Promises to Future Students

1. I promise to provide the students a culturally sustaining classroom environment through

the use of literature. In order to do this I will bring in to the classroom literature that is
relevant to the students multiple cultures and interests. Valuing, validating, and
respecting students’ cultures is important to me and supported by research that states the
importance of cultural and linguistic competence in all communities (Paris, 2012).
2. I promise to provide my students choice in the classroom. To do this, when it comes to
assessments, I will allow my students the choice in assessments (not all the time but
often) so that they have autonomy and influence in their learning. Valuing and validating
students’ autonomy is important and supported by research that encourages providing
students choice in the classroom (Kohn, 2006).
3. I promise to create a classroom environment that positively impacts student learning. To
do this I will provide an environment that allows the students to decorate portions of the
space so that they feel welcome in the classroom. Providing an environment that
positively affects students is important to me and supported by research that states the
value of allowing students to transform the classroom alongside the teacher (Garcia,
2015).
4. I promise to draw on students’ funds of knowledge. I will do this by catering my lessons
to students’ interests, hobbies, and cultural environment. Drawing from students’ funds of
knowledge is important to me and is supported by research that states the importance and
value of connecting student interests to the classroom (Moll et al, 1992)
5. I promise to uphold a positive rapport with my students. To do this I will be mindful of
my diction, continuously use positive reinforcement, and provide my students praise
whenever appropriate. Providing a positive learning environment and positive student-
teacher relationship is very important to me and is supported by research that reinforces
the importance of building students’ identities within the classroom (Johnson, 2004).
6. I promise to avoid a classroom environment that centers on nothing but lecture based
teaching. To do this I will be mindful of the need for variety so that students are able to
learn through different mediums. Teaching through multiple strategies to cater to student
assets and strengths is important and is supported by research that reinforces the need to
avoid authoritarian lecture based teaching (Freire, 1970).
7. I promise to be a generous reader when it comes to grading my students. To do this I will
focus on my students’ assets in order to assess their critical thinking and engagement with
assignments. To me, it is important to view students work with an asset based mindset
rather than a deficit mindset, which is supported by research that encourages viewing
student work with a positive lens (Spence, 2010).
8. I promise to uphold a dialogue in the classroom where students are encouraged and
comfortable enough to discuss material. To do this I will encourage student discussion
amongst each other and with me so that they are actively engaging with material. This is
important so that students feel comfortable in the classroom to discuss in order to
strengthen their learning, which is supported by research that reinforces a dialogic
classroom (Juzwik et al, 2013).