Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Signature Assignment Final
Signature Assignment Final
Signature Assignment Final
Signature Assignment
Ariel Mendez
10/19/21
2
When I was younger, I assumed the only components of an effective teacher was one
who taught captivating lessons, but from the class readings and video resources I began to realize
there were many more important aspects one must obtain to be an effective teacher. A successful
educator must establish a classroom climate, enforce classroom procedures and rules, incorporate
From the moment a student enters a classroom, they should feel welcomed and safe.
According to Borich, “The classroom climate is the atmosphere or mood in which interactions
between you and your students take place. Classroom climate is created by the manner and
degree to which you connect with your students, show warmth and support” (2017). I believe
establishing a classroom climate begins before the student enters the room. While I observed Ms.
Martin in Teaching Procedures, Routines, and Rules During the First Week of School in Fourth
Grade, she started each morning by greeting each student individually. As a future educator, I
plan on implementing Ms. Martin’s morning greetings. By this simple task I am able to check in
with students to see how their morning is unfolding. I would also be able to monitor students'
emotions and behavior before instruction begins. For instance, if a student arrives at school
upset, I would be able to acknowledge the students emotions and give them time to regulate their
feelings. Morning greetings set the tone for the day if students are made to feel welcomed and
The social environment is made up of the interaction patterns in the classroom. There are three
different environments a teacher can implement. Borich lists the three environments as
authoritarian, laissez-faire and a middle ground of the first two environments (2017). In my
3
classroom I would hope to implement an environment that is in the middle of authoritarian and
laissez-faire. I plan on creating a classroom climate where students are comfortable participating
in discussions and feel that their ideas are just as important as mine. After reading Borich (2017),
I do understand the importance of being able to create different climates at different points of
instruction.
Before an educator can effectively teach subject content matter it is vital to teach
classroom rules and procedures. According to Borich, “ Rules and procedures, which you should
formulate before the first day of school, are your commitment to applying and “ounce of
prevention” to avoid a “pound of cure” (2017, 81). If rules and procedures are not discussed or
set in action, it can be damaging to the classroom climate and instruction. It is vital to
communicate rules to students on the first day of class. A key to successfully implement the
classroom rules is consistency (Borich, 2017). When establishing rules, I must ask myself if the
rule I am implementing falls within the following four categories: does it enhance work
As I watched various observation videos, it was evident that all teachers had one thing in
common. Every teacher had routines and procedures placed in their class. Every classroom was
able to run smoothly because every student knew exactly what to expect or what to do.
According to Classroom behavior management (part 1): Key concepts and foundational
practices, “ When teachers establish classroom routines, they are creating consistent, predictable
sequences of events to help students understand what to expect” (2021). Disruptive behavior is
less likely to occur when routines are in place because students already know what to expect. In
my classroom, I will be sure to have a routine for every aspect of the day. In order to implement
4
routines, I must teach my students the process and expectations. By modeling the routine and
procedures, students will have a clear understanding of what is expected. Before I can begin
teaching content, students will have to practice and have an understanding of the routines and
procedures.
After observing Ms. Balderma in Morning Meetings: A Daily Strategy for Teaching
Social and Emotional Learning to 1st Grade Students, I realized how crucial her morning
meetings were in terms of creating and setting the tone for the day. The morning routine
consisted of greeting students, conducting a feeling check, allowing students to share feelings,
hold a discussion and close with a message. I will implement morning meetings in my
classroom because it sets the tone for the day and gives students the chance to connect with
Being able to build relationships with students plays a vital role in creating a
class is not going to be composed of students with excellent behavior. Instead, our class may
include students who are experiencing traumas, have troubled home lives or challenge behaviors.
It is our responsibility to create a positive climate and help improve students' behavior. If a
behavior management plan is not implemented and disruptive behaviors are present in the
classroom we may see negative impacts. Some negative impacts can include loss of instructional
time, decreased student engagement and motivation (The IRIS Center. 2012, 2021). In my
classroom, I will create a comprehensive classroom behavior management plan to avoid the
negative outcomes. Before implementing the plan I must build relationships with my students
and their families. In order for the plan to work, it is important that my students, their families,
and myself are on the same page. Communicating my expectations and consequences to all
5
parties involved is critical for the success of a comprehensive classroom behavior management
plan. My goal as an educator is to create an atmosphere where every student has the opportunity
to learn. I will be able to obtain this goal by establishing an effective classroom management
opportunity to learn and exceed. In order to ensure my classroom is culturally responsive I must
value student’s language, culture, and background ( Fenner & Synder, 2017). One of the first
steps in creating a culturally responsive learning environment is to examine my own beliefs and
culture. Next, I have to learn about my students’ cultural backgrounds. Learning about my
students’ cultures, I will be able to create rules that align with my students’ culture and identify
areas my student may need more support in (The IRIS Center, 2002, 2012, 2021). Building
relationships with my students will allow me to plan more efficiently. It is crucial to align lessons
to my students interest and background. By implementing this strategy, students are able to make
After analyzing and reflecting on the class readings and videos, it is evident that there is
more to teaching than explaining subject content. Instead, an educator must establish a
foundation and classroom climate before they can begin teaching lessons.
Spending a vast amount of hours in school renders a teacher’s role as one that reaches beyond
academic- a teacher’s role is didactic, but also acts as the stepping stone for how students focus
their time, social skills, and emotional intelligence. Being a teacher is a multi-faceted role: they
6
are actively shaping how a student perceives their world. Students spending over seven hundred
hours with their teacher unequivocally affects how they process and react to information.
Generating an environment for my students that ensures safety and creates an atmosphere that
renders them to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically is integral to the success of my
classroom.
From the very first time a student enters my classroom I want them to feel welcomed,
safe, and happy. By focusing on the physical climate of my classroom I will be able to ensure my
goal is accomplished. The physical climate includes the external and internal features of the
room (Borich, 2017). In my classroom, I will incorporate a welcoming theme and showcase my
students' work on bulletin boards. There are moments in our lives when we all need a little
motivation therefore I plan on incorporating a motivational wall for my students. The wall will
consist of inspirational quotes and sayings. Stress can negatively affect a student’s ability to learn
(Medina, 2014). In order to give my students every opportunity to learn I will create a calm
The social climate I envision for my class includes an environment that is cooperative
and in the middle of authoritarian and laissez-faire. Therefore I will arrange my desk in groups of
four or five. As a result of the internal arrangement students will be able to work with peers and
collaborate. According to Borich (2017, 81), “ The social climate created by your words and
deeds should always match the organizational climate created by the physical arrangement of
simultaneously update the physical arrangement of my desk. Flexible seating will also be
included in my classroom’s physical arrangement. The use of flexible seating allows students the
choice to choose their preferred seating arrangement. Students will be able to choose from;
7
standing, yoga ball, air cushion, or an alternative chair. Flexible seating is beneficial to students
because it helps the student focus, increases collaboration, reduces extended sitting (Raudys ,
n.d.).
One of the roles of a teacher is to help students in the area of social emotional
development. After viewing Ms. Ortiz’s classroom it was evident that she established a
procedure to successfully help student’s regulate their emotions. In my classroom, I will create a
calm down center for students to utilize when they need a brain break or regulate their emotions.
The calm down center will consist of various items to help students relax and refocus their
attention. In Ms. Ortiz’s calm down center she first has students identify their emotion, this
allows her to be proactive in student’s behavior (Calm Down Centers: Creating a Safe
Classroom Environment for Your Students, 2019). By implementing Ms. Ortiz’s calm down
center in my classroom, it will help avert disruptive behavior in the classroom. Throughout the
day students feel different emotions and many times do not know how to recognize or regulate
the emotion. As a result students may exhibit frustration, irritability or self doubt in which
returns cause a disruption in their ability to learn ( Leaf et.al , 2018, 39). Through the use of the
calm down center, students will be able to recognize their current emotion and begin regulating
the emotion. According to Leaf et al. (2018, 39) “Naming our emotions makes what we are
thinking clearer to others and to ourselves, because we often feel more grounded and in more
control. This helps us to begin to process”. It is essential for every student in my class to
understand that every emotion is welcomed but it is also my responsibility to teach students how
and learning styles. The classroom will be full of diverse individuals and therefore I will plan
8
accordingly to my students needs. To obtain a classroom that fits the needs of all students, I first
must develop an understanding of my students. Through the help of parents and other resources
such as occupational therapists or special education teachers I will be able to ensure all student’s
needs are met. For instance if I were to have a student in my class with Dysfunction in Sensory
Integration (DSI) it is extremely important to create an environment where the student's sensory
needs are supported. One strategy I will put in place is a sensory diet designed for individual
students. According to DiMatties (2003) “ A sensory diet consists of specific elements designed
to meet the child’s sensory integration needs. A sensory diet can help maintain an age
appropriate level of attention for optimal function to reduce sensory defensiveness". Every
student’s sensory accommodations will vary depending on the student but it is important to to
develop different strategies such as environmental modification, adaptations to routines and how
the student interacts with others (DiMatties, 2003). Environmental modifications may include
the lighting of the class, noise level, or smell, although these seem like small modifications to
others but to a child with DSI they can make all the difference in their ability to learn.
point in our career, but as a teacher I can implement procedures and rules and build relationships
with my students to help prevent undesired behaviors. According to Borich (2018, 81)
order to have effective classroom management I must build trusting and nurturing relationships
with all my students ( Borich, 2017,68). I plan to incorporate Positive Behavioral Intervention
Support (PBIS) inside my classroom. During my observations, many teachers implemented PBIS
in their class and I saw how effective it was in regards to students behavior. In Ms.West's
classroom she focused on the positive actions of other students when she noticed some students
9
not on task or displaying desired behaviors. Ms. West incorporated a 4:1 ratio in her classroom,
meaning every time she corrected behavior she then would make four positive remarks. I would
like to incorporate the same strategies as Ms. West in my classroom, by doing so I am creating a
In my classroom there will be times when students do not follow my rules and
key principles in order to work effectively. The principles include acknowledgment that
relationships are central in building community, building systems that address misbehavior in a
way that strengthens relationships, focuses on the harm done rather than only on rule breaking,
give those who were harmed a voice, engage in collaborative problem solving, empowers change
and growth, and enhances responsibility ( Hulvershorn, n.d.). If a student in my class displays
challenging behavior my first step would be to conduct a peace circle. The peace circle will
behavior my student is exhibiting. All behavior is a form of communication, at first it may seem
hard to understand, but as I build relationships with my students I will be able to have a clearer
individuality that shines through their culture, background, and unique experiences. The same
concept is applied to education: every student has their own learning style, and each student
responds to different methods and ways of internalizing information. This means, as educators,
we have a crucial role to fill. We must observe, adjust, and adapt in ways that ensure every
10
student has the same opportunity to process and use the information they are taught. By being
open to ways in which we as educators can find new methods and practices to better our teaching
style, we are able to create a space that allows for all students to learn in a way that supports and
encourages them.
enhance student engagement. When students are actively engaged, they are motivated and ready
to learn ( Borich, 2017). To ensure engagement occurs in my classroom and lessons, I first need
responsive educators draw on the cultural knowledge, backgrounds, and experiences of their
students in order to make the learning more meaningful (p.40). I will plan better lessons and
students can help shape the classroom content, instructional activities, and the pace of the
learning ( Fenner & Snyder, 2017). Since students play such an essential role in the
student-centered classroom, it is common for active engagement to occur in the class. To ensure
my students are engaged and motivated in my class, I will have students create academic and
non-academic goals for themselves. When planning and developing new lessons, I will keep in
mind my students' goals. Incorporating lessons that align with my students' goals helps them see
the relevance in the lesson. If students think the activity and content are relevant, they are more
likely to be engaged and motivated to learn (Student Motivation: Making Students' Work
Relevant, 2019).
11
In a culturally responsive classroom, an effective teacher will embrace and appreciate the
diverse cultures of the class. According to Mastropieri & Scruggs (20), "Gaining an
understanding and an appreciation of these cultural influences will assist in developing culturally
responsive education which should increase student motivation and investment" (p. 117). In
addition, my class will include all genders, and to ensure equality amongst all my students, I will
create an inclusive environment. For example, when picking literature, I will include both female
and male authors and incorporate books that represent all genders as the main characters in a
text. To ensure I equally allow all students to help or answer questions, I will draw students'
names randomly. I will create a jar that has each students' name on a popsicle stick, and when I
need volunteers or helpers, I will pull a stick and allow that student to help or answer. As an
effective teacher, I plan to help break the labels society has placed on genders. In my classroom,
While working in education, there will most likely be a time where I have Gifted students
accommodate my Gifted students. Educators will often only assign more work for their Gifted
students, but this does nothing for the child. Instead, in my class, I will challenge my students
and implement Universal Design for Learning strategies. I must remember Gifted students can
quickly become disengaged; therefore, I need to adapt my instruction and curriculum to meet the
English learners (ELs) will most likely have difficulties adjusting to the new
environment; therefore, I will implement different strategies to help them overcome any
classroom and build positive relationships with my students. Positive relationships in the
12
classroom are beneficial to a student's academic success. According to Hammond (2015), "The
quality of relationships between teacher and students are just as important as the technical
strategies used to get students to perform at higher levels" (p. 8). Therefore, after providing my
EL students with a safe and nurturing environment, I can implement different strategies to assist
their learning. Through scaffolding, I will give instructional support to help students meet the
challenging demands of instruction and content. ( Fenner & Snyder 2017). Knowing my students'
background, strengths, and needs is vital to implement scaffolding techniques properly. The goal
of scaffolding is for the student to no longer need support and complete the task independently
(Fenner & Snyder, 2017). Finally, I will monitor my students' progress and guide them through
strategies is beneficial for all students in my diverse classroom. Universal Design for Learning
strategies allows every student to learn effectively and can impact the student's academic
success. After observing administrators and teachers implement UDL strategies at Westglen
Elementary School in Alberta, Canada, it was evident that there was a shift in students' progress
and academic capabilities. Not one child thinks alike; each individual is unique and responds to
different methods of teaching. To lead my students to their fullest potential, I will include
Often, a grade can make or break a student's outlook on education. Students look at a
grade and come up with prenotions about themselves and their academic capabilities. One of my
goals as an educator is to help students stop the assumption that they are defined only by grades.
My grading policy will reflect on the growth and learning of a student. I will use a 0-4 point
scale for grades because the traditional 0-100 scale sets students up for failure(Feldman, 2019). I
13
will not give a zero for missing work because I am setting my student up for failure. For
instance, if one student starts with 0s, they are forever catching up no matter their other grades.
My job as an educator is to teach students, and I can not expect students to understand content
automatically. My grading policy will reflect on a student's growth, which means I will allow a
student to retake a test or resubmit assignments. The overall goal is to encourage students to
continue with their education, and my grading policy will not hold back students but instead give
Before a student can learn new academic content and skills, an effective teacher must
ensure specific components and strategies are in place. Educators have a crucial role to fill to
guarantee all students have an equal opportunity to learn. Two of the most critical aspects in my
class are the understanding of my students and the positive relationships I build with each
student. The end goal is to help students in their academic career, but for them to know they have
References
Pearson eText with loose-leaf version -- access card package (9th ed.). San
Francisco: Pearson.
Calm Down Centers: Creating a Safe Classroom Environment for Your Students. (2019, October
Ldonline.Org. http://www.ldonline.org/article/5612/
Feldman, J. (2019, January 23). What Traditional Classroom Grading Gets Wrong. Education
Week.
Fenner, D & Synder, S (2017) . Unlocking English Learners’ Potential: Strategies For
https://www.acps.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01918616/Centricity/Domain/861/Restorative%2
0Justice%20%20Handout.pdf.
Leaf, C. (2018). Think, learn, succeed: understanding and using your mind to thrive at school,
Morning Meetings: A Daily Strategy for Teaching Social and Emotional Learning to 1st Grade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnNU-CMYhXw&list=PL66beNHdZM5JtOjQQbC
TjP8bdlQaeDAp-
Raudys , J. (n.d.). Flexible seating: 21 awesome ideas for your classroom. Flexible Seating: 21
Awesome Ideas for Your Classroom | Prodigy Education. Retrieved October 5, 2021,
from https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/flexible-seating-classroom-ideas/.
SanBdoCitySchools. (2019, October 11). Calm down centers: Creating a safe classroom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQbuu5ufHyA.
State Education Practices (SEP). National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a
part of the U.S. Department of Education. (2018). Retrieved October 3, 2021, from
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab5_14.asp.
Student Motivation: Making Students’ Work Relevant. (2019, December 9). [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9D9trJzn7w
The IRIS Center. (2021). Classroom behavior management (part 1): Key concepts and
The IRIS Center. ( 2021). Classroom behavior management (Part 2, Elementary): Developing a
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh2/
16
Appendix