Blog Post One

"You see things and think 'Why', but you dream things that never were and think 'Why not?'"
If I Built A School, It Would Be Like....

My Classroom
Welcome to Mrs. Hilary's Sixth Grade Classroom! For my classroom, I am going to have to agree with Krissy Venosdale's method of hands on activities for my sixth graders. In this year' classroom, which will change yearly depending on the needs and wants of the students each year, we will have four sections, each corner of the room. In section one, students will find computers and Kindles for their reading and online activities. Each device will be only be allowed educational apps and books for the students to explore. Section two will dedicated to the hands on activities I will plan each week. Say one week, I want the students to plant seeds, to help get a better understanding of the way plants grow for that week's science chapter. Section two of the classroom will be where this takes place. Section three of the classroom will be a section of complete silence, along with comfortable seating. In this section of the classroom each student will find a peaceful setting to do any homework, classwork, or even a place to just concentrate on the task at hand. The fourth and final section of the room is where the sixth graders will be able to engage with the other students and with myself. Here we will have a question and answer session, and other activities to get the kids to interact with the other students. Of course the whole room would be brightly decorated and fun because you can't expect students to be excited to learn in boring surroundings.

What My Sixth Graders Would Know Each sixth grader that stepped foot into Mrs. Hilary's classroom would need to know three major things. Number One: Be Yourself! I will always encourage each of my students to be themselves and help them become happy with who they are! Number Two: Learning is Fun! In my classroom I hope to create an atmosphere where learning can be fun and it doesn't have to be such a drag each school day. I want it to where my sixth graders are excited about each new school day. Number Three: Make Mistakes! I want my students to learn that making mistakes doesn't mean it is the end. Like Krissy Venosdale states in one of her previous blogs, mistakes should not be the end, it should be the beginning, a new path to ideas.
What I Want My Sixth Graders To Be Able To Do The most important thing I want my sixth graders to do is learn! I want them to come in the classroom, expecting to learn and wanting to learn. I plan on creating new and fun ways that helps each and every sixth grader learn and enjoy it. The more fun a student has, the more they will learn.

What My Primary Method Of Teaching Will Be
Of course my primary method of teaching would be hands on. When a student is engaged in a hands on activity, they are more likely to learn more because they are directly involved and their attention has to be focused on the task at hand. Where as in a lecture their minds could travel all over the world.
What Tool Will Be Used In My Classroom
In my classroom, tools that will be used will include: computers, Kindles, and craft's supplies. The tools that will be used for the weekly hands on activity will vary depending on the activity itself. There will be some textbook use, but it will be limited to testing only. In the classroom, I also plan on having a SmartBoard in order to bring all of the student together for group activities and competitions.
What Role Will My Students Play In The Classroom
Each student's role in the class room daily will be to participate in the activities and engage in the learning process.