1. Learning
1.1. Make the classroom a marketplace for ideas and learning. Encourage students to learn from the teacher, their peers, and their own mistakes.
1.2. Learn from my own mistakes and experiences by changing lesson plans that didn't work so well and taking constructive criticism.
1.3. Know that everyone learns different and to try my best to cater to individual needs of my students.
1.3.1. Try not to think of them as a group of adolescents but as a group of individuals, each with something important to share.
1.4. Seeking out advice from another teacher to better myself would be beneficial for me, current students, and future students.
2. Diversity
2.1. Embrace and teach diversity.
2.1.1. Hopefully, I can teach students to respect how different cultures live.
2.2. Be willing to learn about the community I am teaching in. Knowing the socioeconomic background of most of the students can make me more effective.
3. Respect and care about the students
3.1. Make it clear that everyone will respect one another in the classroom.
3.2. Teachers have a great opportunity to impact so many lives. Making an investment in them by showing that you care can go a long way.
3.3. Don't teach for just for a paycheck. Try and make a difference in some youngster's life!
4. Challenge
4.1. Challenge kids to think differently.
4.2. Challenge kids to think critically.
4.3. Challenge kids to get out of their comfort zone and think outside-the-box.
5. Technology
5.1. Technology is always changing. Incorporating and understanding up to date technology can benefit your class.
5.1.1. SMARTboard v. Whiteboard v. Chalkboard.
5.2. Use technology to accomplish homework or research projects.
6. Inspire students to do more.
7. Meaningful
7.1. The purpose of each lesson will be apparent to the students. Each lesson will build off prior lessons, creating sound units. Students will use what they have previously learned and apply it moving forward.
7.2. The overall atmosphere in my classroom will hopefully inspire meaningful conversations and debate between the students and myself. Each student will know that they have an opinion and it most likely be pretty meaningful.
8. Creative
8.1. For a lot of people, Social Studies can be pretty boring. Everyone has sat through long, boring lectures about dead people and lets face it, it can be a drag.
8.1.1. I want students to want to come to my class. I feel like a creative class can inspire people to learn and it can spark new interests in a subject.
8.2. Being active in the class.
8.2.1. Simulations, dramatizations, and role-play are other methods that I hope to use. I like them because it is hands on and everyone is participating.
8.2.2. I really like the idea of gallery walks and graffiti walls. They both require critical thinking and research and the students are on their feet being active.
8.3. Watching movies that pertain to the subject matter. Some people, like myself, are visual learners; I can read a book and easily forgot what was actually important, but when I watch a movie or documentary I can attach myself to characters and setting, making easier to recall important details. Not to mention, people get excited about movies, it's great to get someone excited about learning.
9. Motivate
9.1. Positively reinforce students for their hard work.
9.2. Offer some sort of reward when a student (or students) exceed expectations.
9.3. Goals
9.3.1. Set long-term and short-term objectives for myself.
9.3.2. Encourage students to make personal goals that will help them succeed in school.