We are Family
When I look back at the moments that have shaped my educational experiences, I think of the moments that I felt important, included and accepted. The time that my seventh grade math teacher noticed something was wrong, and went out of her way to check in. It was middle school, so it was probably something silly, but still she asked if I was okay. It was the moments in high school, where band gave me a sense of belonging, and a group of people that I still depend on today. Through this I have learned that what I enjoyed most about school, and life was that I was apart of a family. Whether it was my in dance class when I was young, doing school events, playing sports, being a R.A. at RIC, and as a part of Globe Park Elementary staff. I love being able to trust and collaborate with other people.
Knowing that I enjoyed the family or community aspect in my education, really led me to want to create that in my classroom. I want my students to connect with one another in multiple ways. I want them to count on each other. They should be able to know one another and trust that they will be supported by their peers, however this past year showed me that was not as easy as I would like. I would like to have an environment where my students can see one another as a family.
I had such a tough, draining class this past year. I did have some incredible students, but unfortunately we had some major rough patches. Mentally, I referred to some students as my “big personalities”. One on one, these students were GREAT, but they often would each take a day and set one another off, I left most days feeling exhausted and frustrated. It was a situation that nobody had prepared me for, and that left me feeling defeated. I wanted more from my students and although I could not change it all last year, I have hope for my future classes. I want my students to see their similarities, and differences and ultimately see where they connect. I want them to become respectful of one another as all times.
This idea is what really formulated mt beliefs. I believe that learning will happen when my students accept one another. I believe learning will happen when students know they have a community to support them, if they fail. I believe that learning will happen when my classroom feels like family. I believe learning will happen when you know the person inside the student. I believe learning will happen when my students can say to each other, “I believe in you!”
If I want my students to be accepting of one another, then I have to change their environment. I was inspired by Robinson, when he said that there needs to be seeds of possibility. The conditions need to change in order to allow for success. A seed needs sunlight, water, and oxygen to grow. A student needs patience, acceptance, and possibilities in order to learn.
Additionally, Wesch also tells us that we need to get to know our students and know what they are passionate about. I wholeheartedly agree with this! Students are people and they are all unique in their own way. In addition, I also believe that it is just as important for students to see that too. If students can learn about one another then I could have a classroom full of “grannies” for one another.
Throughout this entire process, I found myself being in agreement with Christensen. She says students need to be individuals, and embrace that in one another. She also states the importance of creating a safe and welcoming environment in the class. Christensen describes what I want to create! Then , I began thinking about how I could do it.
I don’t want to create this fake support system. I want my students to genuinely care about one another. I want them to rely on each other and grow into accepting young adults. I want them to know when they feel like they are alone, that they have a room full of people to go to. I am realistic in knowing that I cannot make every single student be friends with one another, but I do want them to all get to a place of respect. I found this great resource to help me along the way.
Which leads me to the first week of school. I am lucky that I have a principal who believes that the first is not about starting content. She wants us to build the connections! I get to spend that first week setting the tone of my class, and really get to know my kids.
We will be doing team builders, and filling out a how I learn best sheet. We will also be doing an introduction slide. Students will create a PowerPoint slide as a way to present who they are to the class. They will be told to use pictures to show who are, and to write “introducing ____” to show what you would like to be called.
Then the exciting part comes, students will be assigned a different student each week and have to create a slide for them. The directions will be a little different. Students will be asked to create a slide for why the person they were assigned is a great community member. Include words or photos to describe them, what makes them special or what you admire. These will then become “feel good” spaces for students to go. This is a photo of what my friend thinks of me.
Following along that line, I want students to be thinking about themselves and what makes them a good friend. I will be having a Toy Story themed classroom this year, and found a banner that reads, “You’ve got a friend in this classroom.” During the first week activities, students will also be expressing what makes them a good friend. Their creations will them be listed under this poster, so students know who they can go to for what.
I have also created a google classroom, that is specifically focused on our classroom family. I will post items as questions, which give students a chance to answer and comment on one another's responses. I really liked the idea of the blog, but was concerned that I would be able to maintain it as much and think this will work.
I also created a website as a central hub for students. I have a link that will go to my page which will have resources and a link to my “feel good” space. Each student will also have a tab with their name that leads to their own page. On their page they will have a link to their “feel good” space and also a link where they can upload all digital creations.
I think that I fall in the middle of the techno-traditionalist and techno-constructivist. I originally did mostly traditional activities, with the rare activity falling into constructivism. From this course, I feel much more comfortable in pushing forth as a techno-constructivist. I think my students will be inspired to learn more, by creating based off of the content. I also believe that through their creativity, they will be able to build better connections to each other.
Ultimately ,my students did not have a lot of patience or understanding in one another last year. I think that made for missed opportunities last year and for their future. This year, the creation of the family atmosphere, I think students will be able to get more out of my class and one another. Students will need to take a leap, and trust we will catch each other.
Early on in the course, Dr. Bogad said, “ You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.” I find that this resonated with me because it fits into so much of teaching. We are constantly trying to pull information out of students. We are also trying really hard to get students to make connections, and once they get going, they keep going.
While creating this change project, I was trying to think of what obstacles might stand in my way. During the first week of school it is easy to fit in the get to know you moments, but I need something I can keep up with. I have attempted Friday journals in the past, but ultimately other things took priority. I have decided to schedule a block on Fridays, called Family Fridays, where students will be given the time for these tasks. Hopefully, they can find more time throughout the week, but if not they will have that time.
By fostering an environment where students can spend time really getting to know one another, I hope I can change their lives. At best I hope to help them create some lifelong relationships and a community they can trust. And at a minimum, I hope they learn a basic understanding and respect towards others, that can carry through to all areas of life.
My hope is that by the end of the year, students will have developed a community within my classroom. When they leave me, they embark on their way to middle school, where they are thrown together with two other elementary schools, to create a sixth grade group of about 300 kids. I want them to know that in that crowd, they have 24 people they can truly rely on, because they are family.
*This is the link to my self reflection.
*This is a link to my class website .
