Ryan Bezanson, Jenelle Hutnik, Jodi Pitts SPU EDU 6120

Money? … NO An easy, laid back job? …NO “Summer’s off” …Definitely NOT! Teachers teach… To give hope To inspire change, To ease the challenges faced by children with differences To continue a legacy lived before us To honor the life path He chose for us To support those that cannot do for themselves

Good teachers: Build trust by respecting culture & life experiences Inspire a love of learning Instill a desire to be a morally bound citizen Listen to the needs of students & families Nurture the need for purpose Create a safe, caring environment in & out of the classroom Seek to create a delicate balance of teaching & learning

An environment that… encourages intellectual challenges develops a culture of exploration, inquiry & thought offers a climate of passion & excitement for learning creates fair, firm, consistent, predictable, logical expectations supports freedom builds trust between teacher & peers As Ellis outlined, “…the primary issue in classroom life is trust. When teachers trust their students, a different kind of environment emerges, one in which there is far more freedom accorded the individual to initiate, choose, pursue, and reflect upon his/her learning.” (Ellis, 2001, p. 55)

Demands of education make it difficult for students to have a voice Students with special needs have a more difficult time letting their voice be heard We have to individualize learning, and teaching to meet the needs of all of our students We have to help each of our students find “consciousness” “Consciousness” allows students the opportunity to experience new dimensions of creativity, initiative, cooperation, caring, and academic excellence

Encourages intellectual challenges Develop a culture of exploration, inquiry & thought Offer classroom management that is predictable and logical to the students Result in teachers who trust their students Have the element of reflection built into the daily routine Establish predictable routine and behavioral expectation

“A good classroom is clean with fun stuff that helps you learn a lot.” –Chloe “Our class has a great teacher that let’s us do really fun junk while we learn about the bats.” - Evan “A great classroom doesn’t have gunk or junk. It has teachers to help you learn and not yell when you are as right as Dr. Seuss (who gets mixed up sometimes).” - Kyler “Good classrooms have fun teachers like you know “Mrs. D.” that helps you when you get stuck.” – Miranda “A good classroom is like something that is as happy as a puppy.” - Maggy

How to develop a reflective practice Establish reflection techniques as part of the lesson “I learned”, “Search for meaning”, “Clear & Unclear” prompts “Turn to a friend and share…” Develop rubrics enabling students to rate themselves Provide time for discussion Must be a conscious, planned effort Reflection done by both teacher & student “You can have experience without reflection, but you can’t have reflection without experience.” - Maria Jacobson (Ellis, 2001, p.11).

Link past learning to current teaching Connect learning to student interests and motivations Expectations are clear Deepen the understanding of subject matter Use daily reflection to make changes, determine pace, and provide meaningful feedback to students Use self-reflection to determine if student needs have been met

A safe environment where students can be individuals Teaching to individual needs of students A teacher who is reflective in practice and willing to make a change for success Slowly teaching independence to be able to become functioning citizens Connection with families, and giving them the resources they need

We can change our student’s lives We can give them skills that they will use for the rest of their lives We can make learning meaningful with a purpose for the “real world” “The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.” ~John Dewey

Canestrari, A.S., & Marlowe, B.A. (2004). Educational Foundations: An Anthology of Critical Readings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Ellis, A.K. (2001). Teaching, Learning, & Assessment Together. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, Inc.