Blog #2: Classroom Management

 The second educational topic that I want to discuss in my blog is the concept of classroom management. Classroom management can be defined by the rules and procedures put in place by the teacher that creates a positive learning environment and encourages the academic, social, and emotional growth of their students. The idea of classroom management will look different in each class and is really dependent on the goal of the teachers. The rules and procedures will be established at the beginning of the year by the whole class to meet each of their specific goals and be able to support the needs of each individual. One of the major pointers that the article linked above by Edutopia states is that the classroom needs to create a list of agreements that each and every person in the room agrees to follow. These agreements are not only for the students to follow but also for the teacher and any guests who enter the room. Another tip mentioned in this article is to create a set of jobs for your class. In elementary school, it is very exciting to be a leader, and providing classroom jobs for the students, really gives them a sense of pride in their learning environment and encourages them to get their stuff done. Finally, the article encourages elementary teachers to have daily classroom meetings and continuously have whole group check-ins, small group check-ins, and individual check-ins. This will create a kind and respectful environment for the class to know that you care about them and their well-being. When your students know that you are there and care about their lives, they will continue to build that strong relationship with you. These are just three tips from an educational resource that have shown to be effective in the classroom, but like I said before, there are hundreds of strategies that can be used in the class to create the environment that you want to see. 

Four students sit in class working together. 

The topic of classroom management is very important to me because I want to create a class that is very well-managed and productive while also being a place where students can grow and feel supported. I do not want to operate my classroom on rules that only I come up with as the teacher, but I want to work as a whole class to establish these rules and procedures that we can all agree on. I do not want to utilize behavior charts that publically demonstrate the whole class behavior of the students. I feel that when elementary school teachers use these types of charts for their classes, it causes the students to feel embarrassed and ashamed because everyone can see what the teacher is thinking of them that day. I want to work to establish a method that the class agrees with to demonstrate their behavior, such as marbles in a jar, tickets for scratch-off cards, or a treasure box. The methods that I believe I will use for my classroom management are much more whole group centered and wouldn't publically display the student's wrongdoings. Classroom management does not only have to do with their behaviors; it also handles the procedures for how your class is expected to turn work in, will behave during drills or school events, and more. These procedures will be established during the first week of school and covered each week so that the class always remembers what is expected of them. Eventually, these rules and procedures will be second nature for the class, and that is my goal. I want each of my students to know that I will always love and support them while they know exactly what is expected of them. 

Blog Post #1: Family Factors

The first topic I chose to discuss on my blog is the impact family factors, specifically, family engagement, have on the student.  To define what family engagement would be when a family, such as parents or caregivers, has a meaningful role in their student's education, involvement, and activities. We want each of our families, whoever that may be for the student, to be a healthy and positive influence in their student's education. The family plays a role hand in hand with their success in school as well as their engagement in society. At this age, many students cannot choose to make their own decisions on how they live their lives, so these students must have engaged role models that really dive into the lives of their students. These families need to be their student's most prominent advocates and really understand their strengths and weaknesses. These engaged family members will always be the go-to people as a support system, and they will aid in any plans or strategies needed to benefit the child in school or out of school. We only want the best for our students, and we would be one step closer to success by having engaged family support.  

3 leaves labeled family, school, and community
used to represent how these factors all go 
hand in hand to lead to success. 

This is a topic that I want to stress to every single parent or caregiver as vital. If your student does not have support at home and the advocates that they need to really back them up, then they may miss out on reaching their full potential. I want each and every student to be provided the education they deserve and really benefit from the instructional methods used. This will be important in my future class because I want to encourage my families to help out in the class where they can and really show how involved they can be in order to encourage the same behavior from the students. When a student knows they have the support of their family, they will not only excel in school, but they will also be more encouraged to get involved in activities the community offers. I want my students to know that no matter who they have in their corner, I will always be their biggest fan, and I will ensure they have someone rooting them on. When it comes to family engagement, I think that the classroom will thrive when each of the students knows how important and supported they are outside of school. These students will be held accountable for ensuring their schoolwork is done, and they will also be encouraged to do their best. When parents are really involved and know what is going on in the classroom, it will make the dynamic a little smoother and your processes more seamless because the class will be prepared. Not only is this the responsibility of the parent, but it is also the responsibility of the teacher to have this open communication with the students and their support teams in order to encourage that engagement and build those vital relationships.