The first thing I noticed when I stepped into Byram Middle School was the impeccable focus on school culture and student success. During my time there that slowly but surely changed with administration, staffing, and district leadership. It went from the fun of learning to the necessity of testing and scores. I had to find a way to ensure that my students enjoyed learning still, and didnt feel as if they were not good enough because they didn't measure up to the rest of the state, nation, or world. In order to do this I had to first make everything equal in the classroom, I had to ensure that differentiation was present so that students could learn in their own way. In my classroom there have been several things that I have made a priority in order to ensure a wholesome learning environment. My first year teaching I had a magic carpet and clipboards. This ensured that my students could sit wherever they felt they could best learn. The Magic Carpet was the best because my students fought over it daily! It was such a commodity that I had to place a sign next to it saying, "2 students at a time on the magic carpet." When the parents came for Student Swap the other night, they were very happy with just that little rug. The fact that my students could be anywhere in the room and still learn has tremendously helped my classroom management. At Byram Middle School I used a ton of technology in my classroom as well. We use the laptops at least twice a week. At the time I was upset because there are so many schools in the state that are actually giving kids access to computers at home.I wished that could be the case for my students, because not all had access to the internet and I felt that it would make such a difference in the way that they learn. While I made that complaint almost a year ago, at Blackburn Middle School, the technology I have is non-existent compared Byram Middle School. Nonetheless, I still attempt to ensure my students have a grasp on al technological benefits, being that even our state tests, and benchmark assessments are virtually given. This year technology for students has been limited because of theft during previous years. Jackson State donated mac computers and iPads, and seemingly they disappeared because of students and teachers. This has made them want to work with us in a limited forum this year, which is understandable, but still upsetting. The district has everything necessary for the students to be successful such as google classroom, and the students having email addresses, but up until now we had nothing for them to utilize these things. A few weeks ago we finally got our new chromebooks that Dr. Nelson ordered in July prior to school beginning. It's unfortunate that our 6th grade students had no exposure to technology prior to this, and they will go into the state test with no training in typing or even general exposure, but our complaints were heard and changes will take place. I am excited that I can now utilize these new products that Blackburn has access too. One thing I've learned is not to complain about what you have or even when you receive it, but at the same time they have so much less than others in the same state, and in the same country. I feel that this is so unfair. They want us to educate the students all in the same way, and they want all the kids in the United States to know the same stuff, but all schools are not designed equally, and all schools are not given equal resources. All children are not given equal opportunities, although that is how it should be. While resources are limited, in my classroom amongst those other very necessary things, I operate on that, equality.