​​My purpose as a teacher is to challenge students, empower them to discover their own potential, and support the pursuit of their passions. In order to fulfill this purpose, I need to provide effective classroom management that begins with engaging instruction.

​​Engaging Instruction

• Limit direct lecture and demonstration time
• Allow students to learn through exploration of materials and techniques
  • ​​Experimenting with clay to understand properties and stages of material
• Varied methods of instruction and assessment
• Ample opportunities for student directed learning
• Students learning from students
  • ​"Expert" that has already mastered a concept/technique can help others
• Differentiation in both access and expression
  

Classroom Atmosphere

• Relaxed but productive atmosphere based around respect
• Community culture
  • Team building and group exercises to help students be more comfortable with their classmates
  • Students routinely work around tables in small groups
  • Collaborative conversations among students at a reasonable/controlled voice level
• “Resource area” with books/magazines and an internet connection for students to explore ideas for their next project
  • The creative and art making processes can be different for every student and I want to allow each of my students to work in the way that’s most productive for them, within reason.

By focusing my instruction around student engagement, students will be actively learning and I will be able to provide a safe and enriching environment for students to explore themselves and their surroundings