Student-Centered Classroom

“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” In May 2013, Rita F Pierson (a teacher of 40 years) said this quote just given in her eight minute appearance on the TED Talks Education special. In eight minutes, Mrs. Pierson perfectly summed up the core of excellent teaching: connecting with all of your students. As a teacher, this is what I believing in striving for on a daily basis. Making connections, building positive relationships, creating a comfortable atmosphere, and utilizing the individual ways that each student learns. By creating a student-centered classroom, my students will be able to thrive and become individual thinkers in real-world situations, who share individual ideas while also being respectful of others.

Grading the Teacher

Here is an example of a report card I made for the students to give me. Not only did the students love this, but it gave them a voice in the classroom!

Positive Pants!

I love making positive pants for my students! Before we did something challenging, I had them grab a pair of positive pants to take to their desk. This helped create our growth mindset in the classroom. "It's okay to not know, but it is NOT okay to not try!"

Student-Led Classroom

Above is a picture of a Kindergarten student leading the class in Number Corner. One of the most valuable tools I taught my students was to be in charge of their own learning and hold themselves accountable!