I – Inclusion:

I will create an inclusive learning environment where all students feel accepted. I will make it a priority to
teach students to embrace diversity. I’ll teach them what it looks like to be respectful and kind to everyone. I
want each of my students to develop a strong sense of belonging and feel safe in my classroom so they can
focus on learning.

N – Number Talks:
I will engage my learners in number talks daily. Participating in number talks is a great way for students to
develop deeper number sense. A major benefit of facilitating authentic number talks is that students get to
learn from each other rather than from me or the curriculum. This type of activity is representative of the
student-centered learning approach I use to heighten student engagement.

S – Student Strengths:
I find it most important to focus on the strengths and prior knowledge each of my students bring to the table.
Every student has valuable skills and personal connections that can contribute to a deeper understanding of
content. Rather than focusing on what students don’t know, I will encourage my students to develop a
growth mindset by recognizing that anything they “don’t know” is just something they don’t know yet. I will
demonstrate to my students that it is okay to try your best and still make mistakes.

P – Positive Reinforcement:
Behavior is a popular topic in classrooms. At the beginning of the year, I collaborate with my students to
create clear classroom expectations. I use positive reinforcement whenever I notice students making good
choices. I foster the development of self-regulation skills by demonstrating how to choose smart spots during
carpet time and work time. I encourage problem solving by teaching my students how to independently and
responsibly handle situations that upset them.

I – Intentional Teaching:
Every activity that I engage my students in has a clear purpose. I utilize teaching strategies that will work
best for my specific group of students, so it will look different each year depending on what my group of
students need. I strive to create meaningful lessons that relate to my students’ lives. I will create
differentiated lesson plans that support each of my students’ learning. To ensure all my students are being
appropriately challenged in a math game, one group of students may be rolling one die and counting how
many dots while another group may be using two dice.

R – Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking:

I use a balanced literacy approach in my classroom. Using this approach sets my students on the path to
being proficient readers and writers. I expose my students to a combination of whole group read alouds,
guiding reading practices, and independent reading. I involve my students in creative writing, writer’s
workshop, and word work. I create interactive vocabulary slides using words and pictures to help my
students construct an idea of each vocabulary word’s meaning. Depending on the grade level, I also like to
engage my students in various phonemic awareness activities.

E – Equity:
I am a social justice teacher. I want each of my students to do their absolute best. One student’s “best” will
look different from another’s. Every student enters school with copious strengths and prior knowledge. It is
my goal to provide each student with the tools that they need in order to be successful. This means that the
type of support one student needs might look different from the support that another student needs, and
that is okay. By creating an environment that fosters this type of understanding, students are more likely to
be okay with that, too.