The Positive Classroom
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi
My emphasis in teaching is on learning. My educational goal is to facilitate the learning, and I feel that my teaching plays a major role in that. My professional strengths lie in encouraging metacognition, inspiring critical thinking, and teaching students how to own their learning. However, a professional forte is only part of the picture. I believe that students reach their potential when they feel safe and have a sense of belonging. As a teacher, I conduct my classroom with warmth, humor, and high expectations. I believe that every student should feel cared for, there is always room for laughter, and the standards are set high. In my classroom, there is only room for positive energy.
In designing my lessons, I strive to meet the educational and emotional needs of students by creating a student-centered environment. I want my students to feel welcome in my classroom, but they must be actively learning, not passively listening. I believe in returning academic rigor to our classrooms. I believe in challenging students to critically analyze at least one question, puzzle, or “hmm” moment in every lesson. I also believe in scaffolding students to develop good study skills and reflective note taking. For example, after modeling a few examples for the class, I ask students to stop taking notes and annotate what they have just written. I teach them how to reflect on their notes (metacognition), question their own work (critical thinking), and add or subtract things that will make the notes meaningful and functional to them (owning the learning). Most of my lessons are highly visual, and I often encourage students to draw with a partner a certain grammatical concept, or to imagine the expression that a character wears on his visage. I believe in bringing Latin to life, and I regularly help students find connections between ancient Rome and their daily lives. Above all, I feel that differentiated instruction is key, and I adapt all lessons at all levels to meet the needs of individual students.
I would like to share an anecdote that, in my opinion, illustrates the power of a positive classroom. Before the bell rings, as the students file in, I greet each student, usually before he or she reaches his seat. I ask as many as I can about her day, his musical try-out, or a birthday dinner. This is always an enjoyable few minutes, but once the bell rings, I greet the class and begin the lesson. This past semester, I started noticing several of my 4th period class coming in early. (4th period is a non-honors class with 26 disgruntled teenagers.) After noticing this trend for two weeks, I commented on how happy I was to see 4th period improving their promptness. A prankster in the back jabbed, “That’s because you always start on time.” I didn’t understand. They were coming to class almost four minutes before the tardy bell. Finally, another student explained, with a grin, “How else are we gonna get talk to you?”
My high school students were arriving early for the sole purpose of having someone ask about their lives, and this realization speaks volumes. Students will work for a teacher they trust. Students share questions when they feel valued. Students behave respectfully for an adult who respects them. These insights guide my current teaching and the tone of my classroom and, as I grow and learn as an educator, I believe I will witness the substance of these early observations in the successes of my students.
