Model Classroom

Hi, my name is Mary! I am a second year preschool teacher and I work at a play-based learning multi-age preschool classroom (3-5). My model classroom would be moving up to a kindergarten classroom in the Boston Public School system. 

The size of the class would be around 20 children, with just a little half of the class being hispanic and 70% of the class from an economically disadvantaged background. 30% of the class would be ELL (English Language Learners) which means I would focus on UDL and providing language support within the classroom environment. 

Depending on the resources that would be provided, I would want to arrange the classroom seating so that students could be sitting in groups of 4 or 5. This will create a sense of collaboration on activities or tasks and develop teamwork skills. Arranging the class into groups also allows the teacher to give specific roles for each student to take on for an assignment (Data Recorder, Mediator, etc.).

As a Kindergarten classroom, I need to assume that some students will be coming from the background of Pre-K experiences and others that will be coming from no educational/classroom experience at all. With a diverse class make-up I also would need to be aware of the cultural as well as language differences that can be both a source of challenge for a child as well as something that can be utilized to engage the student further with the student body.

In terms of technology in the classroom, my ideal model classroom would provide an ipad or a chromebook for each student that they can use at school and bring home for any school to home connections/continuing education in their homes. A technology in the classroom that I would also have is a class Alexa or Google Home to use from time to time for the speaker (music, volume of any media that is visually and audibly presented to the class, teacher's voice amplification, etc.) Another technology in the classroom that I would have is a projector to be able to display any screen that I would need to convey to the whole class at one time.