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Domain Two: Classroom Environment
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The tone I aim to set in my classroom is one of a positive and encouraging environment. A place where students feel comfortable to take risks and make mistakes. I view my class as a community, or team. A place where students learn from each other and celebrate their diversity. One expectation I have for my students is to respect their peers, classroom, the teacher and themselves. In order to create a class community where everyone feels comfortable to learn, we must first show each other kindness and respect our differences. The following artifacts exhibit my experience with classroom environment and demonstrate the culture I hope to establish with my future students.
Domain 2: Classroom Environment
Supervisor Observations
My supervisor from the college saw me teach more than ten times over the course of the semester. After each meeting we would conference to talk about what went well and what could be improved. She would also submit written feedback to me. Her comments speak to the classroom environment I created. My supervisor commented on the relationship of mutual respect between my students and myself. She called the classroom a cognitively busy place, but notes that little time was lost to transitions. The records of her observations show my ability to create a positive classroom environment.
2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
Kidwatching Interview
While completing a kidwatching project, I got to conduct an interview about reading and writing with one of my students. I learned a lot about her as a student and how she viewed herself and her strengths and weaknesses. I feel that this interview shows the relationship I build with my students and the respect and rapport we have. The student was not only comfortable discussing the questions with me, but talking about when she struggles and her strengths and weaknesses. She felt that sitting with me was a safe and judgement free space.
2b: Creating a Culture for Learning
Hallway Displays of Student Work
During my student teaching placement, I had the oppurtunity to create multiple hallway displays of student work. I believe that displaying student work for visitors and others in the school is important because it promotes pride in student work. Not only are you sending students the message that you want to show off their work, but students can feel pride that something they created is visible for others in the school to see. Student work was displayed during Parent's Day, Grandparent's Day and conferences, allowing students to share what they had created with family members. Displays included math splashes, grandparent acrostics and a Teamology display with aspects from different character lessons.
2d: Managing Student Behavior
Seating Chart
I created the November seating chart for my student teaching placement. I kept the same desk arrangement, but changed who sat next to each other. There was lots to consider when making the seating arrangements including who worked well on their own, behavior concerns, who needs to sit near the front and academics. There are some students who sat on their own, because they work better by themselves. There were others who had a seat partner. These students were grouped by who is least likely to talk to one another, who students had not sat next to before and who usually did not work together or interact. While it was not the biggest factor, academics did play a small role in some of my choices. I put some of our gifted students with others who struggled and I thought could benefit from their help on group work.
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