RFE 3- Jenna Gilreath

I am at Underwood Elementary in a 5th grade classroom. Being at this school which is a magnet has been a new and great opportunity. From the first day I walked into the school and all the time I have spent there I can tell that they have a great sense of community school wide. The receptionist at Underwood is very nice. Every time I walk in she greets me with a smile, and asks how I am doing. When I leave she will smile and say goodbye. I have sat in the waiting area there before and everyone who comes in and out she treats the same with a warm smile, and conversation. She seems to recognize a lot of the students that pass through. She is very helpful if you have a question. I have also met some other faculty members there that have been very friendly and helpful. While walking in the hall either to my classroom or to another place in the school the people I pass also smile and say hello. I have wondered if that is something they are required or highly encouraged to do. It is great to always smile and say hello, because it makes visitors like myself, and the parents and other people who may happen to be there feel comfortable and welcome. I love the librarian at Underwood. She is so flexible, and extremely knowledgeable. She will help with whatever she can. Since Underwood is a magnet school they have electives school wide. My teacher teaches an elective called Cinderella around the World. I can tell that the girls that are in this class love Cinderella and are actively engaged and learning. I have also seen some of the elective that the students in my class are taking, and there is something for everyone. I think that the electives create a great community for the school. Not only are the students and teachers interacting with the students and teachers from the whole school, but the students are excited about what they are learning. They got to choose their electives so they value their elective time, because it is what they are really interested in and want to know more about. My SBTE teacher has also created a great classroom community. It is obvious that she cares for the students, and she wants them to succeed. She talks to the students in the morning when they arrive. I have seen her pull many students aside to give them extra help, or to see what may be on their mind. She is great at making sure that everyone has a fair and equal amount of time to finish up work, and projects. She has presents herself in a way that the students feel comfortable to talk to her about things. The students are very comfortable in asking her how to do a problem correctly if they have missed it. She will try and multiple ways to explain the problem to them so that they will find a method that works for them. They know that she is their friend, but more importantly they respect her as their teacher. I think that the students all like each other, and are always willing to help their neighbor. My SBTE also has created classroom community in her elective class. I think that it is great to see that because I was there when this elective started. I thought that is may be hard or take awhile because they wouldn't be students that she would know. Because Underwood does electives that are school wide, my teacher already knew some of the students, and they got to know her and her policies. I hope that I can work at a school like Underwood that has established great community, and also in my own classroom establish a community with a welcoming environment for my students to learn and succeed.