Quality Standard 2: Teachers establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students
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Reflection:
For this standard I would rate myself as developing. I am glad to say that for many of my classes I felt that I was quite successful in co-creating a comfortable learning environment within which students felt capable of talking about difficult and relevant issues, personal to them and important to the world, in class among their peers. The journal practice was very effective in settling students into the classroom environment and also in establishing a space by which students were able to talk through their writing with their peers. This practice helped develop a classroom culture by which, as the quarter progressed, students felt very comfortable sharing in relevant and personal ways in front of the class.
Moving forward, I would like to incorporate more intentionality in regards to incorporating student voice in the kinds of prompts and writing we do. My goal is to help students understand and utilize writing as a tool to help them in their lives, and as an effective means of communication across lines of difference, within and without the classroom. Some ways I am considering developing this are by bringing in locally produced texts and writer-voices, creating prompts which themselves are designed to generate unique writing opportunities for students to share, and elevating mentor texts from diverse authors.
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- Element a: Teachers foster a predictable learning environment characterized by
acceptable student behavior and efficient use of time in which each student has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults and peers.- Artifact: Journal Prompts
- Reasoning Statement: In my classroom each student had their own personal journal, and we began each class with a unique writing prompt. I developed new prompts each class in conversation with what my students wanted to write about. This provided a soft start to class by which students could enter late (a sometimes unavoidable reality for students) and not be punished excessively by missing out on critical information. Additionally, this soft start provides a routine practice by which students can slowly re-enter into a learning, expressive environment. Beyond this, it also helps students develop a writing practice, and change their perspective towards writing as a genuine tool in their lives, as opposed to merely an academic task to be completed.
- Element b: Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and a respect for multiple aspects of diversity, while working toward common goals as
a community of learners.- Artifact: Persuasive Essay Prompts
- Reasoning Statement: Shown here are the prompts which my students used to draft their persuasive research essays. Contained within these prompts is the opportunity for students to engage with the relevant issues of our time (especially as they are related to COVID). Many students took the opportunity to examine lessons we hope we learned within the lens of race, class, climate and more. This developed a sense that each student in the classroom was working towards an issue relevant and unique to them--it is this commitment to choice and freedom, particularly in connection to relevant issues of our time which I hope to continue to uphold in my educational career.
- Element c: Teachers engage students as individuals, including those with diverse needs and interests, across a range of ability levels by adapting their
teaching for the benefit of all students.- Artifact: Persuasive Essay Resource Document
- Reasoning Statement: Naturally, the persuasive essay assignment was a significant challenge for my 7th grade ELA students, so, to provide a bridge into accessibility, me and my mentor teacher co-developed the document listed here. This document provides a selection of pre-vetted sources and contentions which students could use. Additionally, it has accessible databases listed if the student would still like to find their own sources, but inside of a more contained search system. With this document, I was able to retain student choice while still providing the necessary structure for students who need those modifications, and provided the opportunity for students to self-assess where they were at, and perform their own interventions accordingly.
- Element d: Teachers work collaboratively with the families and/or significant adults for the benefit of students.
- Artifact: Parent Email
- Reasoning Statement: Attached is an instance of a parent email I wrote in response to a parent who was wondering about their student's progress in the class. In this scenario, the parent had been informed (incorrectly) by the student that they had completed the necessary tasks to be caught up. Therefore, my email served to inform the parent about all the processes and steps which were necessary for the student to complete and all the resources which were available to help them, and where to find all of these. This email shows one instance of a series of communications I engaged throughout my student teaching experience.
Reflection:
For this standard I would rate myself as developing. I am glad to say that for many of my classes I felt that I was quite successful in co-creating a comfortable learning environment within which students felt capable of talking about difficult and relevant issues, personal to them and important to the world, in class among their peers. The journal practice was very effective in settling students into the classroom environment and also in establishing a space by which students were able to talk through their writing with their peers. This practice helped develop a classroom culture by which, as the quarter progressed, students felt very comfortable sharing in relevant and personal ways in front of the class.
Moving forward, I would like to incorporate more intentionality in regards to incorporating student voice in the kinds of prompts and writing we do. My goal is to help students understand and utilize writing as a tool to help them in their lives, and as an effective means of communication across lines of difference, within and without the classroom. Some ways I am considering developing this are by bringing in locally produced texts and writer-voices, creating prompts which themselves are designed to generate unique writing opportunities for students to share, and elevating mentor texts from diverse authors.
