Current Vision of Teaching

Includes my Teaching Philosophy and Classroom Management Plan

Video credit: Brams Pardez. (2020). 21St Century Learning. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmG3LnsIt0M&t=37s.


  • This video aligns beautifully with my current vision of teaching. It is short. Take a look.

  • Inquiry Based Learning - student centered with real world application

  • Creative & Critical ways of thinking for problem solving and decision making



Teaching Philosophy


TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

CLAIRE C. GREGORY

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

I teach to educate every child, the whole student, regardless of their abilities and life circumstances. As an educator, I will meet every student where they are and provide them with an education that is at their level. As a career switcher I will use my background knowledge as a Registered Dietitian and life experiences from hands on hard work as a caterer and home renovator to provide my students with real life scenarios of many of the lessons they will learn. I want my classroom to be a safe, structured, and predictable environment to provide the greatest potential of growth. I also want to be transparent in my communication with my students and their parents. I want to build strong relationships with all my students so I can differentiate their learning experience. All Family and Consumer Science courses provide the student with skills that affect almost all parts of their lives from personal finance, wellness, relationships, conflict resolution, cooking skills, workplace readiness to career exploration. I want to encourage them to learn, explore, and incorporate these skills into their everyday lives. I want them to be so excited about something they have learned in my class that they want to share it with someone else. I want my students to have confidence when they apply for a job, open a checking account, or make a meal. I hope to inspire them to want to seek higher education to pursue a career they might have learned about in my class. I want every student regardless of their abilities to leave my class feeling they have mastered life skills that they will use often. I will use stations as often as possible to teach my diverse population. I can separate the students depending upon the lesson that day into groups with similar or different abilities as needed. I will teach my students in a casual conversational way as often as possible. I want my students to feel like we are a family and sharing is safe. I will use projects more than tests to monitor understanding of the learning targets. I will be an active participant in my school community by attending and being a leader in after school programs, events, activities, athletics, and committees. I will keep my students and their parents or guardians informed of my student’s progress, good or not so good. I will always be a student and make changes to my teaching strategies through my involvement and attendance at professional conferences and feedback provided by peers, administrators and especially my students.



CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

CLAIRE C. GREGORY

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

ORGANIZATION

  • Threshold – meet students at the door before class

  • Set up – desks in clusters of four to facilitate stations with rotation

  • Students will have assigned seats-may give other options if it works with class

  • Big white board(s) on wall(s) to create more learning spaces.

  • Create a quiet comfy place and additional special seating (i.e., couch, bean bags etc.)

  • Box of student folders divided by class at door. Students- pick up on the way into class.

- corrected papers, notes of encouragement, feedback, add completed homework

  • Backpacks need to be deposited in designated spot in the back of the classroom.

MOTIVATION

  • Provide a POSITIVE CALM STRUCTURED WELL MANAGED CLASSROOM

  • Threshold – shows my students I care from the minute they come to class

  • Growth Mindset – have high expectations for ALL my students

  • Playlist – provide a choice with a list of alternative ways to complete a homework assignment

  • Project based assessments with student input

  • Predictable responses and feedback

  • Make TIME for students after school – programs, tutoring, events, activities, and athletics

  • Be flexible

INSTRUCTION

  • COOPERATIVE LEARNING - think-pair-share, group discussions (large and small groups), role play

  • STATIONS WITH ROTATIONS – varies delivery of instruction to increase engagement and differentiation

  • Many FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS – provides evidence if changes in instruction is needed

  • SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS, project based as often as possible, for mastery of Learning Targets

  • Varied Modalities to reach all students through visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile instruction

  • Differentiate instruction as necessary to meet students’ needs

  • White Boards throughout classroom, student personal white boards and Smart Board for instruction

  • Group family style discussions-relaxed comfortable environment to promote sharing and learning

  • Wait Time – allow extra time for students to compose answers

  • Culture of Error – provide a safe place for students to make and discuss mistakes

DISCIPLINE

  • RULES AND EXPECTATIONS:

1. Be on time, on task and prepared

2. Phones in backpacks, in designated spot unless needed in class

3. Respect yourself, your teacher, and all property around you

4. SLANT – Sit up, Listen, Answer/ask questions, Nod your head, Track the speaker

  • CONSEQUENCES:

1. Student-Teacher Conference

2. Action Plan

3. Parent Phone Call

4. Student-Parent-Teacher Conference

5. Referral to School Administration 4/2021