Friends, every year teachers submit their Class Vision & Goals to their Principals. I've decided to put mine here on my class website. If you have any questions about my Vision for this class or my Goals for this class please contact me.
My Vision (2009-2010)
It is well understood in education that all students need to feel safe, loved, and well taken care of to fully function in the classroom. I envision the perfect classroom wherein every child has those feelings of security and safety. I also want them to feel special, important. If a child has a sense that he is important then he will more fully engage as a partner in learning with the teacher. He will take risks, open up and better respond to learning. When he feels safe he will grow more socially and take to learning like a fish to water (most of the time).
I want my students to feel safe, loved and cared for. I also want them to develop a sense of self-responsibility. They need to understand, deep down, that they are responsible for themselves; that they make their own choices and must live with their own consequences. I need my students to know that it is they who decide whether they: do their work or not, walk quietly in the hall or not, respect one another or not, and ultimately they need to understand that as time goes on no one will be standing beside them correcting or praising them.
My vision calls for students who ultimately correct or praise themselves as they go through life. We start by writing a class behavior contract together. They design the contract and all it’s rules and then we all sign it. They take the rules more seriously because they were full partners in the creation of the rules. The famous teacher-trainer Harry Wong says something like, “You cannot discipline a class into good behavior. They must be managed.” My vision as a classroom teacher is a well-managed classroom full of active learners following rules and guidelines that they created and agreed to. When young ones fall short in this it is up to me to manage (not discipline). Students who break the rules face consequences. I want to make sure they understand the rules they broke and the corresponding consequences. I want them to be aware of what they’ve done and be ready to make better decisions. My vision calls for them to know that life is a series of choices and for them to be able to be in control of themselves and make good choices.
Communication is the key to success in life. A child’s successful education depends on open lines of communication in all directions. As Mrs. Hillary Clinton said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” The parents of my students need to see me as part of that village. They need to know that we are educating their children together and need to be able to freely communicate with me. When we have open lines of communication we are better able to educate kids. It is also very important that both teachers and parents communicate clearly with the child and listen intently to what the children have to say to us.
Lastly, my vision calls for me to be fully engaged as a member of my campus community. When we work closely together we all benefit.
When we all feel free to express ourselves and engage in open dialogue we all grow. In my vision I see myself freely giving my ideas and energy to my colleagues and freely receiving their wisdom, ideas, techniques, and positive energy back.
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Goals 2009-2010
100% of my students will read on or above level by the end of the school year. I will do this by using a Balanced Literacy program in my class. I will teach them decoding and comprehension skills and I will monitor how well they learn the lessons I teach. I will increase their reading vocabularies by expanding their speaking vocabularies via the Elements of Reading vocabulary unit I teach. I will read with students individually and in large groups to teach them the reading skills they need to succeed.
Goals 2009-2010
100% of my students will read on or above level by the end of the school year. I will do this by using a Balanced Literacy program in my class. I will teach them decoding and comprehension skills and I will monitor how well they learn the lessons I teach. I will increase their reading vocabularies by expanding their speaking vocabularies via the Elements of Reading vocabulary unit I teach. I will read with students individually and in large groups to teach them the reading skills they need to succeed.
100% of my students will pass the end of the year math benchmark test. I will accomplish this by following the enVision Math program and other highly hands on, interactive teaching methods. More than that, my students will develop and deep understanding of mathematical principals which will stay with them the rest of their lives.
I will increase my mastery of classroom management. I will do this by following the methods proscribed by veteran teachers and found in professional texts on the matter. I will read at least one text on classroom management and teaching by the end of the school year. I will employ technology to track the behavior of my students (specifically, I will use a Palm Pilot with Thought Manager for Educators software on it) and the accomplishment of tasks.
I will give my class love and respect. I will teach them with enthusiasm, gentleness, and understanding. I will make them feel safe and provide for them an environment wherein learning, creativity, and diversity are honored. I will do this by modeling and emphasizing County Line Elementary values in and out of my classroom every day. I will be a good role model to my students. I will do this by showing them an adult that never yells, that listens to them, and one who honors the journey of they are on.
I will be an enthusiastic student of this profession I will do this by seeking advice as needed, admitting my mistakes, learning from my colleagues, and attending professional training. I will at all times strive to be the kind of teacher I want to be.
