Every student can succeed in the classroom and life, no matter their struggles or initial reluctance and misgivings. Giving a student the right environment for success, and allowing that student to prosper and grow is the most important variable in their journey. A classroom needs to safe, structured, disciplined, respectful, culturally diverse and all-inclusive, and caring. If a classroom has all these attributes, then students will want to come to school, will strive to do their best, and will ultimately succeed. I believe the three tenets that will ensure success for students are allowing their dreams to prosper and grow, supplementing the curriculum by applying and discussing real-world events and situations, and ensuring students show respect and manners to the teacher, faculty, and peers.
A student's dreams are what motivates them to strive for success and knowledge and become interested in assignments. If a student is interested and engaged, they will put more effort and time into those assignments, ultimately getting more out of them. Incorporating their dreams into different assignments is what I will strive to accomplish. This takes establishing a relationship with the student, learning their dreams, and tailoring certain assignments, not all, to allow them to express their dreams. Writing is the perfect avenue for this. I would give prompts that allow the students to incorporate their dreams into their writing, all the while relating it to the assignment, reading, and unit. For example, I could relate Frederick Douglass' dream of being free and able to do what he wants with a prompt asking what they want to accomplish and ultimately become.
Real world events are crucial to a student's understanding and views of society, which helps enable them to become productive members of society. Making connections is an important part of learning, comprehending, retaining, and being a good reader.
