Hannah Hedgecock - RFE 3

Underwood Elementary and its faculty and staff work hard to create a sense of community. Students at this school feel like they are welcome and an integral part of making the school a success. Since Underwood is a magnet school, students are given options of which electives they want to take. I feel like this creates a sense of community because students feel like they have a say in what they learn. If students are allowed to pursue their own interests, they will be more devoted to their learning. Everyone at Underwood also seems to be very welcoming and friendly. The office staff has spoken to me each time I have entered the building. This is different from the partnership school where I was placed last semester. I feel like I am appreciated at Underwood, and I feel like the students must feel the same way. I have noticed that the student council at Underwood is very active. At many elementary schools, the student council does not really do anything to help. I have seen several projects put on by the student council in my short time at Underwood Elementary. They headed up a project where you could buy valentines for your friend, and the money raised went to a charity organization. The student council makes efforts to truly represent the rest of the student body, and they try to include the student body as a whole in their projects. The student council members also function as tour guides for visiting families. These students are given an opportunity to represent their school. I have never seen this done at an elementary school, but I feel like it makes the students feel that they really matter. They feel needed to make the school run smoothly. The principal is also very approachable and supportive. She requested that each of us come talk to her personally. I feel that this creates a sense of community because I know that she is busy, but she is taking the time out of her day to talk to future teachers. The school creates a warm environment with the lively colors that are displayed. Student artwork is also displayed throughout the halls. This shows students that their work is important and appreciated. Students feel a sense of pride to see their work displayed for others to see.
I also feel that there is a sense of community within the classroom that I observe, but I feel like my SBTE uses unconventional methods for establishing classroom community. It is suggested in most textbooks that teachers stand at the door of the classroom to greet students as they enter the room. My teacher does not do this, and he even told me that he feels like that is silly. He creates a sense of classroom community through individualized and small group instruction. Through this type of instruction, he is able to work closely with students and cater to their individual learning needs. I feel that this enables my SBTE to monitor what his students know and do not know. I would guess that there are probably very few students who are lost in the class without the SBTE knowing it. Students are often paired up for their morning work. Each student reads about a different topic, and they share what they have learned with each other. The SBTE then calls students to the front of the room to share what they learned with from their partner. I think this creates a sense of community because the partner knows that what they shared was listened to and valued.
Overall, I feel that my classroom and Underwood as a whole have made sufficient efforts to establish classroom community. Students are made to feel welcome and that they are part of the group. This group functions much like a family in that each person has responsibilities and a role to play.