As a child climbs new heights and searches the boundaries of life, a teacher should be there as a guide. It is my duty to be there with my students. I try to discover connections between the student and the curriculum that will create the most relevance for them.
Students differ in ethnic heritage, social background, or economic status and we need to engage them in the act of learning. I must take it upon myself to try my best to recognize the individual and their values, strengths, and abilities in order to teach them well. It is important to make myself available to help, whether it is in the role of a tutor or simply as someone on hand to listen.
I must appreciate each learner's style and try to address it as much as I can, both in and out of the classroom. I have tried to incorporate activities that involve many different strategies incorporating active learning and cooperative learning with technology in my classroom, and these seem to have been beneficial for all students. By trying to use as many different methods as possible, I can hope to reach most, if not all, of my students.
I believe an ideal classroom as one that is student-centered. My relationship with the students will be shown through the characteristics of our classroom. Students are more open to learning if they are comfortable in the setting in which they are taught. It is important to decorate the room with the student's writing and projects. The students enjoy having their work displayed for others to see, and the presentation of their work is a constant reminder to me of how valuable quality, engaging work can be.
Overall, there must be a positive classroom environment for both students and teachers. It is important to focus on strengths instead of weaknesses in order to push students towards achieving the best that they can and reach out to new heights.