My name is Brett Luther and I am a senior at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. This project is for my SEDU 183 class, and I am very excited to create it! I hope that I can inspire others to get creative when it comes to teaching and to always maintain their passion for doing what they do (or will be doing) every day! After all, if you aren't passionate about teaching, how can you get your students to be passionate about learning? Over the course of my four years as an education major, I have developed my own vision as to what I believe a successful classroom looks like. In my mind, the truly successful classroom includes: a good and safe physical environment, a positive and motivating emotional environment and effective and varied teaching.
Take a look at this SlideShare which will give you better insight into what I feel is important for a successful classroom:
http://www.slideshare.net/kstashuk/creating-a-positive-classroom-environment
Also, I have created my own Prezi to demonstrate using multiple methods, my vision of the 21st century classroom.
Setting:
I placed computers in the room as I believe integrating technology is a very important. I would be using some research based projects and activities in my lessons so it is important for the students to have internet access if they need it.
Another physical feature of my classroom is the rectangular, four seat student desks. I have found that the single desks are very uncomfortable and do not promote group work. Since I would like to incorporate group work in projects and activities, I think that desks that have students facing each other is always a good encouragement for the students to get to know their peers and equally participate in class discussion. I placed the desks in such a way that all of the students no matter where seated, will be able to see me teach at the front of the room (where the marker board is).
I allowed extra room by the marker board so that not only do I have room to move around while teaching, but also so the students can use the space for any presentations or skits that they do.
There is a T.V for watching films and an overhead that is connected to my computer to show anything I need to from the internet, including possible video conferences I would like to do with the class between our class and possibly German students abroad.
I added shelves for storage of books as well as German artifacts. There are rugs underneath the deks for more of a comfortable atmosphere. Also, though I cannot represent these on this visual image, there would also be many bright German posters and cultural items throughout the room to really boost the students interest.
I believe in a global and more multicultural classroom:
Greetings from some of my Korean students in America for the first time!
Instructional Glimpse:
I am incredibly passionate about Intercultural Communication. This is part of the reason why I am a German major. I believe firmly that we need to strive to make our education system a more accommodating place for people of all ethnicities and races. As I was thinking about this project, and what a lesson would look like in my 21st century classroom, I became very excited to think that I am living out with my passion of teaching others the importance of language and culture.
In the following presentation, I created using a tool called Prezi. I introduce portions of a lesson plan I have made to teach students about not only German language and culture, but also tie my lesson plan into a unit theme involving other teaching professionals, united to give a more involved and well rounded education to the students on WWII. I hope you like it.
http://prezi.com/1zbvodtrhgjt/edit/#286
Annotated Bibliography:
Classroom Architect. 4teachers.org. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://classroom.4teachers.org/>.
Ktashuk. "Creating a Positive Classroom Environment." Upload & Share PowerPoint Presentations and Documents. Slideshare, 21. Oct. 2007. Web. 14. Dec. 2011. <http"//www.slideshare.net/ktashuk/creating-a-positive-classroom-environment>.
Luther, Brett S. "Log in | Prezi." Prezi - The Zooming Presentation Editor. 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://prezi.com/your/>.
Thank you!!!!!!
