Module 4: Classroom and Community Connections
Classroom management has been an integral part of my professional journey as a teacher, especially in my experiences as a new teacher. Teaching Kindergarten, classroom management is really the basis of everything we do, and any faults in my system appear almost immediately. In my experience, having order in the classroom directly affects the kids’ ability to self-regulate and feel secure enough to engage in meaningful learning where they can take risks and ask questions. Wubbels (2015) highlights that a disorderly environment creates challenges in student learning, making classroom management a crucial aspect of effective teaching. For me, I’ve experienced the evolution of my classroom regulation as it’s significantly improved and continue to see the effects in my students, especially in their ability to pick up language faster. In an immersion program specially, there’s a period at the beginning of the year where the students are taking in a lot of information (vocabulary, sentence structure, phonics) that will later be seen as output. This makes implementation of supportive student behaviour so important during this stage to support their language development. I’m always in pursuit of making this process more smooth by implementing new practices that create that secure environment that is specific to each class. In the past, I’ve implemented a points system for the kids to earn for their teams by demonstrating positive behaviour that supports their own and other students’ learning. This reflects the behavioural classroom management approach outlined by Wubbels (2011) that demonstrates positive reinforcement. I’m really interested in the internal control approach also outlined by Wubbels (2011), since it supports a more humanistic approach, encouraging student behaviour to become internally motivated to align with their values. It’s interesting how this involves both social-emotional learning and community.
I also found it interesting to look into the dynamic of the teacher-student relationship and how it directly influences the learning environment. Thomas (2007) describe how the teacher-student relationship stimulates student learning while supporting them in facing everyday challenges as they adapt to the school environment, while a negative relationship can really limit them. They also confirm that, “the stronger the student-centred relationships the higher the student achievement” (p. 310). In my experience, it’s been so important to maintain a trusting relationship with my students to create a safe, secure learning environment where students know that they have access to the support they need. Without this foundational relationship, I’ve seen students have trouble with self-regulation and express frustration in different ways, which ultimately ends up disrupting their own learning and that of their peers. Thomas (2007) also outline how these relationships are formed through moment-to-moment communications and behaviours. This made me think about how important it is for teachers to reflect and consistently reassess their intentions and whether their daily actions are in alignment with their values and teaching philosophy. It’s easy to have our everyday interactions to change, especially when under pressure or stress in dealing with challenging circumstances in the classroom.
Personally, I hadn’t thought too much about technology in the classroom teaching Kindergarten before the COVID-19 lockdown that brought us online for two months here in BC. Requiring a lot of hands-on learning for the kids, it was challenging to incorporate technology in our everyday activities. Nonetheless, teaching online allowed me to see different possibilities, including an online reading platform that helps with pronunciation, vocabulary and early literacy skills. I also started to use a platform called ClassDojo, which allows easy communication with parents and students. It also allows me to display student learning and keep parents up to date with what we’re learning in class so that they can ask the right questions at home to have the kids further engage with the learning. Even after going back to in-class learning, I’ve continued to use this platform and have really enjoyed it. Parents also respond well to it since they feel up-to-date with what’s happening in class. Moving forward, I’d like to open myself up to different online communication platforms that allow easy, ongoing communication with parents that serves as a type of formative assessment. I would like to create an assessment system online that can be easily communicated with parents.
In my experience, the evolution of technology has influenced students’ concept of worldly community, since they are able to communicate and observe different perspectives from around the world. They are able to see photos and video chat with family members or friends around the world. Kindergarteners are naturally consumed by their own world and perspective, so this is important for them to be able to understand and consider others’ perspectives and experiences. There are many points of contact to the international community here in Vancouver, especially since it is such a diverse community. We have many international schools in the community. The points of contact available include blogs, videos and online communication, making technology a key factor in supporting social participation between international schools and local communities. School blogs offer a well-rounded perspective of a school community, displaying different cultures, activities and values. Although this is certainly better than having no contact at all, I think that the personal interaction is also important to foster genuine relationships and understanding of perspective. The online social networking project outlined by Hull et al. (2010) created acknowledgement of diversity in the global community, while also considering the environment and communication required to be able to support this concept. I also found it really interesting to consider the young women in Northern India mentioned by Hull et al. (2015) that were given access to different modes of communication and representation, began to reexamine their own identity and place in their community, along with their relationship to a more global community. This also makes me think about the importance of expanding our students’ perspectives to be able to support them in establishing their own identity within a more global community, rather than the limits of their own community.
What jumped out at me the most about the 6 C’s is the aspect of character education. I find this to be such an important aspect of learning that should come before any other aspect can be properly integrated. I think it supports students in being able to cultivate a strong sense of self, take accountability for their learning and advocate for themselves and their well-being, which will ultimately progress their learning the long run while fostering a sense of life-long learning. I think this is so important in being able to engage in deep learning where students are consistently engaged, challenged and motivated in the learning environment. Students need the space to learn about themselves as they are learning about the world around them, while being able to navigate their environment confidently with a strong sense of self to be in touch with their interests, curiosity and opinions. Creating a culture of inquiry-based learning in the classroom supports this deep learning, if built on a foundation of trust and connection between students and teachers. This then allows students to take risks, ask meaningful questions and demonstrate their learning openly. Fullan et al. (2014) describes outlines how the new pedagogies allow teachers to interact with students to make their learning process more visible. I think there is such value in students being able to self-regulate in this way to empower them to take accountability for their learning.
The concept of using technology to support students in engaging in inquiry-based learning by further integrating knowledge into everyday life really resonates with me and my vision for students today. I think we are past the age of accumulating knowledge without being able to relate to it, understand it or apply it to everyday life. I think the “A vision of K-12 students today” video brings up some valid points about the education system limiting students in how they are able to demonstrate their learning. I agree that there needs to be a shift in the education system that allows students to demonstrate learning in a way that aligns with the modern world they are living in, although I believe that the shifts are in the process of happening, perhaps more now than they had been at the time the video was made.
My school has responded to the digital explosion by incorporating technology into our classrooms through access and supplies. We are well-funded by the parent community, making this transition very accessible. Although we have access to modern technology, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is always used in a beneficial way. I think it’s important for us to constantly revert back to reflecting on our intentions with the technology. I have seen some really great things being done with our new technology in older grades, such as robot building and coding activities. Access to activities like this really give students opportunities that they wouldn’t be able to access to the same degree without the technology. The Education Today article mentions how students today are becoming less consumers and more creators with the access they have to all the tools to take on that creative mode. I can really related to this in how I see students embracing modern technology. They appear to be becoming less able to sit back and absorb information as a traditional school system would ask of them, and more eager to become engaged first-hand in creation and expression.
The curriculum at my school has recently shifted within the last few years to reflect a more modern, holistic way of teaching and assessment. It is now driven by “Big Ideas” that direct educators to reflect on set intentions when teaching, followed by core competencies that students will be supported in cultivating through their learning within the classroom. This gives us a lot of autonomy in how exactly we’d like to execute the learning with less of a focus on content, like it had been previously before the curriculum was updated here in BC.
The culture at my school is one that supports collaboration, which has been a big source of my growth within the last few years. There is an emphasis on social emotional learning as well, which I think contributes greatly to the culture of the school and influences the quality of our academic learning. That being said, being a dual-track school, I think there are ways that we can better integrate the French Immersion and English streams to create a more inclusive learning environment for all students.
The pedagogical tools that are used consistently include assessments that track student progress throughout their time at the school. This includes reading recovery records and other literacy assessments that are tracked by classroom and resource teachers. We also have access to a lot of technology used for documentation, like cameras and iPads, which give us access to applications that can be used to demonstrated learning in real time while also being able to communicate progress with students themselves or with their parents. References:
Fullan, M., Langworthy, M., & Barber, M. (2014). A rich seam : how new pedagogies find deep learning . MaRS Discovery District.
Hull, G., Stornaiuolo, A., & Sahni, U. (2010). Cultural Citizenship and Cosmopolitan Practice: Global Youth Communicate Online. English Education, 42(2), 331–.
Thomas, J. (2007). Book Review: The Sage Handbook of Research in International Education edited by Mary Hayden, Jack Levy and Jeff Thompson London: SAGE Publications, 2007, Journal of Research in International Education, 6(3), 377–380. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/14752409070060030604
Wubbels, T. (2011). An international perspective on classroom management: what should prospective teachers learn? Teaching Education (Columbia, S.C.), 22(2), 113–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2011.567838
References:
I also found it interesting to look into the dynamic of the teacher-student relationship and how it directly influences the learning environment. Thomas (2007) describe how the teacher-student relationship stimulates student learning while supporting them in facing everyday challenges as they adapt to the school environment, while a negative relationship can really limit them. They also confirm that, “the stronger the student-centred relationships the higher the student achievement” (p. 310). In my experience, it’s been so important to maintain a trusting relationship with my students to create a safe, secure learning environment where students know that they have access to the support they need. Without this foundational relationship, I’ve seen students have trouble with self-regulation and express frustration in different ways, which ultimately ends up disrupting their own learning and that of their peers. Thomas (2007) also outline how these relationships are formed through moment-to-moment communications and behaviours. This made me think about how important it is for teachers to reflect and consistently reassess their intentions and whether their daily actions are in alignment with their values and teaching philosophy. It’s easy to have our everyday interactions to change, especially when under pressure or stress in dealing with challenging circumstances in the classroom.
Personally, I hadn’t thought too much about technology in the classroom teaching Kindergarten before the COVID-19 lockdown that brought us online for two months here in BC. Requiring a lot of hands-on learning for the kids, it was challenging to incorporate technology in our everyday activities. Nonetheless, teaching online allowed me to see different possibilities, including an online reading platform that helps with pronunciation, vocabulary and early literacy skills. I also started to use a platform called ClassDojo, which allows easy communication with parents and students. It also allows me to display student learning and keep parents up to date with what we’re learning in class so that they can ask the right questions at home to have the kids further engage with the learning. Even after going back to in-class learning, I’ve continued to use this platform and have really enjoyed it. Parents also respond well to it since they feel up-to-date with what’s happening in class. Moving forward, I’d like to open myself up to different online communication platforms that allow easy, ongoing communication with parents that serves as a type of formative assessment. I would like to create an assessment system online that can be easily communicated with parents.
In my experience, the evolution of technology has influenced students’ concept of worldly community, since they are able to communicate and observe different perspectives from around the world. They are able to see photos and video chat with family members or friends around the world. Kindergarteners are naturally consumed by their own world and perspective, so this is important for them to be able to understand and consider others’ perspectives and experiences. There are many points of contact to the international community here in Vancouver, especially since it is such a diverse community. We have many international schools in the community. The points of contact available include blogs, videos and online communication, making technology a key factor in supporting social participation between international schools and local communities. School blogs offer a well-rounded perspective of a school community, displaying different cultures, activities and values. Although this is certainly better than having no contact at all, I think that the personal interaction is also important to foster genuine relationships and understanding of perspective. The online social networking project outlined by Hull et al. (2010) created acknowledgement of diversity in the global community, while also considering the environment and communication required to be able to support this concept. I also found it really interesting to consider the young women in Northern India mentioned by Hull et al. (2015) that were given access to different modes of communication and representation, began to reexamine their own identity and place in their community, along with their relationship to a more global community. This also makes me think about the importance of expanding our students’ perspectives to be able to support them in establishing their own identity within a more global community, rather than the limits of their own community.
What jumped out at me the most about the 6 C’s is the aspect of character education. I find this to be such an important aspect of learning that should come before any other aspect can be properly integrated. I think it supports students in being able to cultivate a strong sense of self, take accountability for their learning and advocate for themselves and their well-being, which will ultimately progress their learning the long run while fostering a sense of life-long learning. I think this is so important in being able to engage in deep learning where students are consistently engaged, challenged and motivated in the learning environment. Students need the space to learn about themselves as they are learning about the world around them, while being able to navigate their environment confidently with a strong sense of self to be in touch with their interests, curiosity and opinions. Creating a culture of inquiry-based learning in the classroom supports this deep learning, if built on a foundation of trust and connection between students and teachers. This then allows students to take risks, ask meaningful questions and demonstrate their learning openly. Fullan et al. (2014) describes outlines how the new pedagogies allow teachers to interact with students to make their learning process more visible. I think there is such value in students being able to self-regulate in this way to empower them to take accountability for their learning.
The concept of using technology to support students in engaging in inquiry-based learning by further integrating knowledge into everyday life really resonates with me and my vision for students today. I think we are past the age of accumulating knowledge without being able to relate to it, understand it or apply it to everyday life. I think the “A vision of K-12 students today” video brings up some valid points about the education system limiting students in how they are able to demonstrate their learning. I agree that there needs to be a shift in the education system that allows students to demonstrate learning in a way that aligns with the modern world they are living in, although I believe that the shifts are in the process of happening, perhaps more now than they had been at the time the video was made.
My school has responded to the digital explosion by incorporating technology into our classrooms through access and supplies. We are well-funded by the parent community, making this transition very accessible. Although we have access to modern technology, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is always used in a beneficial way. I think it’s important for us to constantly revert back to reflecting on our intentions with the technology. I have seen some really great things being done with our new technology in older grades, such as robot building and coding activities. Access to activities like this really give students opportunities that they wouldn’t be able to access to the same degree without the technology. The Education Today article mentions how students today are becoming less consumers and more creators with the access they have to all the tools to take on that creative mode. I can really related to this in how I see students embracing modern technology. They appear to be becoming less able to sit back and absorb information as a traditional school system would ask of them, and more eager to become engaged first-hand in creation and expression.
The curriculum at my school has recently shifted within the last few years to reflect a more modern, holistic way of teaching and assessment. It is now driven by “Big Ideas” that direct educators to reflect on set intentions when teaching, followed by core competencies that students will be supported in cultivating through their learning within the classroom. This gives us a lot of autonomy in how exactly we’d like to execute the learning with less of a focus on content, like it had been previously before the curriculum was updated here in BC.
The culture at my school is one that supports collaboration, which has been a big source of my growth within the last few years. There is an emphasis on social emotional learning as well, which I think contributes greatly to the culture of the school and influences the quality of our academic learning. That being said, being a dual-track school, I think there are ways that we can better integrate the French Immersion and English streams to create a more inclusive learning environment for all students.
The pedagogical tools that are used consistently include assessments that track student progress throughout their time at the school. This includes reading recovery records and other literacy assessments that are tracked by classroom and resource teachers. We also have access to a lot of technology used for documentation, like cameras and iPads, which give us access to applications that can be used to demonstrated learning in real time while also being able to communicate progress with students themselves or with their parents. References:
Fullan, M., Langworthy, M., & Barber, M. (2014). A rich seam : how new pedagogies find deep learning . MaRS Discovery District.
Hull, G., Stornaiuolo, A., & Sahni, U. (2010). Cultural Citizenship and Cosmopolitan Practice: Global Youth Communicate Online. English Education, 42(2), 331–.
Thomas, J. (2007). Book Review: The Sage Handbook of Research in International Education edited by Mary Hayden, Jack Levy and Jeff Thompson London: SAGE Publications, 2007, Journal of Research in International Education, 6(3), 377–380. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/14752409070060030604
Wubbels, T. (2011). An international perspective on classroom management: what should prospective teachers learn? Teaching Education (Columbia, S.C.), 22(2), 113–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2011.567838
References:
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