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= = = Ms. Plath's Background: =
 * General Information || Geography || History || Culture || Political System || Economics || Activities || Teacher's Page ||
 * I am a senior at Illinois State University majoring in Elementary Education.
 * In May 2011, I will graduate from Illinois State University. [[image:file:///Users/brittanyplath/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Modified/2010/Roll%20191/BrittanyPlath2.JPG]]
 * I will have a minor in Speech Pathology.
 * I will have endorsements in Language Arts, Social Science, and Communication.
 * I will be student teaching January-May 2011, in a kindergarten classroom!

= Who Am I? =
 * I am from Highland Park, IL which is a northern suburb of Chicago.
 * In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
 * I also like to to read, watch TV, and shop.
 * I love to travel, and Europe is my favorite continent.
 * In the spring of 2011 I studied abroad in Florence, Italy.
 * I love animals, and have a Shih-Poo dog named Max and a Hamster named Martini.
 * I am a member of the sorority Pi Beta Phi.
 * Lastly, I have been a camp counselor from eight years and also work at a clothing store.

= Teaching Philosophy: =
 * I think that building a positive classroom climate is one of the the most fundamental aspects of a classroom. Having a school family allows children to feel comfortable, and when they feel safe learning can take place in a much more effective manner. Being able to support peers and acknowledge positive behaviors are values to encorporate daily. It is just as important to know your peers and respect them, as it is to learn the core academic subjects. I have many activities and books to use that foster positive relationships in the classroom, starting on the first day of school. I will also hold class meetings in my class where there will be time to debrief and discusses class issues, as well as compliment one another.
 * I believe that while the teacher acts as a facilitator and models various lessons, behaviors, expectations, etc. children need to be held accountable. When a student is misbehaving or not on task, I will remind them that they are making a choice. Sometimes, differnet choices will need to be made, and students will be aware of this. Additionally, when setting up class rules in the first few days of school, I will have the class create the rules and consequeces. Specifically, the students will then vote on the rules and consquences so that way they are an active part of the process and can be help accountable because they created this class management plan and accepted it.
 * Additionally, I believe in having a positive attitude while teaching is key to keep the classroom climate positive and maximizing class learning time. Specifically, the class rules will be stated positively. For example, instead of saying "No shouting out" the class rule would be stated "Raise your hand before you speak." Also, I believe that each day is a new day and will remind the students of this if they are not behaving or off task. I will remind that that they have possibly not made the best choice, but tomorrow is new day and they can try again. Saying "It's ok / It will be ok" are phrases I use often. Also, when participating in class, children will be allowed to 'try again' and be encouraging to other students when others give a correct answer, act as a responsible student, etc.
 * I am a large believer and proponent of social learning. I think that being able to work with others is just as important as working individually. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and prior knowledge that contributes to learning from each other and being able to get along with others. Being able to work with others is a important life skill to have. It;s important to bounce ideas off others and participating in discussions. Collaborating and sharing experiences and thoughts are values I will enforce in my future classes. We can all learn a lot from interatcing with others who are both similar, and different, from us.

=Contact Information:=
 * Please feel free to contact me, Brittany Plath, through e-mail at bjplath87@gmail.com

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