CREATIVITY

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”  Albert Einstein

 

·        Schoolwork should inspire creative thinking.  My students will learn to ask and answer thought-provoking questions in which they must “think outside the box.”  It is vital that they think both creatively AND critically.

·        Student assignments will allow them to freely express themselves.  Their creativity will be developed through art, music, writing, and special projects.

 

 

 

REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES

“Experience makes us able pilots in the wave of fortune.”    Edward Young

 

·        The bet way for children to learn is to “learn by doing.”  I will incorporate many hands-on activities in my own classroom.  Bookwork is no substitute for actually doing things!  Class will be conducted in Spanish and students will begin to speak Spanish from day one, even at the beginning level.

·        Students will solve problems similar to those faced in real life situations.  Not only will they learn required material, but they will also be learning how to survive in the outside world.  Skills might be as basic as learning to be responsible, how to share, and how to get along with others.  They will learn these lessons through role-playing, class discussions, group work, and individual assignments.

·        I will encourage students to incorporate their life experiences in classroom discussions.

 

 

 

HELP STUDENTS BECOME INDIVIDUALS WHO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND DEVELOP SELF CONFIDENCE

“Teach the young people how to think, not what to think.”   Sidney Sugarman

 

·        I will help students learn about themselves and their interests, as well as to think for themselves.  Because of the flexibility a foreign language teacher has in the classroom, I can integrate various subject matters such as: art, history, music, science, math, literature, and geography.

·        As students learn about the Spanish language and its many rich and colorful cultures, they will also learn about their own.

·        Students will learn to appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions.

·        School is a place for learning and growing, not a place for fear.  Thus, students will not be judged for the mistakes they make, but rather what they do correctly.  Children should not be afraid to make mistakes.  When they do, they should learn from them, and keep working to succeed.  I will encourage my students to take risks and help them build their self-confidence through encouragement and praise.

 

 

 

RESPECT FOR OTHERS AND APPRECIATION OF DIVERSITY

“Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”  Robert Frost

 

·        Multicultural issues will be addressed on an ongoing basis.  Students will learn about famous Hispanics and their contributions to society.  I will also arrange to have guest speakers from Latin America and Spain, so my students can learn about those countries and cultures through the eyes of those who are a part of them.

·        Students will learn to become model citizens.  After all, they are the future leaders of our nation.

·        Students will learn to be caring citizens through activities such as: volunteering to help tutor younger students in Spanish, helping ESL students, donating food to a food pantry, or by helping a needy family.

·        As my students learn to express their opinions, they will also learn to respect the opinions of others.

 

 

 

DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS

“Great discoveries and improvements…involve the cooperation of many minds.”  Alexander Graham Bell

 

·        People learn well through active interplay with others.  Therefore, my classroom will be mostly student-centered, and I will incorporate many group activities.

·        By interacting with one another, my students will develop social virtues, such as cooperation and tolerance for different points of view.  They will be able to better understand other people, the world, and themselves.

·        My students will present projects, art, writing, opinions, etc. to the class.

·        I will arrange for my students to have communication with students from Spanish-speaking countries via email or audio/videotapes, thereby allowing them to communicate with native Spanish speakers.

 

 

 

EVALUATION

“A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain to a failure.” 

 

Bernard Iddings Bell, chaplain, University of Chicago

·        Students must demonstrate the ability to speak, read, write, and comprehend Spanish at the appropriate level of instruction.

·        Evaluation will be through projects, presentations, skits/role-play, essays, tests, and quizzes.  I will often review the material with students.  They will keep a portfolio with all material covered in class.

·        I will have students evaluate me so I can improve my teaching.

 

 

 

MOTIVATION

“A teacher who is attempting to teach, without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn, is hammering on a cold iron.”   Horace Mann

 

·        A teacher should be enthusiastic about his/her subject, and project that love to her students in fun and innovative ways.  Be excited!

·        My lessons will have meaning for the students, arouse curiosity, and push them to a higher level of knowledge.  If certain experiences arise, or it students develop an interest in a certain topic, then I will incorporate that topic in my lessons, and include an open and honest discussion on the subject.

·        I will consistently praise my students for their efforts, and I will provide positive reinforcement.

 

 

 

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

“Deal with yourself as an individual worthy of respect, and make everyone else deal with you the same way.”  Nikki Giovanni

 

·        I will create a positive climate for learning and teaching, because school, and especially the classroom, should be the safest place in the community outside of the home.  My classroom WILL be conducive for learning.

·        Humor will often be used, especially under trying circumstances, because it decreases tension and relaxes the students.  It also keeps the students involved and alert.

·        Respect for self, teachers, and other others will ALWAYS be expected.

·        Students will be disciplined and classroom rules will be enforced fairly and consistently throughout the year.

 

 

 

ROLE OF THE TEACHER

“When our students fail, we as teachers, too, have failed.”  Marva Collins

 

·        I will be respectful, use words carefully and with kindness, give students my full attention when they are speaking, acknowledge and nurture qualities I observe that have potential, and I will try to see the positive side of all behavior.

·        All behavior is meaningful and I will seek to understand it before judging or coming to a conclusion.

·        The influence of a teacher is great and should not be underestimated.  A teacher should be a model of those characteristics that students should emulate in the classroom, and in the community.

·        Parents are partners in education, and I will welcome parental involvement in all forms.

·        I do not see students as “customers,” but rather my partner in learning.  We both have a responsibility to each other and we both learn form each other.  We are both learners, we both must always come prepared for class, and we both must show each other respect.

·        I will make myself available for questions during specific hours before and after school or through email.  I will respond to each question promptly.

·        We learn at different rates and in different ways.  My classroom will allow growth for all styles and all types of learners.  I will incorporate various learning styles and multiple intelligences in my lessons as well.