Happy 4th of July weekend!
Here's the next blog question...
Please list your top 5 "ingredients" for an active learning classroom environment including a brief rational for each.
Then finish the following prompts as thoroughly as you can knowing ideas can change daily (hourly in some cases:)
I believe children need...
I believe teachers should...
I believe schools should...
See you next week!
Zalika
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Well, I cannot figure out how to become a contributor, and rather than get annoyed, I'll just post this as a comment instead.
ReplyDeleteTop 5 Ingredients for an Active Classroom:
1. Community.
People learn best from each other. A supportive community raises confident and curious learners. When people are connected within a larger social unit, they have access to a variety of experiences and relationships that encourages development. Teachers, students and families all benefit from the support provided by the sense of community.
2. Resources/ Access.
Classrooms with an abundance of resources have the greatest opportunities to explore and develop the passion for learning. Resources do not mean financial, although money in classrooms would be nice. Families and people in the community can bring in a wealth of abilities, including time and skills to share with the class. Well-researched and passionate educators can perhaps be the greatest resource for their classrooms. Knowing how to tap into the community to access things for your classroom provides many opportunities for your students.
3. Investment.
I’m not sure how to word this, but by investment I refer to the amount of effort that educators put into their students plays a large role in what students are going to give to the classrooms.
4. Relevance.
If our classrooms are connected to the issues that directly relate to the lives of our students, the more likely students are to play an active role in learning. Relevance validates the experiences of our students and encourages them to then give to the community in which they are learning.
5. Respect.
I think this is pretty obvious, but a lot of classrooms seem to be missing this aspect of active learning all together. Respect creates the safe environment necessary for healthy, engaged learning.
I believe students should…
Come to school with a sense of responsibility and purpose. Students should be challenged and encouraged to explore. Students should feel needed and valued.
I believe teachers should…
Consider their students first when crafting their classroom environments. Teachers need to be flexible and considerate. Teachers need to have a strong sense purpose and imagination. Above all teachers need to show their students that they are valued as individuals and contributing members to their classrooms.
I believe schools should…
Support their educators. Schools need to encourage unity and promote safety within their buildings and neighborhoods. Schools need to value and tend to the needs of the students, the families and the staff.
These ingredients and the “I believe” statements come from where I am right now, but I know that as time progresses, I will reconsider all of the above statements.
1. Great books and lots of them.
ReplyDeleteChildren’s literature is sometimes over simplified because many people believe that children need things watered down but I don’t really think that is true. I think children need lots of great examples of wonderful books that will shape the way they write and think. Right now I am reading Crash by Jerry Spinelli. It’s such a well-crafted, engaging story with an incredibly important message. He is an accessible, thoughtful author who obviously knows what good thinking children are capable of.
2. A place to sit together in a circle.
This is regardless of age. I believe in this idea of “learning communities” which I know sounds a little cheesy, but it’s the phrase I’m going to use. Communities need a place to be together, to meet, a place where everyone can see each other and students can hash out problems and ask questions. It could be a rug or maybe just a cozy area.
3. Lots of questions.
There should always be lots of questions, questions to inspire thinking, questions to discuss as a group, questions from home, questions about the world, questions for the teacher, questions from the teacher. Classrooms are place of curiosity, inquiry and learning and questions play a huge role.
4. Space to create.
To fully integrate the arts into a curriculum, there needs to be space to do that. Creating a corner or a studio within a classroom gives students the opportunity to create art and it also makes supplies and materials readily available to pull into lessons.
5. Good snacks and time to play.
People need nutritious food to fuel their bodies and brains (and I actually mean nutritious—none of this 100 calorie packs of Doritos nonsense). It is hard to focus and do good work when you’re hungry. It’s also hard to focus and do good work when your brain is tired. Play is a way of waking of the brain and invigorating students. Allowing time to play in and out of the classroom is a key ingredient for my classroom. Sometimes people think that older students don’t need this. I think they do. I think grown-ups need it too.
I believe children need people who think they’re great and are excited to see them.
I believe teachers should have a high opinion of children and see them as competent, intelligent, capable, and interesting.
I believe schools should be smaller and there should be more of them.
Ed 550-blog post wk 3
ReplyDeleteTop 5 "Ingredients" of an Active Learning Classroom Environment...
1. Designated spaces for group work (both large and small), and independent work. Where will the class learn together as a whole? Where will the children go to work in pairs or small groups? Is there enough space for the students to spread out and work independently? Children need a defined space to create and learn.
2. Learning resources, set up, and clean up equipment readily available at the children's level, and organized in an accessible and labeled way for the children to understand (pictures, words, categories, etc). Children love creating their own learning environment and returning their used items back to their “homes,” and having the needed equipment available for the children within their reach allows them to show their responsibility and independence.
3. Colorful academic displays throughout the room (on the walls, handing from the ceiling, etc) with both relevant educational information and student work. It is important for the children to be able to look around the room and see simple reminders (like the ABCs), but it is also important for them to be able to have ownership of their environment by looking around and seeing their own work displayed proudly on the walls.
4. A wide variety of children's literature (ability, type of literature, topic, etc.) at a level the students can both see and access themselves. It is important to recognize the reading levels of your students and keep a large collection displayed for the children to access. Just like adults, sometimes children want to read a “desert book (quick read)” but they also need to be able to find “just right books (at their reading level)” as well as “challenge books (above their ability level).” A variety of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, picture books, etc should be displayed both pertaining to the theme being discussed, and others.
5. A plethora of music (and needed equipment/instruments) for both sing-a-longs, "thinking/background music," and games. Not only is music fun, it is a great way to stimulate the mind and encourage memory and movement.
I believe children need the opportunity to stretch and grow their minds in a safe environment.
I believe teachers should take the interests, passions, and desires of their students into consideration during curriculum planning, and daily activities.
I believe schools should provide an opportunity for all children to be exposed to the vast world of knowledge in a way that stimulates them to ask questions and become information detectives, pursuing their own answers using various resources.
I was going for all C words, but couldn’t quite make it.
ReplyDeleteCommunity
Community to me is key to a successful classroom. I believe that a school should have an environment where there is a sense that the students, their parents, teachers and administrators are all working together to help build a safe and inviting place for all the students to learn and grow. Part of this is a school that is connected to its community and the neighborhood around it. I think it is wonderful when older students can be buddies for young students and help build community and connection in the school while also being role models for the younger children.
Communication
I hope to have a classroom where there is open dialogue between my students and myself. Just as we have been reading in Gallas’ book about science talks I want a classroom where children’s voices are heard and appreciated. Also part of communication for me is providing a safe environment where students feel that they are part of the community and can voice their opinions and concerns without being ridiculed. By providing a classroom where the communication lines are open I hope that students will feel invited and inspired to learn.
Engagement
I want to have a curriculum that is stimulating and exciting. Where the students are actively involved in their education and are interested in the materials that are presented. I hope to share my love of learning with my students and think that having a curriculum that has relevance to my students will help them to be engaged in their education.
Active
I believe that children need to have the chance to move around and get some energy out by allowing for kids to jump around, dance, and play. I also hope that by allowing for movement to be a critical part of my class that the students will learn the importance of exercise as well as learning about food and nutrition. Not only are these essential parts of life but allowing children the time to eat when they are hungry and run around a little will help them to stay focused and more attentive.
Creativity
Part of creativity for me is having a classroom that when you walk into it you get a sense that this is a place where wonderful learning takes place and it is fun and engaging. I want to create an environment where students feel that they can express themselves in multiple ways and especially through the arts. Hopefully the walls of my classroom will be colorful and show the multiple ways that people can be creative.
I believe that children need a caring environment where they feel safe to be themselves and explore the world.
I believe teachers should be there to nurture each student as an individual to help them to become the best person they can be.
I believe schools should be places where children love to go and look forward to coming back to each fall, this is possible when there is a sense of community within the whole school, teachers, administrators, parents, and students.
Jesse, you're not alone, I can't figure it out either!
ReplyDeleteTop Five Ingredients for an active learning classroom:
Imagination
A classroom should have a focus around imagination. All happenings in a classroom can be rooted back in imagination. It seems that at a certain time, we lose that ability to have an imagination. Early childhood educators have the chance to embrace that imagination. This means that the classroom is a place where children should be able to explore their curiosity. The classroom should be set up in a way that gives children that opportunity.
Structure
Structure is key in any elementary school classroom. Expectations of the class should be clear and criteria should be spelled out. Kids need to feel safe and comfortable in what they’re doing so that they can be comfortable moving forward with a specific assignment for activity. It is the teacher’s responsibility to create a classroom of structure while still allowing the students to have fun.
Respect
It is very important to have a classroom that is based on respect. There should be a respect for learning, others, the classroom, the community, and the school. Along with this respect, it is important that a deep appreciation for all students in the class is instilled. Every child in the classroom should feel that they are respected by the teacher and his or her peers. One key way for a teacher to exhibit this respect is to show a deep interest in their students. This interest goes beyond caring if the child does well in school, it means that the teacher should care about what is going on in the children’s lives in their classroom. It is also important for teachers to respect the different ways kids learn and give the whole class many activities that adapt to their learning styles. In my opinion, a sense of respect is one of the most important ingredient to an active learning classroom.
Enthusiasm
If a teacher is enthusiastic, that enthusiasm will be very evident to all children and parents in the classroom. If a teacher doesn’t exude enthusiasm, children will sense it and the lack of enthusiasm will be evident in the children’s attitudes about school. Teachers should have a passion for teaching students. Through this passion, they can make learning fun. I also think that humor is an integral part of the learning environment. Making learning fun is always a great quality of a teacher.
Openness to change
Another ingredient for an active learning classroom is openness to change. Throughout any career, change will inevitably occur. It is the teacher’s responsibility to embrace that change in their classroom. An example of this is having a child in the class with special needs. Take a child with autism, for example, the teacher should remember that rules might have to change for this child. Because of this, their teaching style might change for that child. Another example is the rising of numbers in the classroom. If a teacher isn’t used to how many children are in their classroom, they will need to change their thinking so that every child can be reached. Since we know change will happen in our lives, we have to tweak our behaviors a little bit to adapt to that change.
I believe children need to feel safe and accepted in their classroom. For some children, school is the only place where they can receive this sense of security and it is our responsibility as teachers to give children that feeling of safety and love.
I believe teachers should create a classroom environment that is warm, welcoming, and fun for all students. Teachers should make school a place where children want to be and want to learn.
I believe schools should be a safe community filled with a variety of teachers, counselors, parents, support staff, and administrators that all contribute to making school a safe haven for all children.
My Top 5, for the moment at least.
ReplyDeleteSafety for mind, body, and soul.
The first thing I would like to teach my students is that my classroom is a safe place, physically, mentally, emotionally, culturally, and spiritually. I don't think a child will ever be productive to his or her full potential without feeling safe. I want my class to respect each others bodies(as well as their own), thoughts, questions, feelings, cultures, and religion. Everyone is equal, and disrespecting anyone is just something I don't think any teacher or student should have to tolerate. I want my students to have a voice, and not feel insecure about what others might think. Lastly I want them to know that I'm there for them, and will do my best to help in any way possible.
Creative and Active learning
The most memorable experiences of my childhood education are when the teacher put a little effort into setting up lessons that the students learned by experiencing it. Learning with discussions, hands on activities, visual models, group projects, and maybe just a little fun thrown into the mix. All while consciously taking the M.I. into consideration. Basically anything I can do to ignite student's desire to learn more about whatever they're interested in at the time. With that said the activities should be applied to the students interests, so if I can connect the curriculum to their lives they will be much more invested.
Art and Music
In our ED 550 class we wrote a reflective narrative about our educational experience. I mentioned my incredible music and art teachers. I sang in the choir, played in the band, took several art courses,(ceramics was my fav.) I expressed that my educational experience would have been lacking without those much needed skills being taught to me. It kills me that schools have to cut these programs, so I promise that I will do my very best to integrate art and music into my curriculum as much as possible.
Community
I will do my very best to get the families involved. In the past I've tried to build positive relationships with all the parents I work with, teaching class during the day only goes so far, at home is where they spend most of their time, and I believe collaborating together is the best way to support the children. Secondly, I want the families to feel comfortable with asking me for my professional advise, some situations can be very difficult to discuss, and I want them to trust me with any information that they told me in confidence. Lastly, I just want the families moral support for their child's education. Helping out whenever possible, and participating with each growing experience.
Active Bodies
Sport has always been and always will be one of my true loves. Being active is important on several levels. Physically, mentally, and socially. It is proven that our brains function much better when we exercise, plus its just healthy! Some of the most crucial lessons I learned were from playing sports. I learned about teamwork, leadership, and with hard work I can accomplish personal goals. One of the most important thing I received through sports was the confidence and respect for myself. I will want my class to participate in team oriented physical activities, and I will make a point to let them know ITS OK TO LOSE, being competitive is okay with in reason, in fact it can push us to work harder, but in my classroom, we're just out here to get some exercise and have a little fun.
I believe children need to feel cared for. Each and every child is important and deserves the support necessary to thrive.
I believe teacher should never stop learning. We talk about teachers being students, there's always something you can do better.
I believe schools should provide a quality education to its students by support its teachers with the resources needed to accomplish whatever "ingredients" necessary for an active learning classroom environment.
Good Night!
I knew there would be many AWESOME "top fives" from you all. I loved reading them. We're great thinkers, and we're going to be great teachers.
ReplyDelete1. Flexibility
As much as we may want our classroom days to follow our specific schedule and lesson plan, it is inevitable that some days will not go smoothly. There may be an unexpected fire alarm. A surprise guest may stop by. Students may suddenly want to delve into a new topic that is not supposed to be introduced for a few weeks. If we provide for a flexible learning environment and if we are flexible as teachers, life inside the classroom will go much more smoothly.
2. Curiosity
It's okay to ask questions! Be inquisitive! We are all learners (even the teacher), and active questioning will enhance learning.
3. Sanctuary
Allow the classroom to be a safe space where there is tolerance, respect, and openness. Open dialogue is essential. Students should be able to feel at home in their classroom. They should be able to talk about their concerns, whether they be intellectual, emotional, social, etc.
4. Activity
Let the students play! "Playing" can include activities within the room, outside recess, improv drama, and many other activities. Playing will allow their imaginations to unravel as they engage in fantasy and inquisitiveness, leading to a more stimulating learning environment in the classroom.
5. Structure
Although play is encouraged, a certain amount of structure is too. Structure will be especially important with younger grades or special needs. For many students, it will be important for them to count a schedule. Be careful, however. Too much structure can inhibit creativity and learning.
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I believe that children need space to be flexible, curious, active, and safe.
I believe that teachers should make a point to constantly reassess his or her own methods as a teacher (and learner).
I believe that schools should start at the grassroots to rethink how they are fulfilling their purpose.