Portfolio 7: Re-Imagined Classroom

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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.

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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. Additionally, I would make sure to be sensitive to children who are transgender and make sure that they are represented in a way that makes them feel comfortable and that they feel safe to represent themselves according to their gender identity (like having a boy shaped head or a girl shaped head). 

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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I still want to include this in my classroom because 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. 

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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.

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After looking at the picture I provided for my classroom layout again, I realized that it isn't very wheelchair accessible. In order to make my classroom more equitable and accessible for all of my students, I think a layout more like the layout in the picture above would be a better fit. However, I think the tables in this newer picture may be placed too close together, so if possible, I would try to provide more space between tables so students with wheelchairs could move around with ease. 

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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.

I still like the idea behind this picture since it promotes a respectful classroom environment. One thing I should make sure to have crayon colors for all skin tones available for the part where students draw portraits of themselves so each child feels represented and not marginalized. I also mentioned that there would be motivational posters--however, I initially imagined those posters to be in English. I think it would be a good idea to have posters in multiple languages depending on native language backgrounds of the students that I have in my classroom. 

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. The original description that I gave of my classroom was heavily based on my Elementary School classrooms growing up. If I were to teach in a poorer area, I'm sure that the room would look much different due to funding differences. Additionally, I probably would not have easy access to much needed classroom supplies. I noted that that I wanted to have posters and decorations up in my classroom, but I imagined them from a white perspective. I mentioned this in the picture section of this portfolio, but including posters that have different languages, that include people of different races, and that promote respect would help my classroom become more multi-cultural and welcoming to students who don't fit the white middle-class mold. Additionally, it would be a good idea to also put up decorations for holidays other than those that are Christian in order to help my students who are from different religious backgrounds feel included. I mentioned that there would be non-fiction and fiction books available in my classroom, but I failed to consider children who are emerging bilinguals or books that feature individuals who are migrants, that come from varied racial/ethnic backgrounds, who are not heterosexual,who are transgender, or who defy gender norms. Having books in different languages or that have translations may come in handy as well. Using technology in the reading corner could help children with disabilities and who are emerging bilinguals as well (books on tape, reading activities, etc.).  It would also be a good idea to make sure to create a space for a wheelchair to fit in the reading corner too. I also assumed that art projects would be interesting and easy for all of my students, however, I realize now that the way I imagined art projects was from a white middle-class background. I did mention art supplies being used to help children with learning disabilities better grasp concepts--which I think is applicable and appropriate in terms of what we have learned this semester. It could also be useful for emerging bilinguals to help them visualize terms and concepts. I also didn't take into consideration that some of my students might not have access to computers at home and that I may need to help students learn how to use a computer in class. 
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. 
2. I think that I nailed the racial demographics of my classroom if I were to teach in Utah. My classroom will probably consist of primarily white and Latino/a students for the most part. However, I think I misjudged the class background demographics of my future classroom by assuming that the majority of my students will come from middle-class backgrounds like I did. After reading about poverty this semester, I've realized that it is more common than we like to think it is. Additionally, I feel like the interests of my students that I listed are very applicable to white middle-class backgrounds, but not to other racial and class backgrounds. I also didn't take into account that emerging bilinguals may struggle during lessons because they might have a hard time understanding what I'm saying (I can try to adjust my lessons to be more language acquisition friendly) and that there are more factors than interest or disinterest that influence how students will participate in lessons. A child could be interested in learning, but unable to focus during lessons due to other external factors outside of their control like hunger, exhaustion, or stress caused by their situation at home. I think it's going to be important for me to be aware of these factors so that I can adjust my teaching strategies and make my classroom more equitable.
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 a 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. 
2. I think that my first two sentences of the above paragraphs are equitable and I don't think they need to be changed. It might be good for me to get a "safe space" sign and explain what it means to my students as well. I mentioned that I wanted to use a point system or a card system as discipline plans, but what I imagined as things worthy of discipline probably came from a white middle-class background. We mentioned in class that culture can play a role in how we act and what we perceive as acceptable. In order to use my discipline plans, I would need to be aware and tolerant of the varied cultural backgrounds of my students. I still think it is a good idea to pull students aside when reprimanding them rather than publicly disciplining them. The card system could be problematic if I have a student who is color blind, so it might be best to avoid that method. It might also be a good idea to write the rules in multiple languages so that a student who is an emerging bilingual is aware of what the rules are and is not punished for something they didn't understand or weren't aware of. With homework policies, I now think it would be a good idea to adjust my homework policies depending on the student's needs--not to make the homework easier, but to make it more equitable. For example, if an emerging bilingual student struggles with writing in English, they could answer the questions to me verbally in English if that works better for them. I still think it is a good idea to send the least amount of homework home as possible since some of my students may not have home environments where they can peacefully work or they may not have the supplies needed for homework at home. 
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. 
2. One of the first changes I would make to this lesson would be to include women from more racial backgrounds than just white and black since many of my students won't fit into either racial group. It might be a good idea to include women from varied class backgrounds and sexualities as well or similar reasons. It would also be a good idea to include women from other countries--for example, if I have a student who is an immigrant, I could include a poet from their home country. I could also pick works that talk about issues regarding the various areas of social justice and then provide the historical context for those works to educate my students on the reality of inequality. By making these changes, this lesson would be friendlier to students who come from marginalized backgrounds and better represent them in the classroom. It would also teach other students in class to be more tolerant and counter hegemonic views. I didn't take into account that emerging bilinguals may struggle to read these poems (CALP), so it would be a good idea to also include translations of these poems in their native language or to provide dictionaries so they can look up the translations as they read. I would also need to make myself available to clarify definitions and difficult words too. For children who are blind, I would need to provide audio versions or the poetry or perhaps find braille versions of the poetry. I could also use audio versions of the poetry to help emerging bilinguals as well. Maybe rather than having the students read background information on the poets like I mentioned in the original lesson plan, I could create PowerPoints that have pictures of the poets along with additional information. I think this would help me better teach for social justice because my students would be able to visualize the racial composition of the poets chosen. Also, it may help students with reading disabilities learn the content more effectively. Another aspect of this lesson was to have the students write their own poetry. This may be problematic for students with disabilities or for emerging bilinguals. I could have the students instead work in groups and collectively write a poem so they can work with and learn from their classmates. 
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. 
2. While I think that for the most part this is okay, there are couple of things I could do differently to make my classroom more equitable. I think it would be good if I not only just read the poetry and assumed that all of my students understood what I was saying, but that I also explained words, phrases, and the poem itself as I read. I think this would especially help emerging bilinguals in my class. I could also give examples of the poetry terms and write on the whiteboard as well. I would also present information on the poetry and the poet as well in a PowerPoint (as mentioned earlier). More than walking around the room, I could also make sure to provide dictionaries and translations of the poetry to the students who may need them in order to comprehend the text. I could also be modeling how I expect the students to read the poem to help those with no background in reading poetry better understand those expectations. 
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. 
2. I assumed that children would be sitting in desks or sitting on the ground, but this idea does not apply to students with disabilities who may not be able to do either of those things. For students who are emerging bilinguals or who have hearing problems, being able to listen to poetry probably would not be a simple or easy task for them. As mentioned earlier, I think it would probably be better to provide each student with a copy of the text and a translation or a dictionary if needed. Providing a dictionary only to the children who are emerging bilinguals may marginalize them from their English-speaking classmates, so it might be a good idea to provide a dictionary to all students since it could benefit every child in the classroom--not just those who are learning English. I mentioned that they could sit at their desks and chat with peers, but it might be a good idea to place students in groups where they feel comfortable enough to ask questions and contribute. For example, I could put two students who are emerging bilinguals together at a table with English-speaking students so that they can work with each other and the group as a whole. Some children may not be able to raise their hands to ask questions, so it might be a good idea if I have another system in place for asking questions, like having a cup on the desk that they can turn upside-down if they are confused and need clarification. 
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. 
2. Looking at this section again, I don't think that I should put a lot of emphasis on test scores in my classroom to measure how much my students have learned. For students who are emerging bilinguals or who have learning disabilities, their grades might not reflect what they have learned. For example, an emerging bilingual may have a hard time writing an essay in English even if they understand the material and the concepts taught. With this in mind, I think it's going to be important to adjust my grading methods to make things more equitable. With the example given above, I could have a student give a verbal report rather than a written report--that way they can demonstrate their knowledge of the subject and not be held back by requirements that they haven't mastered yet. I still agree with my original response that looking at a student's progress is one of the best ways to tell that they have learned and that I need to make sure I talk one-on-one with my students so I can be aware of things that may be holding them back from learning and achieving at their highest level.