In order to help achieve a classroom that fosters a sense of mutual respect and camaraderie, I need to plan lessons that are effective and worthwhile. Students who have time to misbehave will often do so. I know that all teachers must fall back on good, old worksheets at some point for practice and repetition, but I hope to balance traditional worksheets with a variety of lessons that implement hands-on strategies and encompass a wide range of learning styles. My students will be exposed to a variety of different subjects and learning methods. I will give them many opportunities to be creative and formulate projects that display their own strengths.
Behavioral problems are often a big issue in the elementary classroom.
I feel that by teaching my students to respect others and by personally being a good example of how to respect people, many of these problems will help to solve themselves. A mutual feeling of respect between myself and my students, coupled with a classroom filled with exciting and enriching activities should, and will, lead to a productive and well-run classroom. My philosophy seems simple, but these basic ideas are what will help me develop a classroom that I enjoy teaching in and one where my students are given opportunities to enjoy learning without retribution from myself or from their peers. Children spend a majority of their time in school, so it should not be a place that they either fear, or hate coming to because they are bored. I plan to make the school year an enjoyable experience for my students and myself using every tactic that I know possible.