Each class period has about 30-35 students.

A great majority of sophomores and seniors

are minimally proficient in ELA, so it’s incredibly important that I differentiate my instruction to

fit the needs of every student. One strategy that I use is that I invite ELL teachers to come in to

help with those who have an ELL plan and to help guide me on how to help them. As for helping

my students grow their ELA test scores, I incorporate numerous to guide and support my

students! For one, I analyze where my students struggled the most on their tests and focus on

those areas and I will typically place my students into small groups that are ability driven. I also

offer ELA practice sheets for extra credit and after school tutoring.

My overall classroom goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment for my

students so that they can take the necessary risks to further their learning. To help create that safe

space for them, one of my most important principles is to focus on building relationships with

my students. ​Building healthy student-teacher relationships is essential to a thriving classroom

culture, and it even sets the stage for academic success. Another goal that I have would be to

create a social contract with my students. Not only does creating a social contract as a class build

a sense of community, but it allows the students to take ownership and accountability. Also,

structure inside of a classroom promotes the feeling of security and safety for students.

Agua Fria High School resides in a low-income community in Avondale, AZ, and

according to the 2019 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 87,931. The total minority

enrollment at Agua Fria is 81%, and 60% of students are economically disadvantaged. The

surrounding area consists of lots of fast food, thrift stores, mom and pop restaurants, and run

down homes/apartment buildings. There was, however, a newly refurbished women's shelter

right next to Agua Fria in 2017. As for the district in itself, The Agua Fria Union High School
District was founded in 1955 and serves in Goodyear, Buckeye, Avondale, Waddell and

Litchfield Park, Arizona. The four schools within the district are Agua Fria, Verrado, Desert

Edge, and Millennium. The mission for the Agua Fria Union High School District is to increase

academic performance for ALL students and to provide ALL students with the tools needed for

post-secondary and workforce success. Their overall goal is to ensure that every student is

college and career ready.

As a teacher within the distinct, it has become apparent to me that the Agua Fria School

District has a lot of care for their community. They have whole pages dedicated to resources for

the community to utilize and they also have a public hub for the community to ask questions.

The district also offers bilingual services, the opportunity for wifi to be installed in homes, and

they also have a whole page filled with resources providing services within the community.