I believe that it is the role of the teacher to support students in the classroom. Educators should uplift their students and provide them with opportunities to grow. Educators should use UDL teaching strategies and approach education with compassion. I believe that students should play an active role in their learning. Students should make choices about their learning when possible, students should have opportunities to collaborate, and students should be encouraged to be creative! I believe the role of administrators is to support teachers and students. Administrators should understand what goes on in the classroom, and make changes to support the success of teachers and students. Ideally, caregivers play an active, loving, and supportive role in their child's life and learning.

• Create a diverse and inclusive space by choosing inclusive practices, curriculum, and literature. I want my classroom literature to serve as a "mirror, window, and sliding glass door" for my students (Bishop, 2015). Literature should reflect cultural diversity, neurodiversity, and so on

• We will build our own classroom agreements by engaging in a discussion about what our class values are

• My class will do "get to know you" activities and teamwork building activities throughout the school year. My students will have the opportunity to share information about themselves and connect with others

• I will set the tone in my classroom by having a positive attitude and outlook (Block, 2015)

• I will acknowledge what my students do well because it's important to celebrate the effort students put into their meaningful comments or high-quality work. I want to praise my students more often than I redirect them (Block, 2015)

As an educator, I will value my students as people, not just learners. I will prioritize the overall well-being of my students, because my goal is to promote their healthy development as people. I hope to equip my students with the skills they need to be successful in all areas of life. I want to help my students excel academically, socially, emotionally, and so on. I believe that teaching should be student-centered, engaging, and accessible for all students. I want my students to gain the skills they need to be well-equipped, well-rounded individuals!

I feel motivated to teach because I recognize how impactful teachers are. I want to make a difference in the world by supporting my students and helping them grow!

My teaching philosophy reflects me, my experiences, and my personal values. I will select curriculum and materials that are engaging and representative of my students. For example, I want my students to see reflections of themselves and others in my lessons. I want my students to feel excited and curious when it comes to learning! I will also focus on creating strong, positive relationships with my students. I want my students to feel valued, safe, and supported in the classroom. I also want to hold my students to high expectations. I want my students to know that I believe in them! I will consistently assess and evaluate my students work, so that I understand where they're at, and what I can do to best serve them.

My teaching philosophy will impact the way I will approach instruction. I want to instruct my students from a place of understanding. I want to be flexible with my teaching style, so that I can meet the needs of all kinds of learners. I hope that my teaching philosophy makes students excited to learn! I want to provide my students with an equitable learning environment that they can take ownership of!

Block, J. (2015, December 18). Turning Classes Into Communities. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/turning-classes-into-communities-joshua-block

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

Classroom, R. (2023, July 24). What is Interactive Modeling? Responsive Classroom. https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/what-interactive-modeling/

• "Any expected behavior must be taught" (Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015)

• My class and I will collaborate on our classroom agreements

• I will be explicit about what my expectations are

• I will demonstrate what my expectations look like, feel like, sound like, and so on

• I will have "clear and predictable routines and rules" to proactively encourage positive behaviors (Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015)

• I will provide positive reinforcement to encourage positive behaviors (Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015)

• Clear and consistent consequences will help students learn and practice correct behaviors (Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015)

• Some specific classroom expectations include being kind to others and remaining safe. These expectations are essential for any classroom. A kind classroom community means being respectful to each other, using kind words, and being inclusive. Remaining safe means that students refrain from harming themselves or others. Students can also remain safe by staying in the classroom, unless they have permission to go elsewhere

• I want to use interactive modeling to teach procedures and routines. I should model behaviors for students, ask students what they noticed, invite multiple students to model, and ask them to reflect on what they observed. Then, every student can practice, and I can provide them with thoughtful feedback! I should point out specific, positive actions that I noticed, and redirect the students respectfully when needed (Responsive Classroom, 2023).

• My class will have procedures and routines surrounding effective arrival, going to the restroom, and walking in the halls.

(Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015):

Effective arrival looks like lining up, walking calmly to the classroom door, choosing a morning greeting to do with me, sitting down at your desk, and starting your morning work. Effective arrival should be done at a low volume. For this to occur, I need to make sure the environment is correct for the students. The students should have their morning work ready for them at their desk, and students should know where they need to line up in the morning. I will introduce this to students during the first week of school. I will introduce this routine by carefully explaining how to do each step separately. Students will practice this routine every morning when they arrive. If my students are having trouble following this routine, we can try again so they have another opportunity to practice. Students will know they are doing a good job when I praise them for their effort!

(Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015):

To leave class and go to the restroom, students should first raise their hand to ask for permission Then, they should sign their name on the restroom sign out paper, put the restroom signal on their desk, walk calmly to the restroom, then return to the classroom and place the restroom signal where it belongs. For this to occur, students need to know when it is an appropriate time to use the restroom, and where they can find the physical restroom signal. I will introduce this routine during the first week of school. I will walk the students through each individual step of this procedure. My class will practice this routine by acting out each individual step. I will give my students positive feedback if they do well, and we can reflect on how they handle the procedure as a group discussion.

(Cassetta & Sawyer, 2015):

Walking in the hallways should look like going directly to your destination without distracting other students. We should walk quietly and calmly every time we enter the hallway. For this to occur, I need to ensure that my students know where their destination is located, so they don't wander around the school for too long. I will introduce hallway expectations to students during the first week of school by explicitly explaining how we conduct ourselves in the hallways. Students can demonstrate what it looks like to walk quietly and calmly. I will give positive reinforcement to students when I see them modeling expectations!