Blog Assignment # 12

I think a good idea for a blog assignment would be to write about how your classroom would be (how it would be organized, what your class rules would be, and why you choose it to be this way). If there are any teachers in your life that have influenced you, write about how they did that, how old you were, and why you think it had such an affect on you. Look for pictures to illustrate what you're describing. Be detailed, and be sure to incorporate how you would or would not use technology in your classroom. Also include how you would conduct your classroom (would you do warm up questions, play games, have pop quizzes, etc.) along with what age group you will be working with, and what subject if applicable.

My Classroom
As I've mentioned before, my mother teaches the fourth grade. I have always admired the way she arranges her desks differently every year, but there is one way that I particularly like. It's a square of desks where everyone faces each other. This is good in uniting your class and giving everyone an equally good view of what's going on. I would like to have this arrangement with a one-desk-length gap where I could walk in and out of the center, and potentially lecture in the middle. I choose the format of a square rather than a circle because that would have a tendency to get messed up. As much as I'd like to think that the desks won't move, they will. They always find a way to scoot around a least a little, as I have found from my experience in a classroom. I found a lot of good classroom organization and decorating ideas from this search in Google images.

My class rules would be three very simple ideas: 1) respect your classmates and teacher 2) try your best in everything that you do and 3) don't be afraid to ask questions. Although these may seem trivial, most of the major things will most likely be covered in the school rules and therefore are not necessary to bring up about my personal classroom.

I have had three teachers in the past that severely influenced me and made me want to become and educator in the first place. That is, aside from my relatives that have inspired me in this way as well. My fourth grade teacher taught me a lot about trying my best and how to write a structured essay. My tenth and twelfth grade English teachers taught me about appreciating literature, doing my best in school and in other areas of life, and expressing myself. If it hadn't been for my tenth grade English teacher, I don't know how or when I'd have realized how important it is to put forth your best effort in school and get good grades. Up until that point, I did as little as possible just to get by. Every once and a while I am still guilty of this, but for the most part and I am very dedicated and serious about my education. These people are a large part of why I want to be a teacher. I want to have an impact on my students' lives like my teachers had an impact on me. I want to help someone realize their full potential, to help them discover how important your academic life is, to help them appreciate reading and writing like I do.

I believe that it is a necessity for every teacher to be technologically literate. I intend to use tools like a Smart board, Elmo, clickers, iPhone or iPad apps, personal computers, the internet, etc. I believe that it is important to introduce kids to all sorts of technology at an early age. Although I am in secondary education, I still believe in incorporating technology into my classroom not only to introduce students to it but to get them used to working with it and using it to do assignments.

As for how I would conduct my classroom, I am a firm believer in group discussion. I think that having it count for 10% of a grade is a great way to require them to talk about things they have read or learned about in my class. Discussion always brings new things to the table that some students think about that others did not. My twelfth grade English teacher that I mentioned earlier did this by checking off a student each class for participating. You had to speak each class to get full credit. I think a lot of the things that I get from class are from my peers, that's why I think this is a good way to teach. Also, warm up questions are always a good way to keep track of whether or not students are doing the required reading and things like that.