First Week Reflections

September 19, 2011October 17, 2011 Sangeeta.McAuley Classroom Layouts, Classroom Management, Diverse Learning Needs, First Week Reflections, General, Professional Learning and Growth

Choice in the learning environment

Returning to the classroom after working at a central level for 6 years has been an awesome experience so far…I feel like a beginning teacher all over again!

One of the interesting questions that I thought about when planning my first week had to do with choice: how do we know when to involve our students in decision-making and which decisions need to be more teacher-driven?

So, I set out to experiment on the first day of school, by letting my Grade 4 students determine which configuration would work best for the classroom desks. I knew this experiment would tell me a lot about my students, such as their problem-solving skills and how they worked together with their classmates.

It was a new feeling for me, always having had student desks already set up for the first day!

To prepare, I came up with some conditions:

-certain areas were to remain as they were (e.g., the reading corner, the conference area, my desk)

-each group had to present their model and the thinking behind it

-the desks were to be arranged in groups, but the number at each group could vary (e.g., there could be some groups of 6 and some groups of 3)

-they would need to include a space where students could go to work quietly on their own, if needed

-when we add to the room (e.g., new students, a SMARTBOARD, etc.), we may need to revisit the plan

After sharing these conditions on a chart with my class, they organized themselves into groups and set off to plan! It was exciting to see how each group had their own unique style. One group first calculated how many students we had and thus, how groupings could work. Two other groups drew in the conditions first, then planned from there.

Would I do this again? Absolutely!

I learned that as teachers we cannot underestimate our students’ capabilities. Giving them choice in creating their classroom environment empowered my students and the interest they took in actually moving the desks to reflect the plan we chose was amazing to watch.

The fact that I had written the conditions ahead of time led me to realize my students benefitted from knowing that sometimes when we make choices, there are structures and boundaries we need to work within…

Next up, settting up our reading corner!!!

September 17, 2011October 17, 2011 Roz.Geridis Building Inclusion, Classroom Management, First Week Reflections, Learning About Your Students

I feel like a beginning teacher again!

I am new to my school and was out of a classroom for a few years. Finding resources (which I know are in the building), getting to know staff and the school culture, and starting the school year have been an exciting and great experience. I have an all boys grade 5/6 class. Many colleagues wanted to give me information about the boys but I asked for the information to be about the class as a whole with no names to be shared. I really wanted the boys to have a fresh start to the school year. Since I did know the boys did not feel very good about their learning abilities and have all been together since grade one, the first week was very important to me (and to the students). We did a variety of activities to building inclusion, develop a learning environment for the boys to feel safe enough to learn in the classroom, and setting the classroom management routine.

The week before school started, I mailed out a card introducing myself and asking the boys to bring their ideas for our classroom. This is the theme I have used throughout the two weeks, it is not my classroom it is ours. The kids have really taken to that philosophy and enjoy making classroom decisions. We have a class name “Funky Monkeys”, the boys are researching pets (I gave them a maximum of $100 budget), and we have Ms. G’s bucks where they can purchase new pencils/erasers (to replace lost ones), field trips, fun afternoon off, and I am sure a few more ideas will develop throughout the school year. I have set up the bucks in $3, $4, $6, $7 to help with multiplication for many of the boys. We still have to figure out how much for each of the rewards but the boys have begun to pool their money together for a field trip. It is very interesting to watch a bank concept develop.

An early routine to help with classroom management is classroom rules, which are referred to regularly and utilized. Looking back at my first week reflection, I would like to share a great lesson I completed in relation to classroom rules. I started off the activity by giving the boys post it notes and asking them to write one rule on each post it. The boys were then asked to post the rules on the whiteboard. We then went through each of them (some were really silly, we all just laughed) and grouped the rules in similar piles. Interestingly, the kids had come up with six topics, which will lead us to the six rules. You want to keep the number of rules to five or six. Even less for primary students. We then identified each pile with a title or lead word. I then read a story to them about school rules (a variety of titles are out there and ask your librarian for an age appropriate recommendation) which led us to develop some sample rules. We started with the title or lead word and the boys gave me some sample rules, in positive language. I did have to guide the process of positive language through examples. Once everyone gave their ideas, we looked at all the rules on the board and combined rules where we could. Then we talked about rules being very specific or big enough to include many aspects. For example, respect people when talking, respect other people’s cultures led to respect others. Once we were down to two suggestions, we voted on the rule to keep. This process took three days. It is very important for the students to have ownership of the rules in order to follow them. Once the rules were developed, we started referring to them right away. This week, I overheard students reminding each other of the rules.

Classroom management is not included in the curriculum but is equally important in teaching. You need the students attention in order to teach. Take the time to invest in building an inclusive environment, involve your students and really enjoy the start of the school year. This is the best time to get to know your students; have fun with it.

September 17, 2011October 17, 2011 Carmen.Oliveira Building Inclusion, First Week Reflections

Coming Together With Our Class Motto

Cooperatively working together to create a set of beliefs and promises shared by a class using a class motto is a powerful experience that serves as a foundation for a positive and meaningful learning environment. Creating a class motto is one of my favourite moments as I look back at my teaching career. Every year, it proves to be a very meaningful activity that always brings the students together and creates a sense of pride from the moment the motto is said as a class.

During our first week, I had the students work in groups and use graffiti as a strategy to write their ideas about what they believe our classroom should look, feel, and sound like. This is an activity from the “Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning” which I have successfully used with my classes every year. Groups then discuss the ideas they brainstormed about their ideal classroom and begin sharing and deciding on the ones they believe are most important. As a class, we create a list using a graphic organizer and then regroup once more to come up with principles that will bring about the feelings, sounds, and “look” of our dream classroom. This is how our A-Team Classroom Code of Conduct (the class voted on the title) is created. As part of their daily reflection question in their journal, students choose which principle is most important to them. This year the overwhelming choice was “We have a ton of fun exploring and learning.”

Our class motto then comes together using the three or four most important principles from our Class Code of Conduct. These are voted on by the students. When it is all said and done, we sit back and proudly read it aloud together. It is one of those moments in the school year that I most treasure. Each day, after morning announcements and the national anthem, we repeat our A-Team Class Motto and then dive into having a ton of fun exploring and learning!

The A Team Code of Conduct

A Team Class Motto

September 11, 2011October 17, 2011 Alison.Board Before School Starts, Building Inclusion, Classroom Layouts, First Week Reflections, Learning About Your Students

Starting Anew

Every school year is an opportunity for a new start for all teachers. Whether it is getting to know new students, new staff and teaching partners, or even a new classroom. This September I am experiencing all three, and after the first week of school I am just beginning to reflect on all the change. I am welcoming the renewed energy (after a very relaxing summer) and the challenges that teaching brings.

In the last week of August, I took the time to think about the classroom environment and what changes I could make to create an inviting and inclusive environment for the children and for me. Although it is a Grade one and two class, I want the students to have areas/learning centres that will encourage inquiry and collaboration. So, I started with a new layout that includes a reading corner, an art studio, and a math centre using cozy corners and spaces with shelving along the walls. Then I made two groups of six desks, one group of four desks, and added two round tables (I would have preferred round tables for all the students, but had to improvise with what was available). There is a place for individual book bins and pencil/materials trays for the students to access easily, so they don’t have to keep anything in their desks (allowing for flexible seating throughout the day). On the first day of school, I let the children sit wherever they want and place their “portable” name card at their desired spot. It was interesting to observe that all of the children, except one, kept the same seat all week!

Our first weeks together in Room 3 are important for creating an inclusive space and building our classroom community. We are learning about one another with Tribes activities, such as passing an inflatable globe and sharing “What’s important in my world?” Last week, we read the book One, by Kathryn Otoshi, which recognizes differences and encourages kindness and inclusion (already deemed a favourite by the kids). In their tribes, the children used watercolour paints to demonstrate their own feelings and connections to colour. These paintings are displayed in the classroom to remind us of our own similarities and differences. Otoshi’s book continued to inspire us through the week as we shared personal experiences about feelings at the carpet before writing about them in our Writing Workshop.

Despite a few hiccups for the grade ones learning new routines and adapting to a full day of school (a few tears at lunch time), I think the first week was a good first step for the new school year.