Practice context

Since I am still an English teacher, the place in which I practice education looks different than an art classroom. However, I do assign projects that require creativity and sometimes use art supplies in order to achieve creative thinking and successful problem solving in my classroom. For the 2026-2027 school year, I teach English 1 all day long, which is then split into three 90-minute class periods (one of those class periods is an honors level course for English 1). My classes consist mostly of freshmen with a few a bit older due to having to repeat the class from the year(s) prior. I have slightly more boys than girls, but all students come from a diverse range of backgrounds and socioeconomic status.  

My classroom is colorful. I have many posters on my walls that add vibrancy and playfulness to the room. My posters represent some of my favorite things: Pokémon, Strawberry Shortcake, Shakespeare, and Literature. Because it is an English classroom, I have sets of posters that focus on literary elements, grammar, and book themes. I also have some small signs on my whiteboard that promote kindness, being respectful of each other, and celebrating differences. I am not allowed to have any political signage or flags other than the American and state flag hung up in my room. However, an assignment I give at the beginning of each school year is to have students make an Affirmation Pennant to highlight one positive attribute about themselves or goal they have for the school year. I hang up all my students’ flags, including ones that have LGBTQ+ symbols or religiously motivated statements. I want each of my students to feel represented and celebrated within my classroom no matter who they are. My room is divided into seven groups of 3-4 desks depending on the area, which is a tight squeeze for 30 desks in my one room. My largest class size is 27, but my rosters can have up to 30, so I have to keep the extra desks in case I get new students throughout the semester.  

One of the biggest hurdles I have to tackle as a teacher is cultivating students’ critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving. Many of my students are coming in straight from middle school and therefore have some growing pains when they start high school. This year alone I have dealt with more behavior issues than any year before. Most of this stems from the lack of maturity and also the need to burn off energy. I wish high school students could have an outdoor space to run around when the weather is nice. The school is modern and has many safety measures built in place, but I find it lacking in terms of green spaces for students to hang out or outdoor classrooms. I wish my days were not only spent under fluorescent light and know my students do too. My students could use fresh air and sunshine to help inspire their creativity and get their bodies and brains moving.  

I love my students’ creativity. They continually inspire me each day to show up as my best self. My students have already created some amazing projects, personal drawings for me, and brought fresh new ideas and questions to class. One project we loved was painting masks when studying Oedipus (when I used to teach English 3). I plan to use this same assignment when teaching my freshmen The Odyssey. I am lucky to teach freshmen because they are still learning who they are and are not afraid to experiment with. We spend Mondays and Wednesdays first thing of class writing a response to a creative writing question. Tuesdays and Thursdays bell ringers are for grammar and Fridays for independent reading. I am inspired by this program to bring some more art projects to class. My students have enjoyed the activities where they have to doodle, color, or draw as part of their learning. I hope to have something to share here soon as we dig into Shakespeare and the Odyssey for the last half of this semester. I’m excited to see where we will go next!