I visualize my classroom as a community of learners, where everyone has their own interests, opinions, abilities and concerns. A group of individuals come together through education and interact to create an environment where everyone can discover and learn something new.
Communities face adversities as well. Through communication and respect from each of the community members, we can establish rules and procedures that help to prevent future conflicts. I can only be positive and open to new ideas to continue growing in my profession so one day I can apply these concepts in my own classroom.
Furthermore, I believe children are successful when they are engaged in learning, accomplish more when we organize our lessons, plan and evaluate our classroom's ambiance, physical space, resources and time. This creates a foundation to an effective instruction.
My beliefs align with this week's quote, "Teachers provide a social and intellectual environment in which students learn" (James MacGregor Burns). Ambiance and physical space lead to the development of a social environment, some of the attributes to these components are safety, welcoming, organization, and seating charts. On the other hand, resources and time can guide us to an intellectual environment, when we plan and organize them in a productive way.
I also found this quote, "Children grow into the intellectual environment that they are in" (Lev Vygotsky). In my opinion, these two quotes complement each other. Teachers provide and children grow in the best environment. Each component has their own importance with a common goal: Create a positive learning environment.
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8 comments:
Adriana,
What does a positive learning environment look like to you? Do you think you will know what your students would consider a positive learning environment or do you think you would include them in the planning of this environment? I would love to hear how you would set up your classroom in regards to these aspects! It sounds like it is something that you feel passionate about since you mentioned that second quote! Maybe think to your learning days and try and remember a classroom that you loved walking in to and model it after that or ask your students what they like. Either way the earlier you start planning your stance on education and these elements, the earlier you will be organized, confident and able to focus on content and lesson planning for when you have your own classroom!
I like that quote you found. You're right, they do complement each other.
"Teachers provide and children grow in the best environment." - I think that sums up the whole idea behind this week's reflection.
Adriana,
I really like your classroom as a community analogy. I agree that if you can get the kids to see it the same way, you'll produce a lot of synergy in that room!
Ady, you (like Mark) appear to embrace diversity: "I visualize my classroom as a community of learners, where everyone has their own interests, opinions, abilities and concerns." I think it's important that you acknowledge adversity, as well; it is, as you point out, part of the growth process.
I love that Vygotsky quote, too. I liked how you tied the components to the quotes--and Matt's synthesis of the 2 quotes. And, Mark, I think the word :"synergy" sums up the notion which has been addressed in several reflections--that the four components cannot in reality be viewed in isolation, but are dynamically interactive in producing a unique learning environment.
Children grow into the intellectual environment that they are in" (Lev Vygotsky).
I dig this quote because it reminds me about a discussion on farmland conservation circa 1930's in a book by Louis Bromfield, "The Farm". In it he discussed how the soil was nutient rich when it was first reclaimed from the forest in pioneer days. The soil so rich a bad farmer could have abundant crops. But the bad farmer just allowed the rains to wash away his top soil so that his growing environment restricted the physical and mental capacity of his children. His poor practices limited his chldrens capacity. Do teachers poor practices limit our childrens intellectual environment.
Yeah, especially when they end questions with periods
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I like that you want your learning enviornment to have different dynamics to make it comfortable for every student. I believe an enviorment like that would help all student achieve their individual goals.
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