Classrooms as Learning Communities-Learning Integration Essay 1

Reflection:

• I learned that I every classroom has lots of different elements that play into effect that help the day run smoothly. I know from having this interview and from watching it happen in class that interactive modeling keeps classroom management in line. I know that if I am every struggle to have students follow directions that I probably need to revisit interactive modeling. A communtiy of learners comes from setting up the classroom at the beginning of the year appropriately.

Cooperating Teacher Interview Assignment

1. Philosophy: What are you trying to achieve in your students with your teaching?

Answer: My learning target. I hope that they are engaged and focused on what I'm teaching. It varies with each lesson. For social skills we work on turn taking and problem solving skills as that’s something that all kindergarteners struggle with. They are vary ego centric at this stage. For example like the ability to see another students perspective is vary difficult. The goal is a lot of social skills, turn taking, how to solve the problem, and fair ways to play. Play time is where they are trying out new things, so they are trying out things that they saw in class or that they have seen me do [CT] which helps them solidify when it is a more structured academic time they feel more comfortable preforming.

1. Classroom Environment: How is your classroom set up to help students learning differences?

Answer: Since it is an early childhood classroom we have centers. You have to be careful where you places the spaces as you don't want a nosy block area next to a library. I made sure that there is a flow within the classroom to how I expect the students to be able to move around and that it keeps them safe. Everything that a student should need is kept at their level. The more things that they can do for themselves the easier it is for me to be able to stay focused on interacting with my students. The classroom is very child centered so that they are able to reach everything and be able to feel independent.

1. Building Community: How do you create a feeling of community within the classroom?

Answer: I use responsive classroom where I use morning meeting circle for greeting one another and seeing where everyone is at for the day. During the circle they get to know one another as they are sharing about what is important to them and them listening to each other builds a sense of community. Another is during play time when we are playing with them it builds a sense of community. Talking at the same level with a child for example “it is our classroom” and not down on them builds community. Gives them a feeling of power within the classroom.

1. Curriculum: How are lessons planned on the basis of prior assessment?

Answer: I base off of the past knowledge I have of kindergartners and the standards given. I use the standards and go from their but you are constantly assessing kids informally.

1. Communication with Families: How do you establish and maintain a partnership with the parents?

Answer: Starting the year with family meetings, sending a small email each week, and a news letter each month. SeSaw is really nice, which allows for parents to see photos and videos of their child in a safe way.

1. Expectations for Procedures and Behavior: How do you establish the behavior and routines you would like your students to follow in the classroom?

Answer: A lot of Interactive Modeling. You have to model and reinforce and remind and model practice, way more then you think you should. I think teachers feel so much pressure to get every thing in so that the modeling get pushed off or not enough of it. When things aren't going the way I want I need to look at what I'm doing. The time that you put in at the beginning of the year to really teach expectations and practice and model really pays off as you don't really have to do it again if you set it up well. Kids by nature are rule followers. They want to please. They want to make you happy. They want to do well. They just need to know what to do and if you show them what to do and you are really explicit and you model and reinforce it, they will do it!