Changing the world one mind at a time.
Welcome to Ms. Parsons Classroom
Meet the teacher:
I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas! While I am a true Texan gal at heart, I jump at any opportunity to travel. The beach is my home away from home and I am always ready for new adventures.
Before I am anything else I am first a mother to a beautiful and intelligent green-eyed little girl, and a wife to my amazing husband. My daughter, Shayna, is the little sidekick that travels with me everywhere I go! Family time is the best time so we soak in as much time as possible. Our favorite family hobbies include playing/walking our fur baby 'Blaze', playing card and board games, reading, and exploring new parks. We enjoy camping and going on vacation trips all around the country.
Growing up, becoming a teacher was always my Plan A, B, and C. I had no other plan because I knew at a very young age that I wanted to be a positive driving force in the lives of children and their parents. As an educator, my goal is to build the minds of children while embracing diversity and individual uniqueness from within.
"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." -Martin Luther King Jr.
A few of my favorites: -Chocolate -Books -Purple/Yellow/Teal
-Sunflowers -DIY projects/crafting -Fortune cookies
Classroom Management Philosophy
Well-thought-out classroom management is essential for effective teaching and learning. “The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline: it is the lack of procedures and routines.” –Harry Wong, author of The First Days of School. I believe the key to a successful classroom is implementing procedures for everything. Rather than discipline students, I believe educators should implement procedures for everyday routine activities including lining up restroom breaks and walking in the hallways. It takes practice but it is well worth it according to Becky Hunsberger with Touch Beyond Transformational Education Services, discipline is tethered specifically how students behave and consist of penalties and rewards. Whereas procedures determine how things are done and do not have penalties or rewards, they remain consistent the entire school year for every student. I believe school communities are more positive when students are 100% aware of the expectations their parents and teachers have for them. I want to help build a positive community by building structured procedures that promote growth, communication skills, social and emotional skills, and learning.
I also believe educators should use every moment or situation as a moment to teach or learn! I'm a firm believer in redirection, translucent communication, conscious discipline, and steering clear of "no" and "don't" statements as they have a negative connotation. Student's practice what they see, so by being consistent and modeling what is expected of them, they will learn to be self-sufficient, independent, and how to effectively and positively express themselves to others.
My Inspiration
Miss May implements procedures for everything in her classroom. She has a blog that inspires hundreds of teachers every year. Check out her videos!
Visual Aides
Sometimes reading long drawn out procedures is too time-consuming. I believe students are more successful when they are provided a visual. For example, students will have a visual of what time of greeting they want upon entering the classroom and then have one for how to enter and what to do next.
Conscious Discipline
Young minds need constant positive engagement, encouragement, and direct. I believe conscious discipline should be in every classroom in every school! Let's turn "no" and "don't" statements to positive statements meant to redirect and teach.
Differentiation/Brain Based Classroom
No one learns the same!
What is differentiation?
Differentiation is when educators attempt to meet the needs of all students within the same classroom when teaching content area material.
It sometimes requires educators to create separate activities or lesson plans to cater to students that may have diverse learning needs
Three ways to differentiate in the classroom:
Allow students to select their assessments. Students are more likely to perform higher when they get a say in how they prove their knowledge and skills. Provide a variety of options such as project-based assessments, reader's theatre, and FlipGrid videos in replacement of speaking in front of a class.
Small group scaffolding - Students learn best when they are most comfortable and it is sometimes hard to be with only one student throughout a lesson. This is where small group instruction and student scaffolding comes in handy. Students are more likely to ask questions and interact in a small group setting with peers and sometimes the teacher.
Provide various delivery methods for students as they discover their learning styles. Let's face it! We all learn differently so why do teachers deliver content in only one manner? I plan to provide as many methods as possible to get students moving, thinking critically, and retaining the information they need later down the line.
Communication
Course Outcomes
In my classroom student success and parent involvement are of the utmost importance to me. I am available during conference period to meet in person or have a phone conference. I will also check my email regularly.
Zip Kit
Learning on the go!
It is no secret that traditional worksheet style homework is not fun for parents or for students. I plan to create a lot more interactive activities like this science Zip Kit. They contain all the supplies and material needed and is an easy 4 step process. Students and parents can learn and bond!
Meet the teacher
Master Your Abilities
Here is a little bit more about me and an example of my "Meet the Teacher" letter for students and their families.
Newsletter
Keeping you up to date!
In an effort to keep caregivers as involved as possible, I will be sending out a weekly newsletter to students and their families. Newsletters will consist of information about our weekly plans, homework, large projects/assignments, and upcoming events such as award ceremonies and holiday events/closures.
Click on the photo to read more!
Proffessional Development
Social Media
I like to stay up to date with the newest ways to help students and families learn. I also enjoy staying connected with families and encourage you to follow me on my social media outlets to get the latest information about educational research and what's happening in the classroom.
Click on the icon above to be redirected to my Twitter account. Be on a lookout for my teacher blog, Instagram, and Facebook accounts.
Technology
"Technology is not just a tool. It can give learners a voice that they may not have had before." -George Couros
Apple Clips
Apple Clips is a new application on al Apple devices that allows users to create and edit videos. It is fun, easy to use, and free! If given the opportunity to work with Apple devices in the classroom I would allow my students to use this application to create projects rather than a traditional paper and pencil assessment. This tool is great for distant learning as well.
Click on the picture to view an example of my work using Apple Clips!
Kahoot
Kahoot is a fun interactive resource for students and teachers to use in the classroom. This turns assessments into a less stressful task! Kahoot can be used for any content area or about other fun things like getting to know one another.
The list goes on...
Here are a few of my other favorite technology tools to use in the classroom:
Class Dojo
Google Classroom
FlipGrid
Socrative
Plickers
Google Docs
Classroom
Budget
Teaching isn't cheap!
Thinking about the necessities of a classroom, I have compiled a list of things I would get if I was given an $800 budget. Click on the picture to open a file and view a detailed description of what I chose and why.
Tarleton Purple Binder
Purple Binder
TSU
SEMESTER BY SEMESTER PLAN
TExES INFORMATION
TEST FRAMEWORKS
My results
VISION STATEMENT
ESL (ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE)
Chapter 89 responses
F.A.T. CITY VIDEO
FIELD EXPERIENCE PACKET