My Partnership School and third grade classroom focus on developing community within the classroom and extending to the community which include its students, faculty, parents, and others in the community. This community is a group that supports one another in learning and other aspects of schooling. It is obvious that the school and my classroom strive for community because it is promoted daily throughout the halls and classrooms. From the announcements to the routines set by the teacher that support classroom community, this elementary school is indeed achieving classroom community.
My Partnership School provides many opportunities to build classroom community. I feel that this elementary school has set an expectation to achieve such community. I say this because I have heard the words ‘community’ flow from the principal’s voice on morning announcements. During this announcement the principal was encouraging students and their parents to attend parent’s night because he said that it would ‘build community’. Extending classroom community to parents is essential because parents often want to take part in their child’s schooling and this is a way to keep them up to date on their child’s education success and needs. I think that community built within schools has many benefits. For instance, the students feel safe. I believe that all students should view school as a safe place. This safe feeling will aide in the academic aspect of schooling because when students feel safe they are more comfortable and therefore, can be in mode to think about learning rather than their safety. With that said, the rules set by my Partnership School contribute to classroom community. Because rules are set to keep students safe and provide an atmosphere for learning, the school has an aroma of being a comfortable place in which the students are cared for and achieve. Another aspect in which this school has a sense of classroom community is its high expectations for achievement. This school rewards high achievers by giving students a fun pass for Friday. When students know that people are rooting for their success I believe that they feel supported, or better words feel as if they belong to a classroom community of support.
Aside from building school-wide classroom community my third grade classroom has a grasp on classroom community. My teacher emphasized the need for classroom community and made it a goal at the very beginning of the school year. A few of her tactics for building classroom community include holding morning meeting, being warm and receptive to her students, and establishing procedures for students to follow. During morning meeting the students greet one another and the teacher communicates the schedule and expectations for the day. The greeting involves all students, which is important for building classroom community because all students feel cared for and supported equally. When the teacher communicates the schedule and expectations during morning meeting the students know how to act and go through the day; this establishes comfort in students which contributes to a feeling of being in a classroom community. The teacher herself has a personality that is warm and caring. Once again the teacher is communicating that she cares for them and has expectations for academic achievement. All these things contribute to the overall community that is built into the classroom. Lastly, I have read a lot in class about setting procedures in the classroom. I have realized that my teacher has done a good job of this and, in effect has generated students that are non-disruptive and comfortable because they ‘know the drill’. When looking at all the tactics that my teacher uses to build classroom community I can tell that they work because the students seem comfortable, successful, trusting and respectful to one another. I have made a conclusion that it is important to start building classroom community on the very first day of school. The first days of school are stressful and getting over this obstacle will bring about trust in the classroom and result in a classroom community.
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ReplyDeleteI'm glad you noticed that the procedures your teacher set up as aided in the development of students who 'know the drill'. When students understand what is expected of them and know what they are to be doing at each point in the day, they feel comfortable in the classroom. This comfort, as you mentioned, encourages student achievemtn and reduces the behavior problems that teachers whithout procedures deal with.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very interesting that your school has Fun Firday. I think this is a great way to award the students for doing good work. I think that the teachers at me school should incorporate this into their classrooms because the students do not do homework. Maybe this would give the students motivation.
ReplyDeleteMindy, I think that the 'Fun Friday' is really neat! Having down time for students, I feel, is a great way to help create and maintain the sense of community. I also agree that when students 'know the drill' they are able to feel more comfort in their surroundings, as well as a sense of belonging. Your teacher having the morning meeting and being warm and receptive to her students is a wonderful way to build a classroom community. Students need to feel at ease so that they can be eager to learn. your school and classroom seem like they have done a great job of building a sense of community!
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