Subjects Matter
(Page 167) “We need to make the classroom a community, a place where students feel safe to take the risks involved in learning where they see it connected with their lives, and where they help and learn from one another instead of working as isolated individuals.”
As I reflect back on my freshman year of college, I realize just how important community is. As I sat in class with 150-200 people (and 500 others in geology) in my freshman-level-everyone-has-to-take-them courses, I just went through the motions. I showed up to class and took notes, but I really didn’t feel like I belonged there. The fact that I lived at home instead of on campus (the deal being with my parents that I could stay home and they would pay for it, or I could go off somewhere and pay for it myself) made me feel like I belonged even less. While in high school I made all A’s and B’s, that was definitely not the case my first year in college. I know my less than desirable grades were a direct result of not knowing anyone in class and not feeling like I was a part of anything when I was sitting there. In my upper-level courses where the classes were much smaller and the students actually communicated with each other about course material, I performed much better…because I felt like I could take risks (I would have NEVER asked a question in front of 100+ people in fear of the question sounding stupid) and I learned not only from the instructor but my classmates as well.
When Kids Can’t Read
(Page 260) “And students won’t believe us unless we create opportunities for success…social and emotional confidence almost always improves as cognitive confidence improves.”
Boy, did I ever get a reminder dose of how it feels to be a struggling reader/learner this summer! I participated in an alternative assessment workshop in June for special education where our job was to set the cut-off scores for SC-Alt, the alternative state test for students with disabilities. While I taught special education—LD resource—while I was in the classroom, I participated in the workshop because of my English certification and knowledge of ELA standards. I had never given a true alternate test for special education (my students always had to take HSAP and EOC just like everyone else; they could receive accommodations, but they weren’t completely different types of test…with SC-Alt, we’re talking about tests that have to be administered one-on-one). I was one of many educators there to be able to help with the interpretation of ELA standards. The man leading the workshop apparently did not get the fact that those of us who had never given alternate test were completely confused about how the test was administered and it truly seemed to make no sense—he told us the questions become progressively more difficult though the test, but I found the exact same questions on pages 24 and 96. What?!? My frustration level was rising and I just wanted to leave. None of it was making any sense to me. Had I not committed to being there for three days, I would not have returned. I must confess my attitude was not very pleasant. There was a very nice special ed teacher at my table who had given the test, and she helped me understand it a little better, though I was still a bit confused. When I sat through this workshop and became increasingly frustrated, I kept thinking this is how some of our kids feel in our classrooms every day! How in the world do they stay motivated to even come to school? I couldn't handle it fo one day. How do they do it day in and day out? No wonder some of them drop out when they’re 17 if no one takes the time to get to know them and do everything they can to help them understand the material!
As you reflect on these two chapters, share some of things you do to build community in your classroom. It may be something that is mentioned in the text we read or it may be something completely different. What kind of results have you seen with these practices? If you’re new to the teaching field and are still working on building community in your classroom, what kinds of things are you trying (or what would you like to try based upon what we read in our texts)?
(Page 167) “We need to make the classroom a community, a place where students feel safe to take the risks involved in learning where they see it connected with their lives, and where they help and learn from one another instead of working as isolated individuals.”
As I reflect back on my freshman year of college, I realize just how important community is. As I sat in class with 150-200 people (and 500 others in geology) in my freshman-level-everyone-has-to-take-them courses, I just went through the motions. I showed up to class and took notes, but I really didn’t feel like I belonged there. The fact that I lived at home instead of on campus (the deal being with my parents that I could stay home and they would pay for it, or I could go off somewhere and pay for it myself) made me feel like I belonged even less. While in high school I made all A’s and B’s, that was definitely not the case my first year in college. I know my less than desirable grades were a direct result of not knowing anyone in class and not feeling like I was a part of anything when I was sitting there. In my upper-level courses where the classes were much smaller and the students actually communicated with each other about course material, I performed much better…because I felt like I could take risks (I would have NEVER asked a question in front of 100+ people in fear of the question sounding stupid) and I learned not only from the instructor but my classmates as well.
When Kids Can’t Read
(Page 260) “And students won’t believe us unless we create opportunities for success…social and emotional confidence almost always improves as cognitive confidence improves.”
Boy, did I ever get a reminder dose of how it feels to be a struggling reader/learner this summer! I participated in an alternative assessment workshop in June for special education where our job was to set the cut-off scores for SC-Alt, the alternative state test for students with disabilities. While I taught special education—LD resource—while I was in the classroom, I participated in the workshop because of my English certification and knowledge of ELA standards. I had never given a true alternate test for special education (my students always had to take HSAP and EOC just like everyone else; they could receive accommodations, but they weren’t completely different types of test…with SC-Alt, we’re talking about tests that have to be administered one-on-one). I was one of many educators there to be able to help with the interpretation of ELA standards. The man leading the workshop apparently did not get the fact that those of us who had never given alternate test were completely confused about how the test was administered and it truly seemed to make no sense—he told us the questions become progressively more difficult though the test, but I found the exact same questions on pages 24 and 96. What?!? My frustration level was rising and I just wanted to leave. None of it was making any sense to me. Had I not committed to being there for three days, I would not have returned. I must confess my attitude was not very pleasant. There was a very nice special ed teacher at my table who had given the test, and she helped me understand it a little better, though I was still a bit confused. When I sat through this workshop and became increasingly frustrated, I kept thinking this is how some of our kids feel in our classrooms every day! How in the world do they stay motivated to even come to school? I couldn't handle it fo one day. How do they do it day in and day out? No wonder some of them drop out when they’re 17 if no one takes the time to get to know them and do everything they can to help them understand the material!
As you reflect on these two chapters, share some of things you do to build community in your classroom. It may be something that is mentioned in the text we read or it may be something completely different. What kind of results have you seen with these practices? If you’re new to the teaching field and are still working on building community in your classroom, what kinds of things are you trying (or what would you like to try based upon what we read in our texts)?
