CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM PLAN Ms Skinner English II

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM PLAN Ms. Skinner English II

MISSION STATEMENT I want to create a learning environment that is stimulating and enjoyable for my students. I want a classroom where my students can be themselves and not be afraid to show their passion, whether it is Twilight or Shakespeare. My goal is to have my students be successful and happy at the end of the year.

KEY VALUES AND BELIEFS An intricate part of a classroom is the beliefs and values of the teacher and some of my personal beliefs are… � Respect is essential for all parties involved: teachers, students, and parents � Students should feel accepted and feel free to be who they are on the inside in their own classroom. � I want my class to feel like a family. � “We’re all in this together!” ~ High School Musical

TEACHER’S COVENANT I promise to respect my students and their belief systems. I promise to give my students clear expectations that I have for them. I promise to use my resources wisely. I promise to give my students and their families regularly updates on their progress in the class. I promise to follow school guidelines and teach my students the Common Core Standards. I promise to give my students a successful school year.

STUDENT’S COVENANT AS A STUDENT: I promise to follow the classroom expectations and guidelines set by the teacher and class. I promise to respect my peers, teacher, and materials in the class. I promise to believe in my abilities to reach the expectations set by my teacher. I promise to be an active student during all aspects of class. I promise to work hard and be a successful student.

FAMILY’S COVENANT AS A FAMILY MEMBER: I promise to support my child in al that he or she does. I promise to keep clear lines of communication open between the teacher and myself. I promise to be an active participant in my child’s education. I promise to have high expectations for my child.

I WANT MY STUDENTS TO… Be able to effectively retain new ideas and concepts that they learn in class. Be able to make responsible decisions. Be able to utilize social skills in a professional environment. Like going to school every day. Be able to learn effective time management skills when completing assignments. Love to read. Know that education is the key to success. Be able to think outside the box. Find their voice that sometimes might get lost in the crowd.

ACHIEVING THESE GOALS… I will incorporate unique activities to make sure students are always interested in learning. I will always have my students reading something, whether it is a poem or news article. I will teach my students mastery skills that they can use throughout their entire education, like study techniques and cover letters. I will make my students think beyond the norm of what they are used to thinking.

COMMUNITY IN THE CLASSROOM Community can be defined as a group of people that are inhabiting a shared space. My classroom community will be an open and honest space that my students can feel comfortable and accepted by everyone. Building communities can bring people together and create trusting relationships with one another.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CLASSROOM “We Decided Lists”- Students and teachers will work together to create a cohesive list of expectations and guidelines for the classroom. Collaborative Work- Students will work with one another on different assignments in and out of the classroom. Allow the students to make the classroom their own learning space and decorate the room together.

POSITIVE/PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS In my teaching adventures, I want to build positive relationships with my students, parents, and administration. It is important to have these relationships so that you will always have respect and support from these people. Students and parents will feel more open with you and feel free to come to you with any concerns they may have about the class.

BUILDING POSITIVE/PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS Students will feel like they are being heard and have a voice in the class. I want my students to know that I do care about their opinions and concerns. I will be involved in my student’s lives and allow them to see that I care if they won their game or when they have a dance competition coming up. I will give students weekly updates on their progress in the class and make sure that parents know their progress, if needed. I want students to know that I care about their success and well-being.

BUILDING POSITIVE/PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS I have designed a website for to keep my students updated daily and upcoming assignments. Both students and parents can keep track of everything that is going on in the class. Celebrate student success and create learning opportunities from their mistakes. This will show your students that you always have their best interests at heart.

DIVERSITY Diversity is a concept that teachers are dealing with on a daily basis. The number of different cultures in one classroom is astonishing and with these growing numbers it is important for teachers and students to recognize and incorporate diversity into their classes.

INCORPORATING DIVERSITY As an English teacher, I will use a variety of texts from a variety of places and different cultures. I will use a variety of teaching techniques to make sure all the diverse learning strategies in my class are being met. Students will be informed about the different cultures that are present in our class and in society.

DIVERSITY APPRECIATION Allowing students to have exposure to different cultures will make them have a better multicultural education. They will know about the different cultures that may be in their own classroom and have more respect for their peers and the “different” people that they see on a regular basis.

MOTIVATION Every teacher wants to motivate their students to do their very best work, but I want to motivate my students to find that drive within themselves. I will always be behind my students 100%, but as a future educator I want my students to ultimately have self motivation.

WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP THEM MOTIVATED? An essential motivational strategy is praising students for their success. When their success is praised, they feel more confident I their abilities. I will allow my students to have choice in the classroom. Making them feel like they have some control will keep them interested and motivated in school. Students incentives are a great tool, but should be used in the appropriate situations. For example and extra 5 points on a test if the students bring their progress reports back signed. Applying concepts to students’ lives will give them a connection to stay motivated in class and will allow them to see why they are learning what they are learning.

ADDRESSING DIFFERENT ABILITY/READINESS LEVELS Every child is different and every child learns at a different pace. It is important to recognize and know what that pace is for each student. Some students are hands on learners and others are strictly visual learners; one sure fire way to make sure that all of your different learning styles are being met is through differentiation techniques.

DIFFERENTIATION TECHNIQUES I will integrate technology in my classroom to allow students to become familiar with new technology and to allow them to be interactive with the lesson or concept. Tiered Activities: This strategy provides various levels of activities and assignments to make sure that students explore and practice concepts at a level that builds and promotes their prior knowledge. Collaborative Work: Group work is essential in a classroom. Sometimes the best learning tool is allowing students to learn from someone their own age and at their own level.

CLASSROOMS ARE NEVER PERFECT “I walk in to my classroom on the first day and students are sitting quietly in rows and anxiously waiting to get the day started. They can hardly contain their excitement to see what they will be learning today. ” The above statement is only a dream every teacher has each school year. No classroom is perfect and there is no guarantee that problems will not arise on a daily basis. Sometimes problems have to be dealt with when they arise, but it is important to have some basic guidelines as to how and solve these issues.

WHAT TO DO WHEN CLASSROOM PROBLEMS ARISE… Most solutions will come from the “We Decided List” that would have been put together at the beginning of the year. Address the problem directly and make sure that students remember the guidelines and expectations that were set for them. If the issue is behavioral problems, then I will model the correct behavior for the students and turn the issue into a learning opportunity.

SUMMING UP THIS LONG POWERPOINT… I want the very best for all of my students and will do whatever I can to help them reach their full potential. My classroom will be a democracy because I want my students and their families actively involved in their own learning process. I will hold high expectations for all of my students and my students should also hold me to high expectations as well. I want students and parents to feel comfortable talking and bringing up any concerns they might have about the class.

THANK YOU!!! I am very excited to begin this school year and I know that with everyone’s involvement that we can have a very successful year. My students will develop a sense of community and self motivation this year in my classroom. I am very dedicated to my students and want them to be the best student they can and possibly even have a little fun this year. Thank you once again!