This summer we’ve been looking at the individual needs of students, teachers and classrooms. I used to watch this Sci-fi show called “Firefly” where a crew of 7 people did cow-bow western adventures in space. Once of the special features, focused in on the 8th character, the ship! Classrooms have a personality as well. What are the characteristics of my classroom I’d like to foster, and which should I avoid?
Entropy: I will have a hard time dealing with a class in full chaos, but I will fine dull classrooms boring and soul draining. To facilitate positive chaos, I will bring in activities and assignments that encourage students to move around the classroom, participate in group activities and try new things. To control the wild chaos, we need to have clear expectations about volume in the class, and I need to have some way to grab and hold student attention. When “this signal is given” everyone stops.
Respect: I love how elementary school kids have jobs in a classroom. Someone is responsible for whipping the boards, someone is responsible for collecting the pencils, someone is responsible for handing out snacks…. I wonder if I can create a job board in my high school classroom. I think that this would facilitate the “gift economy” if students were put into situations to offer things without needing to provide them. Maybe I could do coffee in the am, and tea in the afternoon? Create a job board and have containers of popsicle sticks to facilitate the placement. How will I handle disrespect to the space? kick them out? Tell them that they are not welcome here? Principles office? I’m not sure what kind of punishments/corrective ations are available to me.
Organization: I struggle keeping things organized. I remember my first CT had folders for the weekdays and the assignments ended up in the folder. I struggled with this in my second practicum. I find I’m too reactive, and or distracted. I’d like to work at this more so that students become used to self-managing and self-directing. It will be draining if I have to organize them by myself. Maybe I can buddy them up?
