Goal #6: Learning Environment
The beginning teacher creates a productive learning environment through the use of individual and group motivation that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
To demonstrate my abilities as outlined in program goal 6, I am submitting three artifacts: a classroom management plan and two projects, Family Photo Album and Tsunami Fundraiser.
The Family Photo Album is a project from the unit Entre Familia. In this unit, students learned how to describe family relationships and people. This project culminates everything the students have learned to this point: introducing and describing people (physical descriptions, age and origin), their likes and dislikes and family relationships. This project shows how students were able to apply all the skills they had developed throughout the school year in Spanish I. Students were to include five members of their family as well as themselves and write a short paragraph answering the following questions: Who is this person? What is his/her relationship to you? How old is this person? What is he/she like? Where is s/he from? What are some of his/her likes/dislikes? These are all questions that previous chapters in the text had answered. This project was motivational for the students because it allowed them opportunity to apply Spanish to a meaningful part of their lives, their family and friends. This project was an example of authentic learning because students did not have to create fictional dialogue, rather they were able to describe people whom they knew. Students were also given the opportunity to turn the project in early for extra credit. Several students took advantage of the opportunity. This project was also an opportunity for me to get to know the students on a more personal level and discover their interests and incorporate them into daily lessons as it was appropriate.
After the Tsunami in South Asia, the students at PLMS wanted to help out as much as they could. With the help of the teachers of the Modern Language Department as well as the administration, the students developed a fundraiser. Students dedicated time before and after school to make culture grams and sell them for $.50, and to collect money from students and faculty in the school. The students were able to raise $1730. They had set a goal of $1400. Everyday for a week, students were learning about different cultures and languages from countries that were affected by the Tsunami. I created a web quest for students to use as a research tool when looking up information. The students were very involved and excited that they were able to help out students in other parts of the world. As a reward, students got to watch Finding Nemo in Spanish. Students had to shout out the words that they knew and recognized. This indicated that students were able to decipher the site words. They enjoyed this activity because they truly felt they earned it with all their hard work and effort.
In my classroom management plan, I discuss several strategies that involve students making decisions in my classroom. For example, on the first day of school, students will create rules they feel are fair and appropriate for our class. Once all the rules have been approved, each student will sign this Classroom Constitution. A copy of the rules will be sent home to parents, and the rules will be posted in the classroom. This creates accountability on the students’ part as well as a feeling of empowerment. Also, I discuss the nature of my classroom. The desks will be set up in a horseshoe to facilitate and encourage discussion and conversation. Another practice I will use in my classroom is the use of bell work. This will not be simple busy work, it will usually involve small groups working together to figure out riddles using language as a clue. Students will document daily in their notebooks what the bell work was, and how the were able to work together to figure it out. The collaborative work students will engage in together along with the physical environment of the classroom will help build classroom community.