"Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace."
- Confucius
I am an ELA teacher and the ELA Department Head at Carver High School. A few years ago though, I was a graduate student pursuing my Class A Teaching Certificate and Masters in Education through University of Alabama-Birmingham's Alternative Master's Program in Secondary English Language Arts. At that time, this website was designed as a high-stakes element of my Classroom Management class (EHS 556) taught by Professor Allison Newton. All the images on this website belong to me, and no one has permission to reproduce them for any reason without my written consent.
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| My Classroom at Carver High School |
My system was designed for my 10th Grade classes at Carver High School. Therefore, I targeted it for a high structure high school classroom in an urban setting. My management system can address all learners of various abilities, races, genders, and socio-economic backgrounds, but it has been focused on reaching and teaching the student population at Carver, which is 96% African American, 3% Hispanic, and 1% "Other". I have several ELL students in my classroom. My classroom is also inclusive, so I teach more than a dozen students with IEPs on a daily basis.
Although I come from a different cultural and socio-economic background than my students, I do not believe our differences make my job more difficult. In fact, I think our differences improve the learning environment in my classroom. I understand that I have as much to learn from my students as they do from me, and I attempt to constantly assess my students - both formatively and summatively - in order to adapt my instruction in a manner that emphasizes their strengths and shores up their weaknesses.
Therefore, I strive to teach students using culturally-relevant texts and writing assignments that they enjoy doing because keeping them engaged and sparking within them a love of learning are my primary goals. I also try to give them texts with positive, compelling protagonists so they can learn about how to be a better person while they improve their reading and writing skills. Finally, I differentiate my instruction for my students based on their diverse abilities, and I seek to provide any and all necessary accommodations for each of them based on their diverse needs and interests.
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| Textbooks in My Class Library |
Prior to September 2014, I had little to no experience managing a classroom. Since then, I have completed thousands of hours teaching and managing students through my experiences as a student teacher at Clay-Chalkville High School and as a full-time teacher at Carver High School since 2014. The three main learning points I have taken from my experiences (as well as my Classroom Management class) are that teachers who are effective classroom managers (1) possess excellent organization skills, (2) communicate expectations clearly, and (3) "model" appropriate skills and behavior for their students on a consistent basis.
As to (1), all teachers - but especially new teachers - must maintain an organized classroom in order to promote a productive learning environment. Aspects of this element of good teaching include creating a student-centered classroom through desk arrangement, ensuring student work is promptly graded and placed in each student's separate portfolio, and meticulously recording information about each student's performance and behavior. Without documentation and data, a teacher cannot assess their students' academic and behavioral performance, so it is imperative that teachers maintain a highly organized classroom in order to be as efficient and effective as possible.
As to (2), I have concluded that communication of expectations to students (and their parents) is critical when it comes to both their academic work and their behavior. I did not do a good enough job of making my expectations clear during my student teaching, and - as a result - I dealt with behavior problems that were caused by students being unaware their actions - while perhaps considered appropriate in other teachers' classrooms - would not be considered acceptable in my class (for example, use of cell phones or eating during class). At Carver, I informed my students of my expectations and the consequences for falling short of them as soon as I arrived, and I have been pleased with their behavior and academic performance thus far.
Finally, as to (3), the major thing I have learned this year as a student and new teacher is that teachers must "model" everything for their students. This idea is evidenced in my use of the "I Do, We Do, You Do" method of instruction, but it also extends to behavioral lessons as well. Just as I model for my students how to write a well-organized essay if I expect them to be able to do it, I must also model respectful, responsible, and resourceful behavior if I expect them to display it. I must hold myself to the highest standard of professionalism and be a "role model" for them both inside the classroom and in the community in large.
In sum, I have made it my career goal to not just instruct my students in a manner that improves their reading and writing skills, but to also inspire them to make good decisions so they can one day independently improve their future - both academic and professional. By modeling for them the skills and behaviors they will need to succeed in life, I can hopefully mold my students into compassionate citizens who exhibit a lifelong love of learning.
