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Week One of Term One has passed by already. This week whilst working with one of the classes that I release we worked on looking at "What makes a safe and happy classroom community".
Firstly, as a class we talked about what makes a safe and happy classroom community. We looked at what is looks like, sounds like and feels like. I wrote some examples on the white board for the children to get an idea of what they were required to do.
Secondly, I divided the students into groups of 3-4. I made sure that the children were divided equally so that they were able to work with students that they have not yet got to know. This enabled the children to be able to get to know the students in their groups as well as built on their communication and co-operative learning skills. The children were required to work as a group to come up with ideas of what they thought a safe and happy classroom community looked like to their group.
We then came together as a class and each group was given the opportunity to share their ideas to the class. As the groups shared their ideas I wrote them up on the whiteboard.
I was amazed at how engaged the students were in this task and I was amazed at how many ideas they all came up with. Below I have included a mind map of the students ideas in regards to the topic.
I believe that as teachers it is very important to be able to provide a safe and happy classroom climate for our students so that they are able to feel safe and secure and are able to become thriving learners. It is important I believe that children feel safe so that they are encouraged to and inspired to be able to share their ideas and opinion's without being thought of as being not significant or not respected.
The Professional Practice of Teaching (2005) states "Building a respectful classroom culture requires teachers to have a genuine regard for their students-their progress, their humanity and the essence of who they are. Students quickly sense when their ideas are welcomed, encouraged, dismissed or rejected. Teachers who develop an effective classroom culture for all students ensure that they include all classroom members in respectful ways that value each other."
I also believe that as teachers it is important that we give our students the opportunities for ownership, and responsibility for their own learning.
"In order for students to engage deeply in learning, for their sake, not ours, they need opportunities for ownership and responsibilities. When students own their learning and feel responsible for it we tap the most powerful reservoir of potential. When students act from their inner wellspring of determination and curiosity they tend to be fully engaged, motivated and willing".
Students should be encouraged to have their "own" voices. Being able to find their voice and being able to express their ideas and opinion's with confidence. "Our classrooms should be a place where students feel safe to take risks, rather than be at risk. This means that put-downs, sarcasm and mockery are avoided between students and between teachers and students. In such classrooms, people are treated with respect and while we may passionately disagree with someone's idea, we respect his or her right to that idea". (The Professional Practice of Teaching, Pg 26, 2005).
In conclusion, a classroom climate can really impact on how a child learns and how they develop in their learning as well as how they build strong and effective relationship with each other and their teacher. It is where children are engaged in their learning and are active participants and where they are nurtured and respected.
