Preparing for the Year
Acquainting Myself with the Community
I may be a teacher responsible for only one room in a school building, but that in no way reflects the students I am teaching. My students are much more than the series of studious faces I see throughout the day. They come from the surrounding neighborhood and all have a place other than the school that they call home. In order to better relate with my students, I will make an effort to immerse myself in the community surrounding the school. It is one thing to look up a school’s data on the state department of education’s website, but only living and breathing in the same space your students come from may do justice in trying to better understand where these students live. I need to introduce myself to my students and colleagues. A great way to get in touch is to send out letters with a brief bio and possibly a photo to students before the school year starts. In addition, I like the idea of making phone calls to my colleagues and setting up times to meet with other members of my education team before the school year begins. It may also be helpful to start collecting information on future students, so a quick questionnaire to mail back or bring filled-in before school may be a good idea as well. Another friendly way to introduce myself is to hold an “open house” maybe during student registration. By being present to students before the year even starts, I am already giving the impression of being available and looking to build personal relationships with each student as an individual.
Organizing my Classroom
Another big step in preparing for the year to come is the set-up and organization of my classroom. Depending on the furniture and space provided, I desire to have a relatively open and flowing layout. I think it would be best to have students sit in a U-shaped formation, as this way would allow for students to easily see and hear one another during group discussions. This format also allows for the students to have a common focal point where I may stand and speak to the class. It’s also a great way to remain within close proximity to all of my students as there is no “back” in this layout. In addition, wish to have my desk against a wall, possibly in the corner and out of the way. I do not see myself at my desk often during class time, as I would prefer to be up and interacting with my students. While my desk may be out of the way I would like to have tape on the floor that would provide a visible barrier where students are not permitted to enter in order to allow for my own personal space.
While I may have my own personal space, I will also provide for my students their own personal areas where they may keep their belongings. I have decided that small cubby-like areas could serve as a space for students to have art supplies and store cell phones during class. I very much like the idea of having each desk numbered and having a corresponding cubby numbered so that for each desk a student sits, there is also a cubby for that student to go to and use during that particular class. By providing a space for students to keep a few things such as assignments, cell phones, and other small items they may possess, this can help eliminate the problem with distractions that may disrupt my time instructing or my students’ time learning effectively.
The front board is another area that I will keep organized and consistent for the benefit of my students. In a designated area of the board, I plan on having the date, the daily agenda, homework, and the objectives of the day listed. The date is a helpful reminder for students who may need to ask before starting any worksheet or test. Before each class, I would leave this area empty, and that way I could begin each class by asking a volunteer to write the date out for the convenience of the class. The daily agenda lets the students know what is coming next and what they need to be prepared for. Providing structure and clear limits by having this set-up on the board is a procedure that allows students to feel comfortable with a routine and it helps meet one of the seven developmental needs of young adolescents (as written by the Center for Early Adolescence). By having the homework on the board for students to copy from the moment they come in the classroom, they may see what is expected of them after our time in class has ended. Finally, I feel that it is extremely important to have objectives listed on the board before each lesson. By explicitly stating what the purpose of the lesson is and what the expected outcome of the students is they may focus better on what they are supposed to get out of the day’s activities. With these objectives, I could ask my students how they could use them outside of the classroom and in what ways they find the day’s work to be useful.
One aspect of my room that will be left somewhat unfinished before my first day is that of decorating. I will try to provide many visual reminders of basic content knowledge such as days of the week, letters, numbers, and other useful information in the form of posters throughout the classroom. I will also designate areas of my room to maps, photos, and souvenirs from my own personal travels to Spanish-speaking countries. Even with both of these things, I will still leave space in my room to display student work. Because I believe projects are a great way to gauge student achievement, I will surely have plenty of posters and other visual representations created by my students that I can use to decorate my room walls. If some of my students have also traveled or had experiences where they used a foreign language, I would invite them to make a display for the classroom as well. Just because I am the teacher doesn’t mean I am the only person to have had powerful experiences that relate well to the class’s content. I would also have my windows open and clean to let in a lot of natural light. I really want my room to be open and colorful, with plenty of evidence that I share the space with my students and it is evident that my room is a space for students to express themselves personally and creatively, as these are important developmental needs for my future students.