As a teacher I plan to take a creative and innovative approach to educating my students.  I believe in teaching students with hands on, creative methods.  Students should also be encouraged to teach one another through group and one on one activities.  I also plan to use positive reinforcement and intrinsic motivation to replace negative punishment when possible.

            Children do not learn in the same way or at the same pace, so why teach them as if they do?  There are many different styles in which students learn; therefore, as a teacher I want to use a wide variety of teaching strategies.  It is my goal to keep students actively engaged and ensure their comprehension of concepts.  In order to accomplish this I will incorporate an array of exciting activities and lessons within the everyday curriculum.

            Students can be the best teachers.  Oftentimes a student who is having difficulties in a particular area might benefit from the help of a fellow student.  This is why I plan to have students work in groups and paired activities; in this way, students will be hearing their peer's diverse ways of solving a particular problem rather than just the teacher's perspective.  These activities will give students a sense of purpose, self worth and self confidence.

            Inevitably, every teacher faces behavioral issues in their class.  However, I think creativity plays a large role here as well.  Much like the way students do not all learn the same way, they do not all respond to discipline the same way either.  I plan to reinforce positive behaviors instead of simply dwelling on the negative.  I think this will encourage student's intrinsic motivation, as well as help to create a positive classroom environment.  When there is a disciplinary issue, l will encourage students to develop creative ways to redirect their actions, thus counteracting the negative behavior. 

            Parents will also play a crucial role in my classroom.  While I recognize that every parent may contribute differently, any participation and/or contribution will be accepted and appreciated, whether it takes place in the actual classroom or at home.  Parents involvement in the classroom inspires and encourages student learning.  When parents are involved they also feel less intimidated by the material and are more likely to take responsibility for their child's education.  They are more apt to help with homework and incorporate educational activities into after school events and at home.  Students also take more pride in their work when their parents are involved in the classroom.  If their parents work hard and take their education seriously, they will set a good example for their child, thus promoting a support system for their children's learning.

            Finally, the community will also play an important role in my classroom.  The community possesses great and sometimes unrealized resource for students.  A community provides support and enrichment for the classroom.  Community members can be excellent mentors to students, as well as leaders and role models.  Community members can also provide a significant link between the classroom curriculum and real-life experience.  Observing what students are learning in school can be applied to the real world and expand student's altruism, empathy and sociability.  "A teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before". Elbert Hubbard.