Friday, March 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Reflection 2
Brooke Brown
02/17/09
ELM 370
My third grade class at Swift Creek Elementary School is filled with several different personality types. A few students are shy and reserved, some are talkative and excited, and others are intellectual and expressive. When you combine all the personality types, it would seem as though the group may be hard to handle. However, this is not the case. The students are very well behaved. The students seem to have a lot of respect for my SBTE, Mrs. Buckhalter. She has really connected with the students to ensure that they treat her with the same respect that they would wish to be treated. It is important for the teacher to make this connection with her students so that everyone is on the same level and understands the importance of respecting their teacher and their classmates.
In most elementary classrooms there will be a few students with behavior issues. It is not every day that the students act like angels. A few days during my observation I noticed some of the students did have certain behavior problems. They are minor behavior problems such as, talking out of turn or not doing their work or playing with toys in their desk. Mrs. Burkhalter handles these behavior problems by a colored card system. All of the students start with green then after their first warning they turn to yellow, then purple then red. Red is the worst because the student is sent to the principal’s office for misbehavior. This system works really well in the classroom and usually the students learn their lesson after the first warning. This goes to show that the class has a pretty good understanding of what is expected of them.
The schools motto is everyone will learn and succeed. The school also has the code of conduct known as “Roar.” R is respect, O is on the path to success, A is act responsibly and R is remember self-control. The students really adhere to this code of conduct and understand what is expected of them at all times. In the hallways, other teachers monitor the students to make sure they are roaring at all times and if they notice particular students roaring then they will be rewarded. I think Mrs. Burkhalters class does a great job roaring in the hallways.
Another way Mrs. Burkhalter keeps her students in order is the job chart. The job chart has several pockets, each labeled with a different job. The jobs include line leader, door holder, mail person, phone/door greeter, lunchroom helpers, librarians, and messengers. The jobs change weekly so everyone gets an opportunity. The students look forward to their job each week. The students do not argue over who is going to hold the door or turn out the lights because they know their assigned job.
I noticed a few other ways Mrs. Burkhalter keeps a good classroom community. She has the students pick up scrap pieces of paper off the floor and on the tables to put in the recycling bin. She also has the students keep their desk area clean. It is a great thing because she teaches her students the importance of recycling and keeping a clean environment. Mrs. Burkhalter does a superb job at keeping up a clean classroom with well behaved students.
02/17/09
ELM 370
My third grade class at Swift Creek Elementary School is filled with several different personality types. A few students are shy and reserved, some are talkative and excited, and others are intellectual and expressive. When you combine all the personality types, it would seem as though the group may be hard to handle. However, this is not the case. The students are very well behaved. The students seem to have a lot of respect for my SBTE, Mrs. Buckhalter. She has really connected with the students to ensure that they treat her with the same respect that they would wish to be treated. It is important for the teacher to make this connection with her students so that everyone is on the same level and understands the importance of respecting their teacher and their classmates.
In most elementary classrooms there will be a few students with behavior issues. It is not every day that the students act like angels. A few days during my observation I noticed some of the students did have certain behavior problems. They are minor behavior problems such as, talking out of turn or not doing their work or playing with toys in their desk. Mrs. Burkhalter handles these behavior problems by a colored card system. All of the students start with green then after their first warning they turn to yellow, then purple then red. Red is the worst because the student is sent to the principal’s office for misbehavior. This system works really well in the classroom and usually the students learn their lesson after the first warning. This goes to show that the class has a pretty good understanding of what is expected of them.
The schools motto is everyone will learn and succeed. The school also has the code of conduct known as “Roar.” R is respect, O is on the path to success, A is act responsibly and R is remember self-control. The students really adhere to this code of conduct and understand what is expected of them at all times. In the hallways, other teachers monitor the students to make sure they are roaring at all times and if they notice particular students roaring then they will be rewarded. I think Mrs. Burkhalters class does a great job roaring in the hallways.
Another way Mrs. Burkhalter keeps her students in order is the job chart. The job chart has several pockets, each labeled with a different job. The jobs include line leader, door holder, mail person, phone/door greeter, lunchroom helpers, librarians, and messengers. The jobs change weekly so everyone gets an opportunity. The students look forward to their job each week. The students do not argue over who is going to hold the door or turn out the lights because they know their assigned job.
I noticed a few other ways Mrs. Burkhalter keeps a good classroom community. She has the students pick up scrap pieces of paper off the floor and on the tables to put in the recycling bin. She also has the students keep their desk area clean. It is a great thing because she teaches her students the importance of recycling and keeping a clean environment. Mrs. Burkhalter does a superb job at keeping up a clean classroom with well behaved students.
FROM BROOKE:
My third grade class at Swift Creek Elementary School is filled with several different personality types. A few students are shy and reserved, some are talkative and excited, and others are intellectual and expressive. When you combine all the personality types, it would seem as though the group may be hard to handle. However, this is not the case. The students are very well behaved. The students seem to have a lot of respect for my SBTE, Mrs. Buckhalter. She has really connected with the students to ensure that they treat her with the same respect that they would wish to be treated. It is important for the teacher to make this connection with her students so that everyone is on the same level and understands the importance of respecting their teacher and their classmates.
In most elementary classrooms there will be a few students with behavior issues. It is not every day that the students act like angels. A few days during my observation I noticed some of the students did have certain behavior problems. They are minor behavior problems such as, talking out of turn or not doing their work or playing with toys in their desk. Mrs. Burkhalter handles these behavior problems by a colored card system. All of the students start with green then after their first warning they turn to yellow, then purple then red. Red is the worst because the student is sent to the principal’s office for misbehavior. This system works really well in the classroom and usually the students learn their lesson after the first warning. This goes to show that the class has a pretty good understanding of what is expected of them.
The schools motto is everyone will learn and succeed. The school also has the code of conduct known as “Roar.” R is respect, O is on the path to success, A is act responsibly and R is remember self-control. The students really adhere to this code of conduct and understand what is expected of them at
all times. In the hallways, other teachers monitor the students to make sure they are roaring at all times and if they notice particular students roaring then they will be rewarded. I think Mrs. Burkhalters class does a great job roaring in the hallways.
Another way Mrs. Burkhalter keeps her students in order is the job chart. The job chart has several pockets, each labeled with a different job. The jobs include line leader, door holder, mail person, phone/door greeter, lunchroom helpers, librarians, and messengers. The jobs change weekly so everyone gets an opportunity. The students look forward to their job each week. The students do not argue over who is going to hold the door or turn out the lights because they know their assigned job.
I noticed a few other ways Mrs. Burkhalter keeps a good classroom community. She has the students pick up scrap pieces of paper off the floor and on the tables to put in the recycling bin. She also has the students keep their desk area clean. It is a great thing because she teaches her students the importance of recycling and keeping a clean environment. Mrs. Burkhalter does a superb job at keeping up a clean classroom with well behaved students.
In most elementary classrooms there will be a few students with behavior issues. It is not every day that the students act like angels. A few days during my observation I noticed some of the students did have certain behavior problems. They are minor behavior problems such as, talking out of turn or not doing their work or playing with toys in their desk. Mrs. Burkhalter handles these behavior problems by a colored card system. All of the students start with green then after their first warning they turn to yellow, then purple then red. Red is the worst because the student is sent to the principal’s office for misbehavior. This system works really well in the classroom and usually the students learn their lesson after the first warning. This goes to show that the class has a pretty good understanding of what is expected of them.
The schools motto is everyone will learn and succeed. The school also has the code of conduct known as “Roar.” R is respect, O is on the path to success, A is act responsibly and R is remember self-control. The students really adhere to this code of conduct and understand what is expected of them at
all times. In the hallways, other teachers monitor the students to make sure they are roaring at all times and if they notice particular students roaring then they will be rewarded. I think Mrs. Burkhalters class does a great job roaring in the hallways.
Another way Mrs. Burkhalter keeps her students in order is the job chart. The job chart has several pockets, each labeled with a different job. The jobs include line leader, door holder, mail person, phone/door greeter, lunchroom helpers, librarians, and messengers. The jobs change weekly so everyone gets an opportunity. The students look forward to their job each week. The students do not argue over who is going to hold the door or turn out the lights because they know their assigned job.
I noticed a few other ways Mrs. Burkhalter keeps a good classroom community. She has the students pick up scrap pieces of paper off the floor and on the tables to put in the recycling bin. She also has the students keep their desk area clean. It is a great thing because she teaches her students the importance of recycling and keeping a clean environment. Mrs. Burkhalter does a superb job at keeping up a clean classroom with well behaved students.
FROM TARA:
My partnership school, Reedy Creek Elementary, is a great school that strives to be a close community. Their mascot is a frog, and all of the “FROGS” at Reedy Creek stick to the FROGS code of community conduct: F is for Friendship, R is for Respect, O is for Order and safety, G is for Good judgment, and S is Self control.
Reedy Creek has a student-run morning news system, where the classrooms all turn on their television each morning to watch their peers talk about Reedy Creek news, tell a few jokes, and ask a few trivia questions under the category “Are you smarter than a Reedy Creeker?” I think that this is a really good way to build a school-wide community. It is so neat for the students to turn on the T.V. and see their classmate bringing the morning news, and it appears that the students who bring the news change weekly so more students have the opportunity to have their 15 minutes of fame.
Another thing that I have seen at Reedy Creek that I really like is what they call “Breakfast and Books.” Parents and students come together at Reedy Creek in the morning and eat breakfast and read books together. What I really liked about this is the parent involvement that it emphasizes, which is so important; especially when it comes to helping children gain interest in reading.
My 5th grade classroom at Reedy Creek Elementary School is full of bright, eager, and energetic students; however, I feel that they lack a certain sense of community. Through my observations, I have noticed that there are several small “cliques” of friends, as well as a few “loners.” I feel like this is a class that could really do well to have some time to get to know each other a bit better. The hard thing about this is that any time the teacher tries to do any group work, or really anything besides the traditional lecture and practice, the students get really out of hand and goof around. At the beginning of the year, the student seats were organized in groups of 4, but the students were goofing off so much to the point that they now sit in individual rows. This makes certain community building activities very difficult and frustrating.
One thing that I think may work in this particular classroom would be something like the “Starring Me” that we have seen in our seminar classroom. I feel like that would be good for this class for two reasons. The first reason is that there are quite a few students in this class that I can tell really want their voice and personality to be seen and heard, and this is a great way for them to get that out of their system. Second of all, I think that it would be a great way for the students to get to know every one in the class. It would give them the opportunity to learn things about other people that they would not otherwise find out. Perhaps they could realize that they have more in common with people outside of their “clique”. I also feel like “Starring Me” would be a great opportunity for the teacher to learn more about the students, and what interests and motivates them. As a teacher, I think it is important to know what your students are interested in so that you can find a common ground with them, and try to connect with them. I feel like having this connection between the teachers and students is an important and large step toward a closer classroom community.
To me classroom community is the most important part of having a positive learning environment. Students need to feel comfortable with themselves, their classmates, and their teacher in order for them to be in an environment where learning can take place. As a teacher you should strive for a very close classroom community. This group of people will be interacting together almost every day over the next year, and in order for it to be a great experience for everyone, there needs to be a foundation of an open and close-knit community.
My partnership school, Reedy Creek Elementary, is a great school that strives to be a close community. Their mascot is a frog, and all of the “FROGS” at Reedy Creek stick to the FROGS code of community conduct: F is for Friendship, R is for Respect, O is for Order and safety, G is for Good judgment, and S is Self control.
Reedy Creek has a student-run morning news system, where the classrooms all turn on their television each morning to watch their peers talk about Reedy Creek news, tell a few jokes, and ask a few trivia questions under the category “Are you smarter than a Reedy Creeker?” I think that this is a really good way to build a school-wide community. It is so neat for the students to turn on the T.V. and see their classmate bringing the morning news, and it appears that the students who bring the news change weekly so more students have the opportunity to have their 15 minutes of fame.
Another thing that I have seen at Reedy Creek that I really like is what they call “Breakfast and Books.” Parents and students come together at Reedy Creek in the morning and eat breakfast and read books together. What I really liked about this is the parent involvement that it emphasizes, which is so important; especially when it comes to helping children gain interest in reading.
My 5th grade classroom at Reedy Creek Elementary School is full of bright, eager, and energetic students; however, I feel that they lack a certain sense of community. Through my observations, I have noticed that there are several small “cliques” of friends, as well as a few “loners.” I feel like this is a class that could really do well to have some time to get to know each other a bit better. The hard thing about this is that any time the teacher tries to do any group work, or really anything besides the traditional lecture and practice, the students get really out of hand and goof around. At the beginning of the year, the student seats were organized in groups of 4, but the students were goofing off so much to the point that they now sit in individual rows. This makes certain community building activities very difficult and frustrating.
One thing that I think may work in this particular classroom would be something like the “Starring Me” that we have seen in our seminar classroom. I feel like that would be good for this class for two reasons. The first reason is that there are quite a few students in this class that I can tell really want their voice and personality to be seen and heard, and this is a great way for them to get that out of their system. Second of all, I think that it would be a great way for the students to get to know every one in the class. It would give them the opportunity to learn things about other people that they would not otherwise find out. Perhaps they could realize that they have more in common with people outside of their “clique”. I also feel like “Starring Me” would be a great opportunity for the teacher to learn more about the students, and what interests and motivates them. As a teacher, I think it is important to know what your students are interested in so that you can find a common ground with them, and try to connect with them. I feel like having this connection between the teachers and students is an important and large step toward a closer classroom community.
To me classroom community is the most important part of having a positive learning environment. Students need to feel comfortable with themselves, their classmates, and their teacher in order for them to be in an environment where learning can take place. As a teacher you should strive for a very close classroom community. This group of people will be interacting together almost every day over the next year, and in order for it to be a great experience for everyone, there needs to be a foundation of an open and close-knit community.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
ELM 370 Reflection #2
I am currently in Mrs. Whitney Jackson’s fourth grade classroom at Swift Creek Elementary School. From the first day I was in this school I could tell that the classroom and school as a whole is a very close community. The principal of Swift Creek came into the classroom my partner and I are in the first day we were there in order to introduce himself and welcome us to the school. This was my first glimpse of the tight community at Swift Creek Elementary. The school keeps really good school/classroom community up in many different ways. They have a school wide set of rules that everyone in the school is expected to follow, which is R.O.A.R. This really helps the school be unified in its expectations and it holds every student, and even teacher, accountable. One thing that I have found to be really cool about Swift Creek is how each classroom collects stars, and these stars are awarded when someone from outside of the each classroom pays the students in the class (as whole) a compliment for good behavior. When a certain amount of stars are awarded, the class gets a prize! This really seems to give them the drive to act responsibly in the hallways and outside. Having a system like this can help create great classroom community because the students have to work together to get compliments and it also keeps the school itself a good community.
My SBTE, Mrs. Jackson, also does a terrific job of creating good classroom community in her own classroom. Along with the school rules, she and her class has created a set of sub-rules, or classroom rules. These are really great because the students are held more responsible for their actions not just outside the classroom but inside as well. The students were and are still included in the process of making the environment of their classroom better. Even though this class does a pretty good job of respecting each other and the teacher, they still of course have their problems. Mrs. Jackson has created a system to help in these situations as well. There is a comment box where her students can put complaints, worries or any problems that they have. Then, whenever there is a comment in the box, Mrs. Jackson speaks to that student individually and then they have a classroom meeting, if necessary. This helps to provide a safe way for the kids to tell the teacher things that are really bothering them. It also creates a much safer and respectful class discussion about the problem and many times I have heard that it completely solves them as far as the teacher is aware of. Having a community where students can present problems and get help with them is so vital to a good classroom experience and Mrs. Jackson is doing her best to provide just that.
The students in this class are also provided with ways to serve in the classroom. Each child is given an opportunity to help the teacher and each other by way of the “helping hands” wall. This is where there are different jobs delegated to different students each week. The students are on a rotation so no one is ever left out. This gives the students responsibility and it helps them get things done and create smooth transitions from one topic or school subject to the next. When jobs are delegated in this way it helps to avoid any misunderstandings regarding door holding, table cleanliness at lunch and many other small things that help keep a classroom running smoothly.
The way Mrs. Jackson’s classroom is set up and organized also helps to create a good sense of classroom community. She has her desks set up in rows and with sets of three on each side of the classroom. Not only does the class get stars for good behavior as a class but each set of three can get points for good behavior as a team. This helps keep behavior inside the classroom good as well. All of the desks also face her, which helps the students see what she is doing and no one has to turn around in their seats. This helps to avoid any one person missing information (unless they choose to not pay attention themselves).
I really like how Mrs. Jackson’s class runs. She seems to have a really good classroom community. There are a few things I might try to do differently, but I hope to have the respect and classroom community that she has when I have my own classroom.
My SBTE, Mrs. Jackson, also does a terrific job of creating good classroom community in her own classroom. Along with the school rules, she and her class has created a set of sub-rules, or classroom rules. These are really great because the students are held more responsible for their actions not just outside the classroom but inside as well. The students were and are still included in the process of making the environment of their classroom better. Even though this class does a pretty good job of respecting each other and the teacher, they still of course have their problems. Mrs. Jackson has created a system to help in these situations as well. There is a comment box where her students can put complaints, worries or any problems that they have. Then, whenever there is a comment in the box, Mrs. Jackson speaks to that student individually and then they have a classroom meeting, if necessary. This helps to provide a safe way for the kids to tell the teacher things that are really bothering them. It also creates a much safer and respectful class discussion about the problem and many times I have heard that it completely solves them as far as the teacher is aware of. Having a community where students can present problems and get help with them is so vital to a good classroom experience and Mrs. Jackson is doing her best to provide just that.
The students in this class are also provided with ways to serve in the classroom. Each child is given an opportunity to help the teacher and each other by way of the “helping hands” wall. This is where there are different jobs delegated to different students each week. The students are on a rotation so no one is ever left out. This gives the students responsibility and it helps them get things done and create smooth transitions from one topic or school subject to the next. When jobs are delegated in this way it helps to avoid any misunderstandings regarding door holding, table cleanliness at lunch and many other small things that help keep a classroom running smoothly.
The way Mrs. Jackson’s classroom is set up and organized also helps to create a good sense of classroom community. She has her desks set up in rows and with sets of three on each side of the classroom. Not only does the class get stars for good behavior as a class but each set of three can get points for good behavior as a team. This helps keep behavior inside the classroom good as well. All of the desks also face her, which helps the students see what she is doing and no one has to turn around in their seats. This helps to avoid any one person missing information (unless they choose to not pay attention themselves).
I really like how Mrs. Jackson’s class runs. She seems to have a really good classroom community. There are a few things I might try to do differently, but I hope to have the respect and classroom community that she has when I have my own classroom.
My teacher, Mrs. Jackson, makes a strong effort from the beginning of the year to create classroom community. I can tell by the conversations we have had and by evidence found around the classroom. On the very first day of school together the class created rules that they all agreed to follow. Even Mrs. Jackson said she would treat them equally by following the same rules towards them. I think that is a very positive idea for a teacher to do. I have also heard of other teachers in the school writing rules for themselves that they make up with the students. That is another neat way to build a fair relationship with your students. Every morning Mrs. Jackson holds a morning meeting. In my opinion this is one of the best ways to vui9ld your classroom into a community. This is a time where they whole class meets and discusses topics such as the agenda for the day or issues disrupting the classroom. It is a place fore open discussion where issues can be resolved to make the bay better and keep a positive atmosphere throughout the room. Mrs. Jackson has a monthly birthday list that she has posted up in the classroom. This helps the teacher and students learn more about each other. Watching the way the children associate with Mrs. Jackson and one another it is evident that the class has developed a close community. The school as a whole I have noticed acts as a community too. There were many times when the principle at Swift Creek would stop by to see how the day was going. That shows he has a good relationship with his staff and the students. I think the principle’s actions probably have a big influence on how well the school acts as a community. I can even tell from the morning announcements how personal the staff seems on the TV. During this time they also list and wish happy birthdays every morning to the whole school. The entire school, all students and staff, use the same acronym ROAR as their disciplinary system. ROAR stands for Respect, On the path to success, Act Responsibly, and Remember self control; I think each of these are great goals for the students to follow. Each morning at the end of the morning announcements the school repeats the ROAR pledge, school motto, and yells out their graduation year. That keeps the children refreshed on rules and motivated. Swift Creek Elementary is an awesome school and I enjoy being a small part of their community.
Amy Gibbs - Reflection 2
In Ms. Reifler’s fifth grade classroom at Reedy Creek Elementary, there is a sense of community embedded within the day through various forms. There are rules, greetings, meetings, and school wide programs that allow the students to form a sense of community as they come to their classroom everyday. It is through these forms that students feel secure, safe, and welcomed which is essential in every classroom. When students are provided with security they are able to freely expresses their ideas and learn from one another rather than feel unable to express their ideas, which may in turn suppress their learning by a great amount.
As students walk in Ms. Reifler’s classroom they are welcomed by a morning greeting. There is a routine for students to follow as Ms. Reifler then greets each student as they enter the classroom. There have been a few times I have noticed particular students that are not welcomed or acknowledged when they come into the classroom, it is evident that their day begins with a bad start. As I begin to think about my own classroom, I will remember the faces of the students that were not greeted and the look of insecurity and self defeat that the students seemed to carry if Ms. Reifler happened to not greet him/her in a positive manner.
Another important aspect of creating a sense of community in the classroom is class discussions on rules and guidelines for the classroom. Since my partner, Tara, and I have been in the classroom, Ms. Reifler has decided to have a reward system for good behavior. There was one day in particular where she opened up for classroom discussion about how she might reward their good behavior. Students were able to vote on a classroom reward. As students were able to vote, it gave each student a sense of pride in that they were apart of making a classroom wide decision. Allowing students to discuss and make decisions in the classroom really gives students this sense of community that is so crucial.
Another aspect that is offered to provide a sense of community is a school-wide program that directly involves the students. At Reedy Creek Elementary there is a news team that is run by a group of students. This groups changes over the school year, which allows interested students to anchor news stories that involve events that are occurring at Reedy Creek. I believe this a wonderful way for students to feel connected to their school, which allows students to believe that they have a major part in what is going on, again offering them a sense of community.
Overall, Ms. Reifler’s class is given opportunities through various forms that offer students with the ability to feel safe, secure, and welcomed. It is evident in her classroom that she does care about her students and that she does want them to feel safe, secure, and welcomed. However, I do believe some students are lacking these things because Ms. Reifler may overlook some of her students. While it is not clear whether this is intentional or not, I have learned a great deal about how I should really begin to think and process how I will combat the tendency to overlook some of my students. I am grateful to have the opportunity to see first hand how this is a very important issue that should be addressed in classrooms. Through my field experience I have been able to really observe how this issue should be at the forefront of my mind as a teacher. Every student should be cared for and welcomed so there is a sense of community within the classroom.
Relfection 2
It is important to build a sense of belonging in your classroom in order to help engage students. Teachers should strive to create an atmosphere that is safe, efficient, welcoming and effective. Much of our reading focuses on this characteristic of a classroom. It describes the importance of using positive nonverbal communication, and getting to know your students. Building a classroom community should be a priority to all teachers because students learn best when they feel safe enough to take learning risks. This semester I am working in a third grade classroom at Swift Creek Elementary. Swift Creek takes great pride in their students and the school’s mission statement reflects that, “provide a challenging learning environment that will enable students to become successful, confident, and productive citizens”.
Swift Creek uses interesting methods in order to create a community. Morning meetings are video-recorded or given over the speakers by the principle. He acknowledges students birthdays, what to expect for the week, and shows items from the lost and found. Every meeting is concluded with the schools’ behavior policy, “ROAR”. The principle spells out R-O-A-R and the students respond with: “R-Respect, O-On the Path to Success, A-Act Responsible, R-Remember Self-Control”. Finally, the principle ends with: “What year will you graduate?” I respect this method of community-building because it is easy, efficient, repetitive, and gives student’s a sense of value and success (even if it’s subconscious).
Swift Creek does implement their school-wide behavior policy, but my SBTE also has her own set of policies within her classroom. Third graders need to feel important and responsible in order to help ensure learning. Third graders are becoming increasingly independent and need to be trusted with responsibility. As important as this is, it could also prove disastrous. In the third grade class I am observing, there is a student with Aspergers syndrome whom has difficulty in many social situations. He often speaks out in class and makes it difficult to hold a disciplined classroom. However, our SBTE has helped this student make remarkable improvements in the simple procedures she demonstrates in her classroom. For this classroom management, she focuses namely on practicing self-control and proper listening skills. She has posters of their classroom contract hanging on the walls which state that students will treat each other with respect, use their inside voices, stay in control of their bodies, etc. Similar to the “ROAR” behavior policy, our SBTE has found this beneficial to creating an academic environment.
Our SBTE has also assigned various jobs for students throughout the school day. The student with Aspergers syndrome is assigned to reveal the word-of-the-day to his peers every morning. Students are very accepting of his situation and allow him this special job. Also during morning meeting, one student is chosen to pick the greeting for the day and allowed to bring in pictures for sharing. Two students are asked to be the door-holders throughout the week. One student is asked to pass out or collect the library wands when entering or leaving the library. There are many other small jobs that are assigned to students that help create a sense of responsibility and community within this classroom. Judging by the way the students carry themselves in the classroom, I can see that these students feel safe in their classroom community and would be willing to take learning risks, which is ultimately the goal.
Swift Creek uses interesting methods in order to create a community. Morning meetings are video-recorded or given over the speakers by the principle. He acknowledges students birthdays, what to expect for the week, and shows items from the lost and found. Every meeting is concluded with the schools’ behavior policy, “ROAR”. The principle spells out R-O-A-R and the students respond with: “R-Respect, O-On the Path to Success, A-Act Responsible, R-Remember Self-Control”. Finally, the principle ends with: “What year will you graduate?” I respect this method of community-building because it is easy, efficient, repetitive, and gives student’s a sense of value and success (even if it’s subconscious).
Swift Creek does implement their school-wide behavior policy, but my SBTE also has her own set of policies within her classroom. Third graders need to feel important and responsible in order to help ensure learning. Third graders are becoming increasingly independent and need to be trusted with responsibility. As important as this is, it could also prove disastrous. In the third grade class I am observing, there is a student with Aspergers syndrome whom has difficulty in many social situations. He often speaks out in class and makes it difficult to hold a disciplined classroom. However, our SBTE has helped this student make remarkable improvements in the simple procedures she demonstrates in her classroom. For this classroom management, she focuses namely on practicing self-control and proper listening skills. She has posters of their classroom contract hanging on the walls which state that students will treat each other with respect, use their inside voices, stay in control of their bodies, etc. Similar to the “ROAR” behavior policy, our SBTE has found this beneficial to creating an academic environment.
Our SBTE has also assigned various jobs for students throughout the school day. The student with Aspergers syndrome is assigned to reveal the word-of-the-day to his peers every morning. Students are very accepting of his situation and allow him this special job. Also during morning meeting, one student is chosen to pick the greeting for the day and allowed to bring in pictures for sharing. Two students are asked to be the door-holders throughout the week. One student is asked to pass out or collect the library wands when entering or leaving the library. There are many other small jobs that are assigned to students that help create a sense of responsibility and community within this classroom. Judging by the way the students carry themselves in the classroom, I can see that these students feel safe in their classroom community and would be willing to take learning risks, which is ultimately the goal.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Stephanie Forsythe Reflection 2
Classroom Community
Classroom community is a very important aspect at Briarcliff Elementary School and in Ms. Hunter’s classroom. The school is very social and inviting. Students, teachers, and administration all mingle together in the hallways all during the day. The school is very welcoming from the very moment you walk in.
Briarcliff is a school that believes in communication and an atmosphere where parents and staff know the teachers and administration at the school. When all of us as interns first arrived we were greeted at the door by the school assistant principal. A bulletin board was made with all of or picture and names introducing and greeting us to the school.
The school creates a very safe atmosphere for their students. Teachers watch the hallways and reward good behavior when deserved. The carpool lane is even made as safely as possible by having students opening doors for fellow students and a teacher outside monitoring and making sure that students are safe and that in the afternoon the correct students are sent home in the correct cars. Teachers always lead their classes from place to place and doors are locked to keep the school as safe as possible.
Ms. Hunter’s classroom is very inviting. Each morning she greets her class at the door and first thing in the morning before beginning the day. Ms. Hunter allows her students to see her “human” side, not just her “teacher” side. She talks with her kids sometimes about her favorite place being the beach and lying on a hammock. Her kids tease her about it sometimes and feel comfortable doing so. Ms. Hunter is very good at modeling good and non discriminating behaviors.
Ms. Hunter does many group activities that allows her students to work in smaller groups that allows them to get to know one another better. She changes the students within each group each time and allows for students to help one another. Ms. Hunter also encourages students to solve problems on their own. She tells her students that unless they are hurt, being hurt, sick, or feel that it is a situation with another student that they just can not handle on their own then they are responsible enough to talk things out and work on things on their own. I find this very important because it teaches a life skill that students will use for their whole life.
The classroom community at Briarcliff and Ms. Hunters class shows an effort of reaching out to parents and their surrounding community. Students feel safe in their school and classroom to communicate and share their ideas. They both promote a positive learning environment.
Classroom community is a very important aspect at Briarcliff Elementary School and in Ms. Hunter’s classroom. The school is very social and inviting. Students, teachers, and administration all mingle together in the hallways all during the day. The school is very welcoming from the very moment you walk in.
Briarcliff is a school that believes in communication and an atmosphere where parents and staff know the teachers and administration at the school. When all of us as interns first arrived we were greeted at the door by the school assistant principal. A bulletin board was made with all of or picture and names introducing and greeting us to the school.
The school creates a very safe atmosphere for their students. Teachers watch the hallways and reward good behavior when deserved. The carpool lane is even made as safely as possible by having students opening doors for fellow students and a teacher outside monitoring and making sure that students are safe and that in the afternoon the correct students are sent home in the correct cars. Teachers always lead their classes from place to place and doors are locked to keep the school as safe as possible.
Ms. Hunter’s classroom is very inviting. Each morning she greets her class at the door and first thing in the morning before beginning the day. Ms. Hunter allows her students to see her “human” side, not just her “teacher” side. She talks with her kids sometimes about her favorite place being the beach and lying on a hammock. Her kids tease her about it sometimes and feel comfortable doing so. Ms. Hunter is very good at modeling good and non discriminating behaviors.
Ms. Hunter does many group activities that allows her students to work in smaller groups that allows them to get to know one another better. She changes the students within each group each time and allows for students to help one another. Ms. Hunter also encourages students to solve problems on their own. She tells her students that unless they are hurt, being hurt, sick, or feel that it is a situation with another student that they just can not handle on their own then they are responsible enough to talk things out and work on things on their own. I find this very important because it teaches a life skill that students will use for their whole life.
The classroom community at Briarcliff and Ms. Hunters class shows an effort of reaching out to parents and their surrounding community. Students feel safe in their school and classroom to communicate and share their ideas. They both promote a positive learning environment.
One aspect of community that has been created in our classroom is taped on the front door of the room. The students can write positive things on paw prints(their school mascot is the cougar) that their classmates have done. If a child notices another doing something good, they can write in on a paw and post it on the door. This encourages the other students in the classroom which creates community among the children.
In our class, the students made a pledge with the teacher and the teacher also made a pledge with the students. In their pledges they made oaths to each other regarding respect, hard work and dedication. I believe that having this type of allegiance constructs a great community within the classroom. It builds trust from teacher to student and also student to student. Having a solid foundation in a classroom benefits everyone in the academic community.
At the school, they have a “ROAR” policy. This stands for respect, on the path to success, act responsibly and remember self control. Having these guidelines gives the students a clear reminder of how they need to be acting in the school. These give the school a sense of community because the students all know these regulations and are reminded of them daily as they state them together as a school in unity.
I am sure that as I spend more time in the school and classroom I will learn more of how the community is built. I am looking forward to finding ways to bind a group of students together as a community.
In our class, the students made a pledge with the teacher and the teacher also made a pledge with the students. In their pledges they made oaths to each other regarding respect, hard work and dedication. I believe that having this type of allegiance constructs a great community within the classroom. It builds trust from teacher to student and also student to student. Having a solid foundation in a classroom benefits everyone in the academic community.
At the school, they have a “ROAR” policy. This stands for respect, on the path to success, act responsibly and remember self control. Having these guidelines gives the students a clear reminder of how they need to be acting in the school. These give the school a sense of community because the students all know these regulations and are reminded of them daily as they state them together as a school in unity.
I am sure that as I spend more time in the school and classroom I will learn more of how the community is built. I am looking forward to finding ways to bind a group of students together as a community.
Reflection #2
I think that one of the great challenges of teaching is being able to cater to all the many different needs of your students. It is so important that each of your students feel welcomed and comfortable when they come into your classroom each day. I think that the more comfortable a student feels in their classroom, the more they will want to succeed and get from that class. It’s important that students know that their classroom is a judge free environment where they are safe to share thoughts and reflect. The teacher’s job is to make the students feel comfortable in the classroom and set an example for what is appropriate. From what I have noticed in my field experience, Ms. Patrick does a really job at creating a sense of community within the classroom.
One of the first things I noticed about Ms. Patrick is the great amount of sarcasm she uses with her students. Although this is something that I would not do in my classroom as much as she does, I think that for Ms. Patrick and her students, it seems to work. She is very sarcastic with her students and is always calling out certain kids to add some humor to her lessons. At first I found this to be very inappropriate. I think of fifth graders to be in their “awkward stage” and not having very high self esteem because of that. When I heard Ms. Patrick joking with her students and calling some of them out for embarrassing things, I worried that it could make their self-esteem issues even worse. After talking to Ms. Patrick more and getting to know her students better, I have noticed that this is not the case. By now, Ms. Patrick knows her students very well. She knows which students can take a joke like that and which ones can’t handle her sarcasm. She also told me that her students let her know before class if they are having a bad day and might not want to be joked with. As I said, I do not see myself being so sarcastic with my students; however, I think that Ms. Patrick’s relationship with her students enables her to joke with them this way. I can tell that her students really do respect her and enjoy her humor. I think that the reason I was so surprised when I first heard her calling her students out is because last semester when I was in a kindergarten classroom, that would have been completely inappropriate.
I do think that Ms. Patrick does a great job at making her students feel comfortable in her classroom. Before class starts in the morning, she is almost always in the hallway talking to the students as they walk in. I think it is very important for a teacher to address his or her students as they come in so they feel welcomed and comfortable. It is very evident to me that Ms. Patrick’s students do feel quite comfortable in her classroom. Her students do not seem to be shy when it comes to speaking out in class or asking questions. Ms. Patrick has done a good job at showing her students that they are free to ask questions and that they shouldn’t feel embarrassed. In fact, with one of her classes, she has a limit on the amount of questions her students can ask because they ask so many. I think it is great that her students feel so comfortable with her that they can open up and feel okay with talking in front of their peers.
I have not noticed any instances where the students do activities to get to know one another better but they all seem to get along and have good relations. Since they are fifth graders, most of them have been together since kindergarten, which makes it easier to feel comfortable. I think that this class has a great sense of classroom community. They seem to know when it is appropriate to joke and have fun but also when it is time to be serious. Ms. Patrick, although she is extremely sarcastic, is also very authoritative. She definitely knows how to keep her class in line and on task. I think that part of the reason Ms. Patrick’s class seems to be so close is because they can joke around with one another with out taking it overboard. Their class seems to be a healthy mixture of learning while having fun at the same time. I have enjoyed seeing how Ms. Patrick has built this amount of community in her classroom.
One of the first things I noticed about Ms. Patrick is the great amount of sarcasm she uses with her students. Although this is something that I would not do in my classroom as much as she does, I think that for Ms. Patrick and her students, it seems to work. She is very sarcastic with her students and is always calling out certain kids to add some humor to her lessons. At first I found this to be very inappropriate. I think of fifth graders to be in their “awkward stage” and not having very high self esteem because of that. When I heard Ms. Patrick joking with her students and calling some of them out for embarrassing things, I worried that it could make their self-esteem issues even worse. After talking to Ms. Patrick more and getting to know her students better, I have noticed that this is not the case. By now, Ms. Patrick knows her students very well. She knows which students can take a joke like that and which ones can’t handle her sarcasm. She also told me that her students let her know before class if they are having a bad day and might not want to be joked with. As I said, I do not see myself being so sarcastic with my students; however, I think that Ms. Patrick’s relationship with her students enables her to joke with them this way. I can tell that her students really do respect her and enjoy her humor. I think that the reason I was so surprised when I first heard her calling her students out is because last semester when I was in a kindergarten classroom, that would have been completely inappropriate.
I do think that Ms. Patrick does a great job at making her students feel comfortable in her classroom. Before class starts in the morning, she is almost always in the hallway talking to the students as they walk in. I think it is very important for a teacher to address his or her students as they come in so they feel welcomed and comfortable. It is very evident to me that Ms. Patrick’s students do feel quite comfortable in her classroom. Her students do not seem to be shy when it comes to speaking out in class or asking questions. Ms. Patrick has done a good job at showing her students that they are free to ask questions and that they shouldn’t feel embarrassed. In fact, with one of her classes, she has a limit on the amount of questions her students can ask because they ask so many. I think it is great that her students feel so comfortable with her that they can open up and feel okay with talking in front of their peers.
I have not noticed any instances where the students do activities to get to know one another better but they all seem to get along and have good relations. Since they are fifth graders, most of them have been together since kindergarten, which makes it easier to feel comfortable. I think that this class has a great sense of classroom community. They seem to know when it is appropriate to joke and have fun but also when it is time to be serious. Ms. Patrick, although she is extremely sarcastic, is also very authoritative. She definitely knows how to keep her class in line and on task. I think that part of the reason Ms. Patrick’s class seems to be so close is because they can joke around with one another with out taking it overboard. Their class seems to be a healthy mixture of learning while having fun at the same time. I have enjoyed seeing how Ms. Patrick has built this amount of community in her classroom.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
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