Philosophy of Education Education is one of the most important aspects of life.

You live and you learn, and you learn to live. Education goes so far beyond the classroom. From the moment we are born, we begin to learn. We learn the world, we learn our surroundings, and we learn to survive and coexist. Throughout our whole lives we will continue to learn new things and as our brains develop, we begin to understand things more in depth. That is why teaching is so important. We spend a significant portion of our lives in school, which stresses the importance of education. The way we are taught plays a huge part in the education that we receive. If we are not taught well, then our potential knowledge and growth has been inhibited by someone whose job is to further our knowledge. That is why the job a teacher is so important. Teaching is not a profession that should ever be taken lightly. There are a lot of components that fall into teaching effectively. For me as a teacher I want to constantly be challenging the minds of my students. At the same time, I also want to build their confidence. Often times students will not try to learn new things or take the next step because they are afraid to and lack the confidence to do so. Everybody is capable of learning. My hope as teacher is to shine light on that capability and allow my students to grow. I want to teach my students. As a teacher I want my students to never be afraid to ask questions. Unanswered questions can serve as road blocks in education. Through my teaching, I want my students to not only take away the contents of the curriculum, but also to learn life skills. I believe that the purpose of schools, teachers, and education, is to help equip students with the necessary knowledge and tools needed to really survive in this world. As a teacher I want to prepare my students to not only be intelligent

enough to self sufficient; but, I also want to teach them how to work with, cooperate, and collaborate with others. As a teacher, my purpose is to help prepare the up and coming generation to keep society moving and growing. My students (all students) are the future of the world, and it is my (our) job to prepare them for such that task. Every year when a student leaves my class I want to be sure that they have grown as much as they possibly could have. Not every student learns the same or at the same pace. That is why I will include many different teaching styles within my classroom, so that I can ensure that I am reaching all of my students to the best of my ability. In my classroom, my students progress is being assessed as regularly as possible. This is to ensure that I can identify and further aid those of my students who need a little more help, and so that I can further challenge those of my students who are grasping the contents at an advanced level. That way all of my students are growing and learning as much as they individually are able to.

Classroom Environment When you order a piece of furniture and you get a box full of pieces labeled some assembly needed, the first thing you do when you open the box is look for the Guide. The reason being, you need that s piece of paper (packet) to tell you how to assemble the pieces. All of those pieces have the potential to be something if they are properly assembled. However, you do need that guide to instruct you on how to use the pieces in the box. I want my students to be able see me and use me as a guide. Just like the pieces in the box have the potential to be something, my students have the potential to learn and build on their knowledge. As their guide I will provide them with the skills and the content necessary to build on their intellect. While some teachers may see their students as an empty glass for them to fill, I do not agree with that. I believe that both my students and I can learn from each other. I look at my students as individuals with knowledge and the potential to learn more. In my classroom we will feel like a community. I want all of my students to feel safe and like they are a part of the community. If we all (my students and I) feel like a community that is safe, then that would encourage my student to reject the fear of asking questions. As the teacher, I set the mood of the classroom. With that, I will be very encouraging, demonstrate a helping hand whenever possible, be kind, be optimistic, and show that I myself am learning as well. In turn and in response to me doing so, my students can do so as well. With every assessment given to my students, I will create 3 versions of the assessment. The 1st version will consist of the level of content knowledge that I expect all of my students to hit. The second one will be a bit more challenging, and the third more challenging than that. All of which will assess whether or not the student has met the standard. The point of my doing so is

so that I can figure out who needs more help and who is fully grasping the material and or are advanced. Then I can put more focus on the students who need more help while still being able to challenge the minds of those who already grasp the concept. Physical environment In my classroom I will arrange the desks so that they are in rows facing the white board. I usually will start the class with a lesson. I like the desks being in rows because the students are sitting individually and facing the board so that they can pay attention. The desks being in rows allow me to easily walk through the class so that I can get to every single student. This is also good for individual work. When I do want them to work in groups or pairs, the students will turn their desks 90 degrees and connect them. I have my desk facing the door so that the students have their backs towards the door in order not to be distracted by what is going on in the hallway. Directly behind the desks I have the reading area with a book shelf on either side. I do not plan on being at my desk to often and that is why I put it in the corner. I but it close to the whiteboard however, so that I am close to it in case I need to grab something. The cubbies are to the right directly when you walk in through the door so that the students can walk in and put their things away and collect their things on their way out as well. There is a supply shelf right next to a supply cabinet to the right of the room. The supply cabinet will hold all of the supplies for my classroom. Every morning before school begins I will put the necessary materials onto the supply shelf so that they are all ready for the day. On top of the supply shelf, I will have a cup of sharpened pencils and a cup for broken pencils. If a child breaks their pencil, they simply walk to the shelf trade their broken pencil for a sharpened one and walk back to their seats. That is also where the tissue box will be. With this set up, I am able to see the students from any point within the classroom. The rules will be posted on the right side of the white board. I will have the

number line along the top of the white board. The left side of the board will vary with helpful content things depending on the unit. I do plan on having motivational posters posted around and potentially displaying student work on the walls, however I will not be posting too many things in order to avoid distractibility.

Classroom rules: 1. Keep your hands, feet, and other body parts to yourselves 2. Raise your hands when you want to speak 3. Take care of the things in the classroom 4. Treat others the way you would like others to treat you 5. Use indoor feet and voices while inside the building On the first day of class and carried through the first two weeks of school , there will be a portion of the day devoted to getting to know the rules of the class room. We will go over the rules and practice following them. By the end of the second week of school, all of the students will know all of the rules and how to follow them. I will be sending out a letter to the parents so that they are aware of what is expected of their child while they are in school. I will also run this by administration so that they are aware of them in case any disciplinary issues should arise that requires their assistance. When it comes to Disciple, I would like to adopt the Action portion of Discipline with Dignity Discipline with Dignity Action. I choose to use this because I do not wish to embarrass my students for two reasons. Embarrassment is not necessary and it can trigger a negative response. The only thing that I would change about this one is Do not accept excuses, bargaining, or whining. I am aware that sometimes people have a bad day and that not all situations are the same. I do like to implement a little wiggle room for special situations. 1. Be consistent 2. Remind the student which rule has been broken 3. Use the power of proximity control

4. Make direct eye contact when delivering consequences 5. Use a soft voice 6. Acknowledge appropriate behavior 7. Do not embarrass students in front of their peers 8. Don not give a consequence when angry 9. Do not accept excuses, bargaining, or whining I would combine this with the Limit Setting from Positive Classroom Discipline. Through the teachers interpersonal power, physical presence, and emotional tone, the message is sent to the students that the teachers rules are for real (67). I like this because by limit setting can be used to prevent a small issue from escalating. I can use limit setting to remind the students of the rules and stop the minor misbehaviors before they escalate. Limit Setting: Step One: Eyes in the Back of Your Head Step Two: Terminate Instruction Step Three: Turn, Look, and Say the Students Name Step Four: Walk to the Edge of the Students Desk Step Five: Prompt Step Six: Palms Step Seven: Camping out in front Step Eight: Camping out from behind

When it comes to consequences, first time offenders will receive a warning and a reminder of the rules. Second time, I will have a conversation with the student. The third time, the student will have to fill out a reflection sheet and will meet with me after school to collaboratively come up with a consequence and a plan on how to improve behavior. After the third time, the childs parents will be contacted. In case of severe disruptions to the learning process taking place in my classroom, I will have to involve administration. Routines and Procedures In the mornings, as the students trickle in, they are to put their things in their cubbies, bring their homework over to me, and then find a quiet activity to do at a desk or on the reading rug until the day begins. When my students enter the classroom I will meet them at the door and give them their instructions as to what they are suppose to do once they enter the classroom. When they leave the classroom as an entire class, they will line up at the door and wait for me to open the door. When they want to use the bathroom or get a drink, they will walk over to my desk, sign out in the hall log and then sign back in when they return. For any other reason to leave the classroom, they must raise their hands and ask for permission. Any material that is necessary for the day will be on the supply shelf for easy access. Normally I will have a couple helpers pass out the materials when they are needed. There will be no pencil sharpening. They can trade their broken pencils for sharpened pencils at the supply shelf.

For small group work and pairings the student need to wait for all of the groups/pairs to be read off and then flip their desks 90 degrees to connect the desks. Whole class discussions will happen on the reading rug. When transitioning from one activity to another, I will shut the light, give instruction, and the start a countdown until they need to be ready for the next activity. When there is an unexpected interruption, students are to stop and listen for my instruction.