My 21st Century Classroom!
Above
is a diagram of how I would like my 21st century classroom to look.
Color
"Color can make a significant impact on the
productivity level and attentiveness of your students. Teachers can promote a sense
of calmness in a class full of active youngsters or they can grab the attention
of distracted teens with the right color choices strategically employed
throughout the classroom. The best colors help teachers and students
accomplish class objectives with ease and comfort" (Schofield, 1999-2013).
Your color choice for a classroom should be calm, inviting, and create an
open work space. Research shows you should use six or less colors in a
room to help students connect to their visual learning senses. Cool
colors should be used because they are fresh and calming. Bright colors
may be too much in a room and dull colors are boring. In "Color Your
World," Amee Meghani suggests the use of color cues for younger children,
bringing their attention and focus to key areas of the room like the main
blackboard" (Schofield,
1999-2013). However in older children's classrooms colors should be
pastel or shades of green and blue. In my classroom I would probably have
it be blue or green and then add some art work or things around the room with
bursts of color since I want to teach Kindergarten. This gives them a mix
of both and is appropriate for the age group. It will make for a clam
inviting environment but also be fun and exciting while attracting their
attention and helping to stimulate their visual senses and creating movement
around the room.
Arrangement
"The set up of a classroom is very important
to how a classroom is being managed. The teacher needs to make sure his/her
classroom is arranged for the students to be productive. The teacher also needs
to make sure their classroom has a positive environment for the students as
they enter the classroom" (Cluff, 2006-2012). My classroom is
designed so that learning is fun and easy for everyone.
Accommodations
I made it easily accessible to everyone going
anywhere in the classroom. "An inclusion classroom is not only good
for students in Special Education. When implemented correctly it is positive
for everyone. Those students
who struggle, but do not qualify for
Special Education services often do very well with the extra supports in place
in this classroom" (admin, 2008). There are open path ways and
everything has a specific spot. All types of students are able to move around
the room freely, including kids with exceptionalities. Exceptionalities are
anything that gets in the way of everyday life so this could include students
with wheel chairs, special needs, vision impairments or hearing impairments.
The open floor concept is ideal for an inclusive classroom and I would
also make any other changes necessary depending on what my students need and
their disabilities. I am always willing to accommodate anyone and bring
in whatever materials may be needed to help them learn in the easiest way possible.
All of my students should feel stress free in my room. "The
inclusion classroom helps students with an IEP to be educated alongside non-disabled
peers. This helps with socialization and ensuring higher standards"
(admin, 2008) Differentiation is something that you will always experience in a
classroom. It is recognizing differences among students. These
differences could be personal backgrounds, education, readiness, interests or
knowledge. Students will always be at different levels and need different
types of assistance in a classroom. Learning how to adapt
to these needs is very important so that every student can learn to their full potential in
my class. There are always several students of different backgrounds who
come together to learn. It can be helpful to share experiences and build
off of each other. I personally was never very good at math or reading.
I had to go to someone who was able to work with me more one on one and
help me understand it better. I was weak in those areas, but excelled in
others. Everyone has the ability to learn. All students learn at
different rates and using different techniques can help them learn information
better. I think diverse classroom like this make for a better learning
environment. Even though everyone is not always at the same level, all
students have something to learn from one another and it makes for a better
experience. Technology can play a big
part in a differentiated classroom. If someone has a hearing or sight
impairment, those types of tools could help them learn better. Some
children may be very unmotivated or just have trouble in the classroom.
Using computers or things like smart boards make learning fun.
Children love these types of things because it is fun and makes it seem
less stressful. I personally love using technology for that exact reason.
There are so many positive advantages to it for kids!
Technology
I incorporated some technology because I feel it is
very important to use when teaching. Especially, when teaching young students.
"Providing students with modern, mobile computers and access to the
Internet at school and at home promotes hands-on learning that engages
students. When children are interested and excited, the learning process comes
naturally" (BPT, 2013). I will have a chalk board, white
board, smart board, projector, Ipads and computers available and ready to use
in the classroom. "These technology enhancements are creating a 21st
century classroom environment that focuses on today’s students’ needs. Rather than
the teacher lecturing at the front of the classroom, students are taking the
lead by exploring different topics, answering their own questions, and
interacting with peers and their teachers by accessing information through
technology" (BPT, 2013). There are always going to be things in the
classroom that a teacher has to unlearn. This may be challenging because
you are used to what you already know and have been doing. Breaking bad
habits in the classroom will be very beneficial to students. Keeping the
room current and up to date will make a big difference in their learning and how they focus. As there are things a
teacher has to unlearn, there are also things you have to relearn. This
may be difficult because it's different from what you already learned and you
have to put in the time to learn it. Relearning things is important because
it keeps you updated. Things change all the time and knowing how to adapt
to it will help you a lot in a classroom. One example of this is
technology incorporation. It's such an important thing and something that
is always changing. You may also need to improve classroom management and
behavior tactics. This is a good opportunity to learn more skills that
may be useful. Overall, the main theme of this post is out with the old,
in with the new. You have to familiarize yourself with new information
and ways of learning to be successful as a teacher. It affects all
aspects of children's learning.
Organization
Research shows that it is important to have
learning centers and activities set up throughout the room. I have a
computer station for students to work at, a round table so that they can
collaborate with each other, a kitchen station, book shelves, Ipads, a
"relax" area with couches, bean bag chairs and a rug. "The
listening center and computer station will be placed on the outside of the
classroom. The centers will be facing the walls because the students will be
rotating to the various centers within the classroom" (Cluff,
2006-2012). This is why I chose the centers to be where they are in my
classroom. This gives the students a chance to get away from where they
are sitting and go mingle with other students and find a place in the room that
they choose and want to be. I will try to incorporate technology in the
classroom as much as I possibly can. I would like to use interactive
white boards in my room. I think these
white boards would be very good for children with all different types of needs
in a classroom. You are always going to have differentiation with your
students. Incorporating their needs and making them all feel equal is
very important. It also helps you present the information in different
ways. Students have all different types of learning styles. I
believe that classroom interaction and hands on activities makes learning
easier. I know from my own personal experience that doing activities that
were interactive helped me out a lot in the classroom. It was more fun
and made it easier for me to remember the information as opposed to just being
lectured and learning it on my own. These are the ideas that surround my
opinion on Interactive Whiteboards in a classroom. I will use it to teach my lessons, play games, give extra practice,
read and many other things. I have lots of different types of technology
in my room and all my students will know what is expected and how to use it
properly. I will promote it and make sure they understand all of the
great benefits they can get from it. Making learning fun through
technology is also another way to get them using it and I am all about hands on
learning. I also have a reading area because it's important and
"this area will provide a “home” feeling and help the students to feel
relax when they are in this area" (Cluff, 2006-2012). I will
not have desks in my classroom. Instead I will just have a few
square tables. As I said before, I want to teach Kindergarten and I feel
that this set up is best for that age group. Students can work together
and it makes it seem more fun for them while in school. Having individual
desks in rows eliminates some of the collaboration and can be boring and
isolated. "The teacher’s desk is located in the back of the
classroom. The reason of this arrangement is that this will help the teacher to
promote a student – centered classroom." This statement supports my choice
of desk location. I want to be able to see all the students and have a
place for them to come with questions without feeling embarrassed. The way my classroom is set up make it easy for students
to get into a routine. They know what is available and where it is.
It makes learning easier because they know each day what is expected and
how to access the materials to complete those requirements. Having
several stations available is helpful because students feel like they have a
choice in what they do. It also gives them several different ways to
promote learning and collaboration in the classroom. At the round tables
they can come together to work on assignments or ask me to come over and be of assistance
to them. I feel that my classroom is set up very well for this age group,
all different types of needs and my style of teaching. Having an organized classroom will make it easy for students to access materials and
learn at ease.
PLN
A PLN (personal learning network) is a group of people that someone interacts
with and receives knowledge from in a personal learning environment. I
will make sure that I keep growing as a person and as a connected learner.
I can do this by associating with other people. Collaboration is a
key part of this. Your experiences and beliefs make you who you are.
Technology and learning itself is always changing. Keeping an open
mind and trying new ideas and can always benefit you as a teacher. You
have to be willing to learn from other people and take your experiences and use
them as a way to handle your future. In my classroom I plan on keeping up
with technology, connecting with other people, using social networks and
collaborating with other people around me to get new ideas and knowledge to
help myself grow as a person and a professional.
Community
of Practice
Digital
Citizenship
Digital Citizenship is basically learning to use technology appropriately in a
classroom. "Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers,
technology leaders and parents to understand what students/children/technology
users should know to use technology appropriately. Digital Citizenship is more
than just a teaching tool; it is a way to prepare students/technology users for
a society full of technology. Digital citizenship is the norms of
appropriate, responsible technology use. Too often we are seeing
students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to
do. The issue is more than what the users do not know but what is considered
appropriate technology usage." (Ribble) Social networking, podcasts
and twitter are just a few of the latest developments in technology today.
There are nine different themes associated with digital citizenship
including digital access, commerce, literacy, communication, etiquette, law,
rights and responsibility, health, wellness and security.
Sources
Admin. "The Benefits of an Inclusion Classroom." Http://www.schoolpsychologistfiles.com/. Kingworks
Creative, 4 Nov. 2008. Web. 13 May 2013. <http://www.schoolpsychologistfiles.com/2008/11/the-benefits-of-an-inclusion classroom.html>.
Cluff, Debbie. " Education Articles."Education
Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. <http://www.edarticle.com/article.php?id=127>.
PBT. "How Classroom Technology Can Benefit Your Child's
Education. "Http://www.jsonline.com/.
Education, 4 Feb. 2013. Web. 13 May 2013. <http://www.jsonline.com/sponsoredarticles/education/how-classroom-technology-can benefit-your-childs-education8064970101-189705091.html>.
Schofield, Lina. "The Best Colors for a Classroom |
eHow." eHow | How to
Videos, Articles & More -
Discover the expert in you.. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. <http://www.ehow.com/info_8135984_colors-classroom.html>.
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