Blog #16 Part 1

At the beginning of the semester, in the If I Built a School blog, I said I saw my classroom having Smartboards and interactive technology for both students and teachers attention. My classroom would influence positivity with hip motivational signs and posters. I also said that I would rather take the roles out of the classroom, while still being the authoritative figure. I would want to learn as much from them as they learn from me. I want my students to learn efficiently rather than quickly, to understand concepts of different subjects and life itself rather than unnecessary repetition and memorization that most people forget in weeks or even days.One of my main points was that

"the theme of the school and my classroom would be respect, communication and character while teaching each student that those are the three things most needed with interaction in life. Testing is realistic and necessary, but I would bring back learning the joy of school and how it doesn't have to be a fearful scary or overwhelming environment. I want my students to know this joy and know that while the journey through school can get tiring and frustrating, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The joy that one would receive as they accomplish each level of education is greater than the trying times of the process."

After watching videos on Ted Talks and The Teaching Channel and doing some observations in a real life classroom, I think I now know what I want out of mine. Ted Talks and The Teaching Channel have shown me videos regarding behavior, group activities, classroom tone, and common core lessons. I have learned so much from both of these education websites. I see a few changes and additions I would make.

Tools and Methods
First,I would add a few tools to implement. With the use of SmartBoards, I would make those available for them to use. In a lot of the classrooms I have been in, the SmartBoards are only being used by the teacher. Students seem to enjoy board work so I would give them an opportunity to use the SmartBoards themselves. In my middle school math class, I feel like this would be a great way to use this technological tool. It exposes the students to technology they have never used before while grasping the content and material at hand. I would also start recording group work and activities and start a class blog where their work can be showcased to various classrooms, teachers parents and other students. I think recording the group work gives the students a chance to show off their work and see themselves in action. This way, they can see their mistakes and things they need to improve on. Even from EDM 310 I have seen where the class blog can be a great tool for the classroom. One method I would change is the burp-back education. I think a lot of us revert back to that when it comes time for testing. I would try to present all content and material to my students in real world situations so that they can apply it to more than just a test. I would change the paper/pencil theory in my classroom. I would try to use more technology and move away from lecturing from a textbook. Using technology gives an alternative way for students to learn without lecture or memorization.

Classroom and Activities
In school, one thing I hated was desks in rows. When I walked in and saw rows of desks I felt like, "oh here comes another lecture...boring." Since Common Core calls for a lot of group work, I would arrange my desks that way. This might cause me to circulate more for classroom control and management, but I think it would be a great way for students to learn more efficiently in a more welcoming, less overwhelming classroom. Therefore, I would create as many group work activities as possible to give the students a chance to build teamwork and communication skills. I also want my classroom to be an open space for discussion. I want my students to stay updated with what is going on in the world and I to stay updated with what is going on with them. In the small amount of free time we might have I would try to open the floor for class discussion. I want them to feel open enough to tell and discuss with me what is going on with them and trust me while I trust them. This would be something I implement during Guided Study, making it an assignment. In our free time I would also play some videos from Ted Talks and The Teaching Channel. Both of these websites provide videos on behavior, material and content, and lesson ideas.

I have learned so many things to include in my classroom from the assignments in this EDM 310 class. I really can not wait to start using some of these tools and ideas in my classroom.