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Current Understanding (December 2007): The learning environment we create will set the tone for our classroom. It is essential that we create safe and engaging environments for all students. I feel as though my previous reflection still gives a sound statement for my beliefs on this standard. To add to it, I would like to highlight two of my artifacts and how they demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of learning environments. My Classroom Management Philosophy is a short synopses of my beliefs on creating a positive classroom environment. It discusses items such as rules and procedures, disciplinary interventions, and classroom setup. These are all key factors in creating a positive learning climate. In my observations at various schools, I have seen several classroom arrangements, and thus the positive and negative consequences of each. For instance, in one classroom, students sat at desks facing each other. In this case, it is a great setup for cooperative learning, however, students often are more "chatty" and may not always focus on the teacher when he or she is talking. On the other hand, students sitting in straight rows are focused forward toward the board and teacher, however, this does not create an atmosphere for group work or collaboration. As teachers, we need to try out different arrangements with our classes, and choose a setting that enhances the experience for that particular class. At one school, the teacher actually had students re-arrange the desks each day as they came into the room into their specific classroom setting. I found it intriguing that she had created an environment that is beneficial for each period, and thus enhanced the learning climate for all her classes, not just a few. The Advisory Group Critique chart is a group project we worked on which analyzed an existing advisory program. It highlights the need to form smaller learning communities where students and teachers can really get to know each other. These groups are a great place to discuss student needs, answer questions, work cooperatively with peers, motivate students, and reflect on one's personal interests and strengths. Having a program like this in place can greatly benefit the overall learning environment of a school. August 2007 Understanding: I truly believe that all students are curious about something. Although some students may claim to not want to learn anything, it is human nature to wonder about something. As teachers, we need to create learning environments that stimulate that wonder in our students so that they can actively engage in learning. This includes both group learning and individual learning. Our world is driven by groups and teams, so we must introduce our students to that idea in a safe learning environment. We need to understand how groups work, what motivates a group to achieve its goal, and then create fair grading systems so that we do not turn students away from the teamwork model. I was always a student who sighed when teachers put us in groups to do work. I did not enjoy group work because I always felt as though I did all the work while the other students goofed off. But as a future educator, I know that working effectively in a group is an essential element that our students must learn. Although I continue to struggle with group work at times, I do see the value in working as a team to accomplish a common goal, and continue to learn new ways of motivating groups so that they are successful. Math is definitely a subject that encourages group work. Although when I attended school, in math class we often listened to a lecture and then completed an assignment out of a book, today's math learning structure is much more hands-on, encouraging students to discover algorithms instead of simply giving them the steps to complete the process. Groups in a math classroom tend to "play" with tiles, shaped blocks, cubes, and even strips of paper. These "tools" help groups of students see the process that was formerly just written on paper. A model that is commonly used in the math classroom is the Think-Pair-Share model, where students can individually think through a problem, then pair up with a partner and go through their ideas, and finally share their discovery with the larger group. Incorporating this model and other group-orientated models into our classroom allows all students to challenge themselves and their partner or groups, and helps to create positive relations among students in the classroom. Baseline Understanding:
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(507) 625-8256 l karipratt@charter.net |
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