My Approach to Important Issues in Teaching
On Assessment: I will use assessment techniques that are appropriate for the age level and the knowledge or skills that are being assessed. I use more performance assessment than written because it is more authentic. I do many cooperative-learning activities and typical assessments for these would be visual and oral presentations, reports of inquiry, and final products. I also work with students to decide on assessment techniques and like to give them options when possible. When using traditional assessments such as exams I make sure that they assess what was taught in the way that it was taught. I rarely use pre-made assessments without modifying them.
On Diversity: I strongly believe and put into practice my belief that every child should cherish their heritage and culture, and that language is a fundamental part of one’s culture and self. I advocate the preservation of children’s first language and will use it in the classroom to enhance learning. I promote cultural sensitivity beginning with the students in my own classroom. Children's literature is a great place to start to promote diversity sensitivity. Since I read aloud to my students often, I choose a variety of good literature that also teaches a celebration of diversity. A critical part of teaching tolerance is modeling it, and as a teacher and a person I model sensitivity and respect at all times. This occurs in daily routines, the treatment of others, and classroom discussions. I like to do activities that celebrate each student as unique, and in this way we can promote diversity between us without pointing out any student as being "different."
On Student-Centered Learning: I occasionally like to leave lessons open-ended and give students the freedom to investigate and present their findings. One such lesson was on the human body in third grade. We identified as a class six main systems in the body, and created a K-W-L chart. I asked students what they wanted to learn about the body, and then categorized the questions according to the systems. Students chose which system they wanted to investigate and then did research in groups. I provided books, posters, articles, appropriate websites, and transparencies. At the end of two weeks each group prepared a creative presentation to teach the class about their system. In one presentation, students acted out a scene where a white blood cell was chasing a bacterium. They were so creative in their presentations and knowledgeable about the subject matter that I knew the lesson had been a success.
On Learning About My Students: I want to know about each student their interests, their prior knowledge, and what makes them unique. The first two are obligatory for lesson planning; I use or tie in interesting subjects to motivate students, and I need to know what prior learning they have had in order to know my starting point. Sometimes prior knowledge can help me to build to what they have already learned; sometimes it has to be unlearned in order to learn new information. I also want to know what makes them unique as a person, something about them that needs to be celebrated I can emphasize this to help build their self-esteem but I also want to know them as a person and not just a learner.
On Character Education: The teaching of integrity and compassion happens every day, all the time in my class. From our Morning Meeting till our daily wrap-up, I emphasize compassion and community in our discussions. When problems arise between students I help them to talk it out and express their feelings with words so that the other person can empathize what they feel. I share my own feelings with students when I am disappointed or proud of them, and I explain why. I model integrity by being honest and being responsible for my actions. All of this creates an environment of integrity and compassion.