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Competencies Throughout the readings of chapter 1,2 and 3 and competencies 1, 2, 5 and 6 I have learned these competencies focus on understanding human developmental processes while applying the knowledge gained, understanding diversity, and planning learning experiences. A major important factor is that of establishing a classroom climate that guides and helps the students to overall success, and the last competency focuses on understanding strategies for creating an organized and productive learning environment and managing student behavior. This statement from the book was very significant to me we cant teach what we dont understand ourselves. ( Kauchak and Eggen,2012, p.15) its crucial that as a future educator I become knowledgeable and comprehend and grasp what I am learning so that when I am out there in my classroom I am confident that I am applying and teaching correct information and correct techniques. As it is also important to understand how the children develop, to understand that each of them develops differently and that they come from different and different backgrounds and cultures. Since each student develops differently they also learn differently, as a teacher I am going to have to come up with different strategies and techniques because of the diverse learners I am going to have in my classroom. Growing up in diverse school settings, I learned at a very young age to respect and accept different races, ethnicities, and religions. I greatly benefited and embraced my surroundings, but at the same time there are other future teachers that grew in schools that wore predominately white or only a mix of two or three races. Many future teachers didnt receive the same exposure to diversity; the book stresses the importance of being fair and having the same expectations for the minority students as for the majority of the student body. Teachers need to be aware of the

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expectations they have for students and should continually monitor their own actions to ensure that positive expectations are communicated to all students. (Kauchak and Eggen, 2012, p. 36) Its extremely important to embrace the different cultures, we as teachers arent going to handpick the students we want in our classrooms, we get what get. Our responsibility and our goal is to help each individual student grow in all aspects, to accept , respect and work with them so each of them reaches full potential. Our students need to also learn and respect, embrace and work with each other no matter what color, shape or physical impairment they might have. We do this by openly discussing cultural differences, emphasizing their positive aspects both in the classroom and in the society as a whole. (Kauchak and Eggen,201,p.239) Its always a goal to make a classroom feel like a home, so the students feel welcomed and like they belong. Every child has a very different background, story from one another; we dont always know what is going in their homes. There are many factors that interfere with their success in school, from getting enough sleep, food, domestic violence and many other factors. It is crucial that the student feels welcomed, at home and safe when they are in their classrooms to make it possible for them to succeed. The classroom environment should become a vehicle for promoting student self-understanding, self-evaluating, and internalization of self-control. (Kauchak and Eggen, 2012, p.74) Last competency highlights the importance of understanding strategies for creating an organized and productive learning environment for managing student behavior. This mainly has to do with structure, organization and boundaries. Implementing and going over classroom rules is the main component in fulfilling this competency. Student will then understand what is expected for them as individuals and as a classroom. Research confirms the value of rules such as these, reasonable rules, clearly explained and fairly and consistently

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enforced, not only reduce behavior problems that interfere with learning but also can promote a feeling of pride and responsibility in the classroom. (Kauchak and Eggen, 2012, p.78) These competencies cover main points and areas that important for the success of a classroom environment. One of the most important competencies is the one that highlights the importance of establishing a classroom climate that fosters learning, provides safety comfort and promotes success in each individual student. All of these competencies are outlines for a successful classroom, environment and career for a teacher.

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Kauchak, D. P., & Eggen, P. D. (2012). Learning and teaching: research-based methods (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

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