Considering the combo of the past two lectures, the first being about gaps in students reading abilities created by the three-cueing system and the second being about the repeatedly reduced funding for schools in BC, it is a little deflating when thinking about entering into an education system dealing with both of these problems. The correcting of both problems individually requires changes within the system that can’t be made overnight. Both problems also require leaders that recognize the issues. When looking at the two problems together, it easily becomes a mountain that is too hard to climb.
While observing in a grade 2 class, a noticeable strategy for addressing the diverse needs of students was the availability of earmuffs. Although only one student chose to use them on that particular day, there were a few hung on hooks at the front of the classroom available to any students that required them. In addition to them being available, this strategy normalized the use of them. Although there were not enough for the entire class, there was enough for about a third even though many students in the class may never feel the need to use them. The visibility and accessibility of the earmuffs addressed the needs of those who needed them while provided the option to others and normalizing the use of them.
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