Ideal+Classroom+Inspiration

=== My best memories of elementary school involve the elaborate thematic units that involved the whole school. I remember how each unit involved art projects, movies, books, costumes, color, and texture. This is how I would like to approach my own classroom environment. I would like to create a classroom of learning and enthusiasm and rich experiences. Emerging studies support integrating the arts into the language arts curriculum and also showed how his creative instruction benefited his students. As I look ahead to my own classroom, I hope to create a learning environment where my students can express themselves and perform strongly on the course material. I believe arts integration will be a strong foundation to the emotional base that students need to learn. ===

=== Student engagement, participation, and creativity are all significant components involved in the quickly evolving language arts classroom. Researchers like Howard Gardner, are discovering more about the human brain and its multiple intelligences. Gardner has written extensively on new learning theories on the different channels through which people experience and process information. Teachers are incorporating diverse texts and tools in their instruction in the attempt to further motivate students and encourage them to get excited about learning. More research in the area of multimodal curriculum and the inclusion of visual arts (e.g. film, art, photographs, drama, music, tv) in the classroom is beginning to emerge that caters to the multiple intelligences of students. ===

=== As education trends are shifting toward multiple intelligences and student-centered learning, universal design is being promoted in today's learning environment. The arts is a key component in universal design because it encourages all students of diverse abilities and backgrounds to find a common ground through artistic expression. Students are exposed to multiple sources of media, technology, and visual images throughout the day, often several modes simultaneously. This textual landscape influences the way that students experience and interpret information in a school setting as well as in the real world. In order for educators to meet the practical needs of students in today's society. My teaching philosophy and classroom design will encourage a feeling of community, positivity, and artistic expression. ===

=== Traditionally, literacy instruction has been considered in terms of reading and writing of and about standard print texts. Authors Seglem and Witte (2009) explain how literacy not only encompasses interpreting and analyzing reading and writing, but it also involves helping students that struggle to make connections between print and non-print media and giving students the “practical tools” needed to understand the relationship between concrete and abstract thinking and draw meaning from the two (pg. 217). The incorporating of technology within the classroom will help me to bring in non-print media into the classroom. I would like to have a smart board, a television, and some computers that will have reading and writing software that will be able to help students that are struggling in reading and also help students with their writing assignments. ===

=== In today's classrooms, teachers face many challenges including low motivation and student enthusiasm, educational gaps between students of different ability levels, and diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds (Bolak, Bialach & Dunphy). A lack of teacher enthusiasm, a disconnect with the community, and low test scores are also sources of discouragement for teachers, students, and parents alike (Bolak, Bialach & Dunphy). The idea behind integrating multi-modal visual arts material into the classroom is an attempt to cater to different learning styles and to bring excitement and relevance back into the classroom. When students are intellectually challenged and stimulated, it has been observed that student involvement in the classroom is more significant and the test scores improve (Bolak, Bialach & Dunphy). This all relates to the design and technology that I would like have in my classroom. I envision my classroom in a circle pattern. Circle designs are both welcoming and conducive to inclusion and discussion. I also would like to have lots of color and texture in the room. I think that color and texture help stimulate students and can creative expression. ===