Portfolio Assignment #1- Imagined Classroom

1. Five images (you can take them or they can come from the Internet [provide proper credit]). These images should reflect, in some way, what you imagine your classroom will look like once you are a teacher. Please annotate your images by providing a description of the image and how it relates to your future classroom.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b4/1a/58/b41a58f5d01b2c484daa01ad0479a44e.jpg

I want to decorate the walls of my classroom with projects about my students and by my students so that they feel represented and so that I can get to know them better as individuals.

I still want to incorporate this aspect into my classroom since I feel like it will allow me to represent my students and their cultural backgrounds.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/19/04/ed/1904ed06ec7bbe18c79eaed17b3ad4e1.jpg

I want my classroom to be colorful and inviting. I also want to have areas where I can showcase student's work like in this photo. I think it would be cool to display homework assignments or artwork that they're really proud of.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/46/33/b4/4633b45b8d0331d62756b9a0e62d803c.jpg

I originally mentioned that I wanted to have a colorfully decorated classroom, but I think now it's more important to me that I have a culturally representative classroom for my students. I think the above picture might be a little cliche, but I like the general idea of exhibiting that I am proud of the diversity of my students so that they can be proud of their cultures as well. 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOhr4eTZhEOwxbc2cUdGmlFPcdCHNCzP0bNeQM3ohTaO9m6S8YF3T-0PFm03q2LcXjb5DR2SlHH-Md2w0SUFCXkuDN5LsudcyCLTWK7OTQmSU6ajViME5GX1vSp037t012AI5TF69A6AT/s1600/IMG_1663.JPG

I want to have a reading corner in my classroom where students can read when they finish their work along with a class library too. I think it's really important for students to have a space to relax in the classroom and to have quick access to books.

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/80068/file-21727482-jpg/images/ipad-art-wide-tablets-in-classrooms-420x0.jpg

I still want to include this in my classroom becaue I feel like it is accessible to all students for the most part. However, I think it might be important to have a technology center for children who are emerging bilinguals or who are blind and who cannot simply sit down and read a book. 

http://f.tqn.com/y/k6educators/1/W/h/F/200285309-002.jpg

This seems like a pretty standard setup for a classroom and I imagine mine will look something like this too. Windows, desks across the room, and a whiteboard/blackboard at the front of the room too. I also like that this classroom has color in it and is organized as well.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ca/ac/c3/caacc38ffa3dd4e662d67a35687ad7f6.jpg

I really want to create a classroom environment that is safe for all the students who walk in and that also promotes personal responsibility in the students. I like the idea of having the students make a class promise like this and the rules for the class and then putting it on the wall where they can see. I also want to put motivational posters up that encourage and empower the students.

1. 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?
1. Ideally, I think my room would be fairly large--enough for at least 20 students to sit at desks comfortably. The room would also probably have bricks on the walls (red or maybe painted white) or that weird velcro/corduroy fabric material that they put on the walls in churches and schools that you can tack things to. There would also be a large whiteboard at the front of the room (that I would write on with colored expo markers) and windows along one side of the room. I would have the walls covered in posters, decorations, and student work (mostly student artwork). The door would be decorated in a witty way to represent the names of the students in my class. In one of the corners of the room, there would be a reading area with bookshelves and comfy chairs or pillows for kids to sit on--I like the idea of making a tree out of those big rolls of colored paper that you find in schools to put by the bookshelves too. My desk would probably be up front to the side of the whiteboard and would also probably be a little cluttered knowing me. As far as resources are concerned, there would be a variety of books (non-fiction and fiction) for students to read. There would also be an art closet with paper, pens, crayons, paints, markers, glue, scissors, and rulers. I love art, so I would hopefully be able to incorporate these art supplies into learning activities for various subjects aside from art. Hopefully, there would also be calculators and computers for student use as well. The resources would be used during lessons to provide activities and projects for the students to better under concepts taught in class. The art supplies could be used to make posters for presentations, artwork, or small diagrams to explain scientific or mathematical theories. I think this would be especially useful for children with learning disabilities or who have difficulty paying attention during typical lessons and assignments. The books would be used during free-time, for students to reference during assignments, or for the students to take home. The calculators would be used to help students save time on math assignments and the computers could be used for research or for incorporation into assignments (creating presentations or word documents). 
2. Describe the students in your classroom. What are their backgrounds? What are their interests? What are they doing during the lesson?
1. I really want to teach upper level grades (4th-6th), so my students would probably be 8-12 years old depending on what grade I was teaching. If I stay in Utah to work, my classroom will probably consist primarily of White and Latino/a students. Many of them will come from a range of middle-class backgrounds with a few of them coming from upper and lower class backgrounds too. They're probably interested in video games, cable TV shows, reading, Five Nights at Freddie's (all of the kids this age at the daycare I used to work at always talked about it), and fitting in with their peers more so than they were when they were younger. Depending on the subject, I feel like for the most part, the students will be paying attention to what is being taught during the lesson. However, there probably will be a group of students that will seem disinterested in just about everything taught to them due to various factors such as their home environment. 
3. Describe you classroom policies. What are you classroom rules? What is your discipline plan? What are your homework policies?
1. I like the idea of having the classroom policies/rules shaped by me and the students together. However, as the teacher I want to set an example of tolerance, acceptance, inclusion, and kindness in my classroom by making those values the overarching policies/rules for the class itself so that all of my students feel loved, respected, and safe. I'm not really sure how I would approach a discipline plan. I really don't like the idea of public embarrassment or public reprimand-- I had an elementary school teacher do that to me once and it was traumatizing. I also don't want to be seen as a pushover by my students either though. I like the idea of maybe using a point system or group punishments for the majority of the class time and pulling individual students aside after class or during recess if needed. If I did do an discipline system that focused on students individually, I could also use a card system where students who are naughty have to change their card from green (good) to yellow (caution) or red (in trouble). I like the idea of the students determining the punishments for what happens when they get a red card in class--with my guidance of course. I won't tolerate bullying in any form and I'll make sure to address any problems that I see. As far as homework is concerned, I think I'll have pretty high standards of my students. If they struggle, that's okay, but I'll expect their best so that they can reach their highest potential. I want to try to avoid sending a lot of homework home with them by getting the majority of it done during class time. I'll have a homework hand in basket and expect that the required assignments will be handed in on time. I don't really know a lot about discipline plans or homework policies, but I want to push my students to be their best selves. 
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?
1. I really want to include women and women's history into my classroom curriculum, so I think it would be really cool to include the stories and contributions of women into various subjects like Art, English, Science, and Social Studies. An example of this in an English lesson could be focusing on famous female poets and their contributions to literature alongside the traditional male poets that usually make up the majority of poetry lessons in most classrooms. I could have the class read poems by Emily Dickinson, Phillis Wheatley, Maya Angelou, and other female poets with relatively age-appropriate works. I would have them also read some background information on the poets as well, information that informs the students of the context in which the poetry was written, or watch some kind of biography program. Then I would have them try to write a poem in the style of one of the poets we talk about or a poem that revolves around the same subject matter. We could practice writing poems first as a class on the whiteboard or by playing some kind of game. Aside from my interest in women's history, I would chose this as a lesson topic because I think  it's important to be exposed to literature and poetry at a young age; and to also know that there were significant poets of both genders. Aside from the obvious answer that I want to make my students more aware of female contributions, I would also want them to learn more about poetry in general as well. 
5. Imagine your work as a teacher during this lesson. What are you doing during the lesson?
1. During the lesson, I would be reading poetry to the children, giving them background information on the authors, and giving them more information about poetry in general (style, syntax, topics, etc.). I would also start a class discussion asking them how they feel about the poetry and what ideas they would have for writing a poem of their own. While they're writing their poems, I would be walking around the room encouraging them and giving suggestions if they need any. 
6. Imagine your students again, what are they doing during the lesson?
1. During the lesson, they're either sitting at their desks or sitting on the ground listening to the poetry I would read and to the information I would be giving them. It might be a good idea to have them close their eyes so that they can focus on the poetry and figure out how they feel about it. For writing their own poems, they would be at their desks chatting with peers or writing on their own. During the discussion time, some of them will raise their hands to contribute or to ask questions. 
7. Imagine how you will assess your students' learning and achievement. How will you know they have learned?
1. I really hate that test scores are used to determine individual intelligence, but I think that in some ways, they are necessary for students to succeed within the school system. When I was in high school, one of my teachers would put the names of the people who got the top test scores on the whiteboard after each test. I think maybe I could do something like that as an incentive for my students to try their best. That being said, I don't know if test scores are the best way to determine whether or not a student has actually "learned". I think looking at a student's progress over the year cumulatively is one of the best ways to note how much they have learned, regardless of their grades in various subjects or test scores earned.  Also taking the time to talk to the students on an individual basis is another way to determine how much they have learned--I could ask them how they feel about the material, if they have any questions, or if there's anything I could do to help them better learn. I could also keep a file on each child to track their progress as well.