Mod. 3 - Task 4

Hello everyone, hope you are all enjoying all of the snow!

I have chosen Domain 2 to closest resemble my teaching and my classroom. Domain 2 is about The Classroom Enviroment. Some of the components of domain 2 are creating an enviroment, establishing a culture for learning, managing classroom procedures, managing student behavior, and organizing physical space. I think the main reason I choose this domain was due to the fact that it did not resemble a particluar way to teach or style of content but the "stage for all learning". I think this is very important in my classroom due to the fact that i teach special education. I think the enviroment the tsduent learns in is just as important as the contect they are learning.
For me specifically I feel that to be able to teach an engagng lesson or contect that is specific to our school and modified for my students, I feel that I have to first make sure that my classroom has a engaging enviroment. I work very hard to make sure my students know and understand the rules of the room and are ready to learn when it is time. I have specific schoola nd classroom procedures that are postedon teh wall in my room and that are reviewed with my stduents weekly to ensure their understanding and that they are followed daily. I make sure that my room is inviting and shows that it is a good culture for learning. The kids feel confortable and want to learn at the same time. I feel that I create an atmosphere that is exciting and helps the students to want to learn. In my room I have the rules posted, along with many posters of information to help the kids retain inforamtion. I also hang good work that my students have done so that they see I am proud of them. We also have students of the of the at school and I hang their picture along with the description of how they won in the room. I think that putting this kind of stuff in your room shows your students you redognize them and support them.
As stated in the book, in Domain 2, we as teachers recognize our roles as the adult/techer and don't try to be friends with the students. I have a very good rapport with each of my stduents, I use the very first days of school to gain this rapport and keep it the entire school year. Students need this to feel safe and trust me as the teahcer. My job is to be their teacher, and make sure they are gaining the knowledge they need in order to be successful in school and their lives. I use a lot of activities to build trust and rapport with the students throughout teh school year, such as games, one on one interviews and many unplanned things just to show them I care.
I think domain 2 very closer resembles how I feel as a teacher, and I continue to ensure that I am maintaing the physical space of the room and keeping up the positive classroom climate but also ensuring that I teach the contect and help my stduents to achieve. My only question is actually one onmanaging student behavior. I have worked in an alternative schoolw here I worked with all behavior students and now in a "regualr" high school where I have minimal behavior problems. An issue that deal with often if stduents that do not compelte homework. I know this is alwasy a classroom problem and no matter what I try it seems that they still do not care about homework, but I was wondering if anyone has tried anything specific that works with high school stduents and handing in their homework. Any suggestions would be wodnerful. :)
I look forward t work in groups based on domains and stay afe in the snow everyone. Happy Wednesday! :)

Mod. 2 - Task 2

Hello. Hope everyone is enjoying the snowy weekend!

The purpose of curriculum from what I have read and from what I have learned in my career is that it is a tool that helps us to organize our ideas as teachers and to organize student learning. In any school, student learning is most important and curriculum is something that helps us to stay on track with student learning and make sure it is done at the correct time and place. I feel that in any classroom and any set of curriculum, I feel that we need to be aware of what our students know and where they are headed. If know have an idea of where the student is suppose to be and where we need to get them in the classroom, then we are able to work better with the student. Every year I use assessments that are based on the curriculum. My tests and quizzes focus on having the students comprehend the knowledge that is required of them. Although since I am a special education teacher I use many different strategies and ways of teaching the lesson to help them understand the material in the assessments. So all in all, I can always change how I teach the material and still help them to retain the information in the curriculum.

In most schools curriculum is something that is designed by the school or state and given to the teachers to use. It is something that most teachers do not have a say in, and we are expected to follow it for the school year. I am sure in many schools there is teacher input or a time when teachers are allowed to voice there concerns of the curriculum but usually it is designed and final decisions are made by the administration in the school. In the readings for this week it states that curriculum is usually designed to be engaging for all students. I think it is our job as teachers to follow the curriculum but to make the content interesting and engaging for all students. I feel that most teachers including myself would like some type of interaction or input into the design of the schools curriculum. If a teacher had this input I think they would feel that they would be able to present the information to their students that they feel strongly about. I agree in that the state; administrators and teachers should all have an input in the curriculum sot o provide the best for all students.

I teach special education, so in my classroom I am working the schools curriculum but for many different subjects and grade levels. I do not have any input in the curriculum in my school but this year I have joined in some meetings to voice my opinions. I feel that the content teachers at our school do have some input on the curriculum for their grade level and subject matter and I usually just follow that due to being a special education teacher and not certified in any particular in a certain subject area. It is a good feeling that I am beginning to be included in our the content meeting that review curriculum and I think as a school our teachers feel very strongly and positively about our content and what is being taught due to having their own input.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and Happy Blogging! :)