Sense of Belonging

Sense of Belonging

            Upon entering my clinical placement it is immediately clear that the school is very student-centered. There is a two story “Atrium of Excellence” that serves as a main hub of the building. The walls in this area are bordered with words like “courage” and “integrity” and many more. Large showcases feature student athletics and student radio achievements, along with an area that acknowledges academic scholarships that the students have received. Along the main hallway is student artwork, with each graduating class allowed to decorate a set of tiles that have their class photo hanging next to it. The students see this artwork as a rite of passage, a way of leaving something to be remembered by.

            The classroom itself is decorated with numerous posters of historical figures, as well as a large collage of current events that help students realize that the things they hear on the news today will be the things their children study one day in a textbook. In addition to these posters, my cooperating teacher has a “women’s” sign hanging next to her door, which she refers to in order to remind her female students that her room is a safe place for them to speak out and voice their opinions, despite history being seen as a typically men’s subject.

            Whenever a group discussion is planned students first work through the set of questions in a small group, helping to increase their confidence and include the opinions of others. Students, particularly female students, will have a wonderful answer in small group discussion, and yet not offer it in the whole-class discussion setting. To work on this issue my host teacher provides students with extensive feedback to reinforce their thoughts, and does not allow for the class discussion to be dominated by the few students that openly offer to speak. She asks students individually for answers to questions, but does not push for answers that they clearly do not know. Instead she shapes the information they provide her with by taking pieces from various students to form a more complete answer. In doing this, she ensures that students have a positive outlook on classroom discussions and do not feel as intimidated when they do not have the entire answer.

            The number one thing my cooperating teacher does to enhance students’ sense of belonging in the classroom is display genuine interest and concern for themselves as people. Instead of writing of so-called problem students she works to delve deeper into the issue to its source, and address the behavior that is stemming from that source. Despite the lack of racial diversity in her classrooms, the students come from a wide range of socioeconomic statuses, which she remains acutely aware of. Knowing which students are facing homelessness or living below the poverty line does not lower her expectations of them, although it does shape her tolerance and understanding that it can be hard to remain focused in school. For students that need extra class time but are unable to find transportation home after school hours my cooperating teacher arranges a schedule with parents that she will bring them home on certain days in order to ensure that they do not fall behind.

            The results of her effort to build a bond with her students become apparent every time students trust her with information that they may not openly share. My cooperating teacher has been dubbed the “Freshman Mother” because of her compassion for the struggles that students face. Rarely in my placement did I experience a day that a student did not stop in to share what is going on with their life, whether it be as small as a conflict with another teacher, or as large as coming to her for consolation after the death of a terminally ill parent. In all circumstances, both academic and personal, it is very clear that she has her students’ best interests at heart and wants them to become productive and informed citizens, as well as resilient individuals whom believe in themselves. 

What do you know about your students? Week Three

Although all three of the classes I regularly observe are Foundations courses in history, the required class for freshman, the way the lesson is executed and responded to differ vastly from class to class. The lesson objectives are the same for all three classes, and all are held to a high standard, regardless of one class having a large number of students with learning disabilities, and another having students that are at the comprehension level of an Advanced Placement class.

            In second hour the students tend to be very quiet, even during the times before class has started. When offered the opportunity to do work as a group many of the students shy away from the idea, preferring to work alone. This causes the work to be more difficult for the students, because they are not utilizing their peers in order to enhance their zone of proximal development. After inquiring with my cooperating teacher as to why this is, she explained to me that many students with learning disabilities struggle with opening up to others, and lack the confidence necessary to present their ideas and opinions in a group setting. It is a goal of the school that students with special needs advance their confidence and social skills, particularly in regards to formulating the questions they are trying to ask.

            In order to conduct the lesson with this group of students my cooperating teacher and I often answered students’ questions individually, expanded on the answers they gave, and gave them positive feedback in order to increase their confidence in themselves.  Discussion with this group of students involves a more active role of my cooperating teacher, who encourages the students to offer their input and is always quick to take the opportunities and insights they offer her, however small they may be. The students in this class, while quiet, do not strike me as disinterested in the material. They simply seem nervous and anxious to share with the class, at the risk of being “wrong.” To help them overcome these worries my cooperating teacher keeps the group sizes small, ensuring that each student will be heard by the others and will be acknowledged.

            In contrast, my cooperating teacher’s third and fourth hour classes have a dynamic that is a 180-degree shift from their second hour peers. The students often have trouble reigning in their discussions and take full advantage of opportunities to work in small groups. The students are more open with their thoughts, yet they still seek reinforcement before discussing a topic with the entire class. Many of these students are interested in sports and pop-culture, which can be used to enhance the lessons. For example, the students’ interest in current events may lead to a discussion of racism, in which the comments made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling can be used to analyze the institutional racism that exists to this day. The student demographic contains a largely conservative population, leading to tensions when discussing the policies and practices put in place by President Obama. My cooperating teacher is always very quick to spin any negative comments in a more constructive manner, and places a large emphasis on the rights of marginalized groups in the historical context. In doing this, my cooperating teacher helps ensure that no one is left feeling excluded, under valued, or unwanted in the classroom discussion.

            In addition to the class with a large number of students with special needs and the class that is near AP level, my cooperating teacher has another class with a large number of students that are considered to have emotional/behavioral disorders. When discussing her actions and reactions with these students, my cooperating teacher reinforced how important it is for students to trust their teachers, which will in turn lead to their respect for the teacher. Many of these students are reported as disruptive, aggressive, and in some cases violent with other faculty. Yet, in her classroom, these same students show a high level of respect for my cooperating teacher and the behavioral expectations of her classroom. Students are very aware of the lines that they cannot cross, such as being demeaning to their peers, and they behave accordingly. One student in particular has had a couple of instances where she will not engage in the lesson or participate in the class. My cooperating teacher has a “pick and choose your battles” approach, choosing when her disengagement risks the efforts of her peers. Whenever this student has an “off day” she usually will stop into the classroom later in the day, explain what was wrong, and then apologize for letting it interfere with the day’s lesson. The students trust my cooperating teacher with highly sensitive information, and even when defiant they do not lash out with personal disrespect towards her.

            Knowing that some students need added guidance in discussion, some prefer group work, and others act in ways that they do not intend to be disrespectful all help to tailor the lesson to each particular group. If I were unaware of the struggles of the quiet class, it would seem as though they are disinterested, instead of anxious. If I was unaware of the struggles a student faces outside of my classroom, her defiance would seem like a personal attack, and so on. The number one thing my cooperating teacher has showed me is how important it is to know your students, and for them to know you as well. 

Behavior Plan

Behavior Plan Week Two

            The first thing I noticed during my current placement is the significant difference in classroom management compared to what I have previously observed. Both teachers are very clearly well liked by students, respected by faculty, and fluent in their content areas; yet my current placement experiences far fewer interruptions and distractions from students. After wondering why this was the case, I asked my host teacher how she had implemented her classroom rules in the beginning of the year.

            Firstly, she admitted that it was a painstaking process to build the respect and classroom environment that she has achieved. During the first week of the year she laid down some very basic ground rules, all of which are very fair and lenient on the students. An example of these rules is that students are not allowed to not be on their phone or iPod during lecture or activity time, but they may be used during personal work time. Another surprising rule is her tolerance for occasional swearing as long as it is not directed at any person or group. By acknowledging that swearing is a part of the language of many youths she dodged many confrontations that would have arisen otherwise. She explained that when you tolerate certain behavior during specific time and occasions it takes away the “forbidden-ess” of that behavior and diffuses the situation.

            Once students understood the ground rules and accepted that they are both fair and consistent disruptions began to subside. One key factor in her classroom management is that the students are consistently engaged in the material. Certain subjects in history are difficult to avoid lecturing on, however she gets very creative in her efforts to keep lecture to a minimum. Since the students are occupied with activities and discussions they are less likely to be falling asleep in class or scrolling through social media sites.

            This realization meant a lot to me as a teacher candidate. Classroom management is just that, management, not absolute control. My host teacher is careful to pick only the necessary battles, making sure to not escalate any trivial situations. I feel that many teachers forget to question why students are misbehaving or disrupting the class. Do they feel the rules are unfair? Inconsistent? Are they bored or lost? Are they actively engaged or passively receiving information? All of these questions have been addressed by my host teacher when she creates her lesson plans, and are continuously re-addressed as the class dynamic evolves. Students within her classroom are given respect and taught that their opinions and thoughts are valuable to other students and to her as a teacher, and because of this they respect her in return, rules and all.

Fears and Joys

Fears and Joys Week One

            Despite having a small amount of clinical experience prior to my current placement, I was surprised at how much it felt like starting over on the first day. It was very nerve wracking to meet a new group of students and faculty after having grown comfortable in my previous placement. One of my main fears as a teacher candidate is the unfamiliarity of certain content areas. Having not studied certain subjects in the history class’s curriculum, I was very nervous of being asked a question I would not be able to answer. For example, on the first day students were working on a project where they were instructed to explain how one of the first ten amendments relates to their life today. While answering students’ questions I often had to ask them to show me the actual amendment, because I do not know them by heart. This didn’t seem to change how they viewed my ability to help them, but it made me uneasy to admit to not knowing something that is so basic and fundamental to United States’ history as the Bill of Rights.

            Another worry that has found its way into my clinical placement is my desire and need to be accepted by the host teachers and faculty members that I am learning from. I found myself in a very uncomfortable situation while sitting in the teacher’s lounge on my first day, while my host teacher ran a few quick errands. I expected the standard small talk and to be asked about my teacher education program by the other faculty members, and was very thankful for the input of a few individuals. Once the small talk had faded out I overheard a few individuals make remarks about programs and individuals that were at best, uncalled for, and at worst, almost demeaning. This type of gossip was said in such a lighthearted manner that I could tell it was nothing out of the ordinary for this group, and it made me question the things that are said when a stranger is not sitting four feet away. After this encounter I reevaluated my need to be accepted and decided that it is more important to hold true to what I believe is correct and moral than it is to be well liked and included in conversations. As it turns out, my host teacher had had similar experiences, but wanted me to decide for myself. Her belief that I would come to this conclusion on my own made me feel reassured that I have been placed with a woman that has similar beliefs and ideals to myself, and is someone I consider a role model.

            One of the most joyful moments I have observed within my placement was the students’ reaction to my host teacher’s announcement that she would be having surgery over spring break. She told me that she believes in being honest with her class, and it was clear that the students were concerned for her well being. The students’ reaction to her return after two days absence following the break was very heart warming. Students gave her very careful hugs, stopped in the classroom during passing time to say that they missed her, and so on. These seemingly small acts showed me the bond that takes place within a classroom when students know that their teacher genuinely cares for and about them. Oftentimes, I hear all kinds of stories of awful classroom behavior and disrespect for teachers, and yet very rarely hear about the moments that I witnessed that day. I feel that this is a shame and an injustice that students are painted in such a negative light. The students in my classroom experience showed an outpouring of respect and compassion for their teacher’s situation, and it was clear that it touched her heart to know that they care for her and genuinely miss her when she is gone.

            In my career as an educator I hope to remember that it is okay to admit when I do not have all of the answers, it is okay to remove myself from conversations and friendships that I feel are toxic to myself and my approach towards teaching, and lastly, I hope to build a bond of trust and compassion with my future students like the one I have been so fortunate to observe within my placement.