MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY...




It is my philosophy that as a teacher I have the responsibility to teach my children to the best of my ability and to develop strategies to help them reach their full potential as well as a responsibility to enable my students to become active and informed citizens in our society and prepare them for a life beyond school. My classroom is the basis for this and that is why I will do my best to cater to the needs, abilities and interests of all my students. In creating a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment my students will feel accepted and appreciated. I will give my students the respect they deserve and embrace diversity and in turn will gain their trust. My classroom will be a place where my students will want to come to every day and leave at the end of the day with a smile on their face and a sense of achievement.


The Importance of Creating a Safe, Inclusive and Engaging Environment


The ultimate goal is to create a classroom environment so that each and every child is able to reach their full potential. It is essential that students feel safe to take educational risks.

It is also important to decide what you are going to in regards to student’s birthdays and special celebrations, this is why knowing your students and their families is essential. There may be some families who are culturally sensitive about celebrating Easter and Christmas. A good idea is to conduct getting to know you interviews prior to the year and prior to meeting. This involves sending parents a letter introducing yourself as well as some questions that you wish to find out about your students and their parents, for example student interests, strengths, weaknesses and what they wish to do in regards to Birthdays, Easter and Christmas.

In order to create a safe, inclusive and engaging classroom environment it is essential to consider these factors:
    • The layout and aesthetics of the room, each and every child must feel comfortable. There must be adequate heating and cooling and a place where students can think. 
    • Allowing your students to drink water throughout the day.
    •  According to Slee, alienation of students can result resistance and violence (pg 186).
    • Glasser states that students choose to behave in certain ways to achieve desired goals and to satisfy their needs. As teachers we need to be aware of these needs, they can include attention, power, boredom. That’s why creating a challenging and engaging learning environment is important as well as making effective use of time. 
    • Creating a classroom motto and involving students
    • Having a task board
    • Creating positive student teacher relationships, taking control rather than letting the class take over you!
    • Gain student trust



  • ICE BREAKER ACTIVITIES

    http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson196.shtml

In order to maintain positive student teacher relationships Rogers outlines some useful tips:
Be fair
Use sense of humour not being too uptight
Model appropriate behaviour
Use appropriate voice
Don’t get too close and ‘invade’ personal space
Take an interest in what your students like, hobbies etc
Speak to them by their name and greet them as they enter/ leave
Apologise if you are wrong
Discuss with students if you are ever in a bad mood, don’t get into detail but let them be aware that something is bothering you
Praise and encourage students
If you are going to punish, follow through on consequences.
(Rogers, 1997).

Posted by