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-Motivation-
-Statement-
-Rationale-
-Impact-

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My motivations for teaching lie in diversity. A majority of my teachers were white women, usually of the Christian faith. As a Muslim woman of color, these identities being in a prominent role in a student’s life impacts them in validating and representing their identities as someone who is successful.
I have had the honor of being in several K-3 classrooms as a teacher's assistant, and I enjoyed seeing students grow over the course of the academic year.

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Setting a standard of respect for your students, parents and caregivers, and administrators will result in a significant impact on the students’ academic performance since respect is the cornerstone of all interactions and relationships. Respect comprises of regard, honor, compassion, empathy, and gratitude, to define this for the classroom community and create a shared understanding in the educational setting. For instance, the adults present in the learning setting would not only vocally set this norm but also practice it to the fullest extent. Students should be able to model this quality in themselves and how they use this attribute to mold the students as citizens of their communities since the adults in the classroom set the precedent of an accurate portrayal of the classroom expectations.

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Students

Respect themselves, others, and their surroundings.

Acknowledge and celebrate diversity.

Practice a growth mindset (e.g., the power of yet).

Recognize their own mistakes, and ask for help to fix their mistakes.

Treat others the way they would want to be treated.

Educator

Foster an inclusive, encouraging environment for everyone.

Provide a quality learning experience through multi-modal and social-emotional learning.

Respect myself, others, and my surroundings.

Acknowledge and celebrate diversity.

Assist the classroom community to reach the expectations, and allow flexibility when needed.

Families

Be as active in the classroom community as their situation allows

Guide their student to follow the classroom expectations

Communicate with the educator as needed

Administrators

Support families, educators, and students

Contribute to professional development and training of educators.

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I have chosen the philosophy for establishing respect as the foundation because of how many attributes respect encompasses. Respect for identities is one of the most important aspects, especially in the classroom, where identities intersect with twenty-something other students. Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015, notes "Positive, supportive relationships with children help them develop socially and emotionally..." (p. 8). I will demonstrate respect as a classroom norm to my students by displaying an anchor chart, where the students may contribute answers during an in-class activity during the first week of school.

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This philosophy would impact instruction by including social-emotional learning in addition to the staples of academics. Respect in literature includes windows to show students' diversity in experiences and identity, applying Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's philosophy regarding representation in children's literature into the curriculum (1990). Additionally, respect as the foundation impacts student learning as they not only learn to respect others, but to respect themselves. Self respect in the classroom can look like a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset, focusing on how the result came to be rather than the result itself (Dweck, 2015, p. 1).

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-Classroom Community-
-Classroom Agreements/Expectations-
-Classroom Procedures and Routines-

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I will establish an inclusive and welcoming classroom community by incorporating cultural relevance in the classroom through literature, as well as incorporating our classroom norms of respect. In this respect, acknowledging and celebrating diversity in cultures and identities will be incorporated into the classroom through a relevant curriculum that demonstrates diversity within diversity. That is, as much as students' identities are mirrored, are there different experiences from the same identities or intersectionality of these identities? Or only one experience of marginalized identities based heavily on misinformation and stereotypes?
Fostering positive student-teacher and peer relationships is crucial in creating a welcoming classroom community, and no statement reflects this more than "If you don't know who your students are, you can't teach them." (Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015, p. 8). I can set this precedent by outlining respect through an anchor chart, as well as by modeling respectful behavior in the classroom such as using appropriate and kind language. I will utilize verbal praise as well as weekly class meetings to implement this as a norm. For students that may have a harder time integrating into the classroom socially, Howard et al. (2020) notes that "Teachers need to be aware of which students are socially isolated or excluded from peer groups" (p. 19). As an educator, I can pair these students with other students who are able to socialize easier (high-low pairing). I can also shift seating arrangements frequently so that students are able to interact with a variety of peers in close proximity.

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Classroom expectations will be set from the first day of school. While I may set a few basic guidelines before my students come in, my students will also be able to suggest ideas and elaborate on these classroom expectations. The basic guidelines I will include are to respect yourself, others, and your surroundings, be responsible for your actions and words, and treat others the way you would want to be treated, to name a few. Students may also add what each of these rules looks and sounds like, as well as other expectations, such as raising your hand and safety. Respect is included as it is the basis of my philosophy, and responsibility was added to encourage students to think about what level of responsibility they may have in their lives I purposely excluded a few expectations that seem obvious so students are able to suggest expectations based on their prior knowledge of classrooms they have participated in. Students should be able to contribute to classroom expectations "...because it results in greater investment..." (Casetta & Sawyer, 2015, p. 45) into the environment students will be interacting with for thirty hours a week. As the anchor chart stating the classroom expectations will be visibly displayed, a copy of the main ideas will be going home with students during the first week so that the students' families are able to see what expectations their student will be held up to in the classroom.

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One procedure I will set in my classroom is using ASL (American Sign Language) for common requests students may make, such as needing a new pencil or using the restroom. These signs will be taught during the first week of school, if not the first day in order for students to start utilizing the signs as soon as possible. I will place multiple copies of these signs in various parts of the classroom so that they are easily accessible. When students are using the signs correctly, I will acknowledge their requests (in non-emergency situations). The only exception to not using the ASL signs would be in catastrophic emergencies, such as serious injuries.
Another procedure I will set in my classroom will be a procedure in lining up. The order will be in alphabetical order of students' last names, with roles such as line leader and door holder set based on classroom responsibilities. Students will be quiet in line, facing forward, respecting the personal space of their classmates, and walking at the pace of the line. This will be introduced on the first day of school and practiced multiple times such as transitioning to and from recess. I will verbally reinforce random students who follow expectations of walking in line.
A third routine I will teach students will be when they arrive at school within the first ten to twenty minutes of school. Students will put away their belongings (backpacks, lunchboxes, water bottles, etc.) in their assigned cubby or by their desks safely (not a tripping hazard). Then, they will grab their assigned Chromebooks and put them inside their desks. After that, they will be able to work on one of several activities (tracing, coloring, affirmations, or a sensory activity). This activity will be completed independently in order to ease into the school day.  In my opinion, this allows students who need to "warm up" socially and academically to transition relatively easily into the pro-social environment of school and allows others who want to socialize right away some space to contemplate how they may be able to control their will to socialize during inappropriate times.
Another routine I will implement will be class meetings. This will allow for community building and a set time to gather as a large group to build relationships trough complimenting their peers, discussing the events of the week, and what subjects may be on students' minds (current events, life situations, social politics, etc.). Students will gather in a circle for the meeting, and will speak only when holding a designated object. The meeting should not last longer than 30 minutes.

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The Chromebooks for student use is very similar to the model in my resident classroom at the moment.

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June 2023

My view on technology in education is that integration needs to be purposeful and coupled with clear expectations (KQED, 2016) I am responsible for teaching my students how to become good digital citizens, and treating others how they want to be treated, even when using technology. As an educator, I will use technology responsibly, setting an example for students. If students see me following the expectation as a teacher, they are more likely to follow it. However, I will also recognize that technology does not need to be integrated in every possible way into the classroom, as some technology can be a barrier to accessibility for some students. In this case, I would provide brain breaks that purposefully exclude technology and provide paper copies of work as needed. Technology in the classroom is a different mode of interacting with materials. Hard copies can engage students in learning through visual and kinesthetic modes, while technology incorporates auditory, visual, and kinesthetic modes. Sites such as iReady allow for instruction that is far more individualized for the student's skill set, whereas face-to-face small groups can access a connection based on students in a similar zone of proximal development.

September 2023
My view on technology in education is that integrating it into every aspect of education is inevitable. From standardized testing such as CAASP and AP exams to individualized instruction in core subjects such as ELA and mathematics with sites like iReady. In that regard, it is essential for prospective and current educators, to stay informed about technology in the education sector.

As an educator, I will use technology to enhance learning and reduce my carbon footprint. Instead of printing off hundreds of worksheets, print only what is necessary while other assignments can be completed digitally (Seesaw, Google Classroom, and Canvas are some examples). I will also model good digital citizenship, such as using technology to make a positive choice. Finishing classwork online or bringing awareness to issues that students believe in (such as social justice) would be making a positive choice with technology. Cyberbullying or using technology in a way that is not productive for the students or the classroom community would not be a positive use of technology.

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Bishop, R.S. (1990). Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books of the Classroom. Vo. 6, No. 3.

Cassetta, G. and Sawyer, B. (2015). Classroom Management Matters: The Social-Emotional Learning Approach Children Deserve. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Howard, J., Milner-McCall, T., Howard, T. (2020). No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships. Heinemann.

5 Classroom Management Tips for Technology Integration

https://www.kqed.org/education/280608/5-classroom-management-tips-for-technology-integration