About Me
My name is Amy Bacon and this is my wonderful husband, Chris and my two fantastic sons, Christopher and Andrew. Along with our two golden retrievers, Molly and Emma, we split our time between our home in New Durham and our camp in Ossipee where we enjoy hiking, kayaking and boating throughout the summer.
I currently hold a bachelor’s degree in elementary education K-6 and special education K-12. It is such a privilege to be part of the collaborative team here at Middleton Elementary School where I will be teaching our sixth grade scholars.
I hope you have all had a relaxing summer and are just as excited as I am to get back into our school routine. I look forward to working with such an inspirational team of professionals, students and parents this year.
I currently hold a bachelor’s degree in elementary education K-6 and special education K-12. It is such a privilege to be part of the collaborative team here at Middleton Elementary School where I will be teaching our sixth grade scholars.
I hope you have all had a relaxing summer and are just as excited as I am to get back into our school routine. I look forward to working with such an inspirational team of professionals, students and parents this year.
Our Classroom Enviornment
Building relationships is a key factor in the way we function in society, so why would it not be a key function within a classroom? So many times there are students that do not know how to build a relationship because they were never taught. From time to time it takes an educator to show them how a relationship is built. Sometimes that relationship comes from a general fondness for the other person. Every now and then it grows out of respect for one another. Occasionally it grows from something more powerful, something that the student is lacking in their life, such as structure.
Communication and collaboration are extremely important attributes a teacher must possess. If I am able to effectively communicate with students, parents and other professionals there is a greater opportunity for future success. If we are able to work together to organize our thoughts, plan our lessons and reach our goals, we can then find the best possible strategies that work for everyone involved.
I also think we need teachers who care; teachers who want to see their students succeed, teachers with good hearts and souls, teachers who genuinely want to teach. Teachers need to learn from their students, not just lecture them with mundane facts. We must respect our students in order for them to respect us. We must give them the attention they crave and deserve. We must want every one of them to succeed. A good teacher never gives up on his/her students.
In order for teachers to provide a positive learning experience for students, they need to be well prepared both in and out of the classroom. Teachers must be continuously thinking of new ways to teach their students, drawing from outside experiences and bringing them back into the classroom whenever possible. It is equally important for the teachers to ask the right questions and monitor how each student is learning. As with all students, asking essential questions brings students to a deeper level of understanding.
Children also need discipline and structure to be successful. They need boundaries to be set and guidelines to follow. We must allow them to help us set these rules so they feel as though they are an important part of the community they are learning in. As a classroom teacher it is important to ensure the rules are established early and make sure those rules are followed throughout the school year. Once the students know the importance of following the rules they become more aware of how much they needed these rules in the first place. They feel more secure within their surrounding and more protected from the harm of the outside world. They need to know they are safe and you as an educator are responsible for making them feel that way. Only then can real learning take place.
I believe it is important to always try to speak to students in a constructive manner. Ensure you are always giving more positive than negative comments. Positive comments make all students happier, while putting myself, in a positive mood as well. When students see this in their environment they will continue to be kind to one another and positive relationships start to take form. Understanding how to build these relationships is a major characteristic teachers need to acquire and practice. If a teacher is in a positive mood there is a better chance he/she will have more energy. If we have this liveliness we can engage and motivate our students in creative ways, which is essential for learning.
If we engage them with our body language, our expressions and our verbal language they have a better chance of focusing on the lesson at hand. Moving around the classroom and walking past students is a great way for them to stay alert. We must keep students interested by giving them a number of ways to learn, teaching them how to use different strategies, giving them choices and helping them connect to the knowledge they already have.
As educators we are obligated to influence our students and help them make first-rate choices. To do this, it is absolutely necessary to show them we are human too. We must show them that we, as adults, make mistakes and it is okay for them to make mistakes as well. We must apologize when we are at fault and tell them when we have done something wrong. It is then that they will see that it is okay to take responsibility for their own actions. They will then learn to accept us for who we are and feel comfortable with us accepting them just as they are.
We can show our students how to be active listeners by giving them the opportunity to speak. Teaching should involve teachers speaking less and students constructively talking more. If we give them this opportunity they will become active learners and give us the opportunity to be listened to when needed. We can show these students that it is okay to laugh and make learning enjoyable as well. Teachers must tell his/her students what is expected from them, set the standards high and watch them grow as individuals.
Communication and collaboration are extremely important attributes a teacher must possess. If I am able to effectively communicate with students, parents and other professionals there is a greater opportunity for future success. If we are able to work together to organize our thoughts, plan our lessons and reach our goals, we can then find the best possible strategies that work for everyone involved.
I also think we need teachers who care; teachers who want to see their students succeed, teachers with good hearts and souls, teachers who genuinely want to teach. Teachers need to learn from their students, not just lecture them with mundane facts. We must respect our students in order for them to respect us. We must give them the attention they crave and deserve. We must want every one of them to succeed. A good teacher never gives up on his/her students.
In order for teachers to provide a positive learning experience for students, they need to be well prepared both in and out of the classroom. Teachers must be continuously thinking of new ways to teach their students, drawing from outside experiences and bringing them back into the classroom whenever possible. It is equally important for the teachers to ask the right questions and monitor how each student is learning. As with all students, asking essential questions brings students to a deeper level of understanding.
Children also need discipline and structure to be successful. They need boundaries to be set and guidelines to follow. We must allow them to help us set these rules so they feel as though they are an important part of the community they are learning in. As a classroom teacher it is important to ensure the rules are established early and make sure those rules are followed throughout the school year. Once the students know the importance of following the rules they become more aware of how much they needed these rules in the first place. They feel more secure within their surrounding and more protected from the harm of the outside world. They need to know they are safe and you as an educator are responsible for making them feel that way. Only then can real learning take place.
I believe it is important to always try to speak to students in a constructive manner. Ensure you are always giving more positive than negative comments. Positive comments make all students happier, while putting myself, in a positive mood as well. When students see this in their environment they will continue to be kind to one another and positive relationships start to take form. Understanding how to build these relationships is a major characteristic teachers need to acquire and practice. If a teacher is in a positive mood there is a better chance he/she will have more energy. If we have this liveliness we can engage and motivate our students in creative ways, which is essential for learning.
If we engage them with our body language, our expressions and our verbal language they have a better chance of focusing on the lesson at hand. Moving around the classroom and walking past students is a great way for them to stay alert. We must keep students interested by giving them a number of ways to learn, teaching them how to use different strategies, giving them choices and helping them connect to the knowledge they already have.
As educators we are obligated to influence our students and help them make first-rate choices. To do this, it is absolutely necessary to show them we are human too. We must show them that we, as adults, make mistakes and it is okay for them to make mistakes as well. We must apologize when we are at fault and tell them when we have done something wrong. It is then that they will see that it is okay to take responsibility for their own actions. They will then learn to accept us for who we are and feel comfortable with us accepting them just as they are.
We can show our students how to be active listeners by giving them the opportunity to speak. Teaching should involve teachers speaking less and students constructively talking more. If we give them this opportunity they will become active learners and give us the opportunity to be listened to when needed. We can show these students that it is okay to laugh and make learning enjoyable as well. Teachers must tell his/her students what is expected from them, set the standards high and watch them grow as individuals.
Diversity in the Classroom
Teachers must be adaptable. We must take an interest in each individual child. We need to become aware of the students who may face challenges, which prevent them from doing their best. Once we become aware, we can then provide supports and strategies for these students with academic and/or behavioral challenges. However, we must not overlook those students who need additional academic challenges. When advanced students are not pushed to their full potential and struggling students are overwhelmed, they begin to shut down or become distracting to other students. It can take a while, however I feel as though a teacher needs to take the time to get to know each child and discover how he/she learns individually. Once that relationship is formed it is much easier to plan lessons and understand how I am going to provide them with a proper education.
We can create modifications for each activity and ensure accommodations for each individual who requires it. When we differentiate instruction it is important to understand that some students do not need to do every step of a lesson or complete every worksheet they are given to get to the end result. It is more about modifying what the student needs in order to learn or how the student will get access to the information. We can then create activities for each student to engage in to effectively make sense of or master the content. As teachers we can provide an opportunity for all students to create culminating projects or activities that push our students to apply and extend what he/she has learned in a particular unit.
I believe students should work collaboratively whenever possible. I think diverse learners need the opportunity to use inquiry-based learning so they can actually do social studies, science, math and language arts; where they can discover the world they will work, communicate, learn and live in. Shared learning is important for all students, regardless of ability. It gives students who are more advanced the opportunity to explain their thinking. It gives struggling students the opportunity to learn from their peers in a way teachers cannot always provide. It gives all students the ability to learn how to work together, communicate effectively and build stronger relationships. They can work in groups to form the basic foundation they need in any content area; learn from one another, be able to fully comprehend and eventually explain to others what is going on in their heads. If students have the ability to create projects, use problem solving to find solutions to real world issues, or be given the opportunity to find information in their own way, they will each grow individually. I understand direct instruction used be done with some content and I am not naive to the fact that hands on instruction cannot be done all the time. However, the more we can incorporate interaction in school, the better off each student will be despite their skill level.
I believe different tools are needed in different situations and sometimes you must make up your own tools to teach with. Technology is one very useful tool that can be utilized in this day and age. When you give students the ability to use laptops, iPads, Smartboards, word processing tools such as such Google docs, along with many applications, it can greatly increase all students’ productivity level.
Students thrive when they use technology, work in small groups, talk to one another, create things with their hands, and enjoy learning. I realize this can be challenging and it cannot be done in every area of content area. However, the more we can have students gather their own data by their own means, use what they collect from this data, and connect to content in real life, the more involved they will be.
Students learn best when they are doing both physical and mental activities. Because of this, we must make learning more active; more hands on. If students are moving their bodies and their minds while being given the active opportunities to modify and recover what they have learned, they will more easily remember what they are learning. We need to give our students choices; let them decide if they are going to write a paper, give a speech or create a play to absorb the information they will learn.
We can create modifications for each activity and ensure accommodations for each individual who requires it. When we differentiate instruction it is important to understand that some students do not need to do every step of a lesson or complete every worksheet they are given to get to the end result. It is more about modifying what the student needs in order to learn or how the student will get access to the information. We can then create activities for each student to engage in to effectively make sense of or master the content. As teachers we can provide an opportunity for all students to create culminating projects or activities that push our students to apply and extend what he/she has learned in a particular unit.
I believe students should work collaboratively whenever possible. I think diverse learners need the opportunity to use inquiry-based learning so they can actually do social studies, science, math and language arts; where they can discover the world they will work, communicate, learn and live in. Shared learning is important for all students, regardless of ability. It gives students who are more advanced the opportunity to explain their thinking. It gives struggling students the opportunity to learn from their peers in a way teachers cannot always provide. It gives all students the ability to learn how to work together, communicate effectively and build stronger relationships. They can work in groups to form the basic foundation they need in any content area; learn from one another, be able to fully comprehend and eventually explain to others what is going on in their heads. If students have the ability to create projects, use problem solving to find solutions to real world issues, or be given the opportunity to find information in their own way, they will each grow individually. I understand direct instruction used be done with some content and I am not naive to the fact that hands on instruction cannot be done all the time. However, the more we can incorporate interaction in school, the better off each student will be despite their skill level.
I believe different tools are needed in different situations and sometimes you must make up your own tools to teach with. Technology is one very useful tool that can be utilized in this day and age. When you give students the ability to use laptops, iPads, Smartboards, word processing tools such as such Google docs, along with many applications, it can greatly increase all students’ productivity level.
Students thrive when they use technology, work in small groups, talk to one another, create things with their hands, and enjoy learning. I realize this can be challenging and it cannot be done in every area of content area. However, the more we can have students gather their own data by their own means, use what they collect from this data, and connect to content in real life, the more involved they will be.
Students learn best when they are doing both physical and mental activities. Because of this, we must make learning more active; more hands on. If students are moving their bodies and their minds while being given the active opportunities to modify and recover what they have learned, they will more easily remember what they are learning. We need to give our students choices; let them decide if they are going to write a paper, give a speech or create a play to absorb the information they will learn.