RFE 3-Amanda Jones

My school works really hard to create a sense of community and such within the classroom and school. When you walk into Aversboro, you are greeted by the car monitors, outside directing cars and students where to go. Once you enter the school, there are brightly colored walls, colorful tiles on the floor to direct which areas on which to walk, and posters and artwork lining your way down the hallways. I think it’s really neat that all the teachers make a point to decorate the area outside of their classrooms so there is constantly changing displays throughout the school. Once you reach the second floor, where the 5th grade is located, the décor changes somewhat, with more writing incorporated on the outside. One of the things I noticed that I really like about Aversboro is that every main corner and bathroom there is a white piece of paper matted on a yellow sheet of cardstock. The paper states all the teachers that are first aid and CPR certified within the school and what room they are in. I think that this is a great idea, and one that I have never noticed in another school before. I think this builds a great sense of community because it builds a sense of safety.
Our principal steps in almost every time we visit the classroom. I have seen him appear in all three teachers classrooms that I observe, and he is always there with a smile and a PDA. He takes “5-minute observations” on the teachers and records them for further discussion. I think this is neat because it shows how easily he fits in with the students, and having an incorporated principal is a very important thing.
Our teachers make it a very open and welcoming atmosphere at Aversboro. They incorporate their own style into their individual classrooms and when they are together, it shows how comfortable they are with one another. Together, they make up the three typical stereotypes of a teacher, but they work so well that it’s hardly noticeable. My teacher has a very colorful and decorated classroom, with the class rules posted where all can see them. Her desk is covered in artwork, pictures, and papers. She leaves her door open so that others may drop in and say hello, she can pop out to ask the other teachers questions, and to be more open to the school community as a whole. I think the school and our teachers all together do a great job of incorporating and creating a sense of classroom and school community.