The first step to successful teaching is to build confidence in the classroom. When students understand a concept, they are more likely to want to participate in the class discussion. By working one-on-one with students who struggled with the concept, students feel the support they need to succeed. They begin to have confidence in the content that they are learning and become successful learners. Providing different means of learning is also important to building confidence. By creating pre-assessments and post-assessments, I can see where the class is struggling and where the class has confidence in their learning. This can lead to differentiation through tasks at different levels and leave time for harder concepts as I will know where my class is succeeding and struggling. In addition, using quick formative assessments in the class allows me to see where students are struggling and focus on those topics quickly before students begin falling behind.

 Second, teachers must always be on their feet walking around to make sure that students are on task and understanding the work they are completing. A great educator can be seen walking around from desk to desk making comments such a "great job" or "try this one again" or stopping at a desk to provide some extra direction. Not only does this help with individualism, but this also improves classroom management.

 Third, classroom management is a huge part of successful teaching. By creating positive reinforcement techniques such as earning stars to have lunch with the teacher, or earning dollars to buy things at the class store, or earning marbles for a class pizza party, students see the importance of behaving in class. In addition, it teaches students responsibility for their own actions. A well-managed classroom is more likely to get through the content that is needed to be taught for the day and students are more likely to understand the concepts since they are listening.

 Finally, my classroom will be very student-directed. I believe that students learn better when they perform hands-on activities rather than hear lectures. Students retain information better as they learn about a concept through experience. In addition, students have the ability to ask questions that are more directed to what they don't understand.