*Each of these stories can be accessed individually by using the menu, or read together below.
School and Community
I see relationship as the what and I see people as the who that create the link between school and community. The people being everyone from students, their families, the education staff of the school and others that are involved. As for the relationships, I feel like whether it is a brief encounter, a conversation, or regular interaction, they all form some type of relationship. In saying that, I believe school and community are often looked at as separate from each other, but I believe either one would be incomplete without the other. They both play a crucial role in developing and influencing the other. For instance, without a community of people, who would attend the school and create the mosaic of differences that enrich our lives; furthermore, without the school where would people in the community receive their education or be allowed to form and build relationships with same degree of variation in differences. I believe the collaboration of school and community are needed to truly enrich the lives of people and their relationships
Teachers, Knowledge, Building Relationships
In specifically looking at how teachers build relationships with students, it all starts on the very first day of school, or possibly earlier if the teacher and student have both been at the same school previously to placement in the class. However, in assuming there is no prior knowledge of one another, teachers will often begin the year with “get to know you” activities. For example my co-operative teacher asks for family photos and has a family wall that remains throughout the year. She regularly sends out a class newsletter, constantly posts on Seesaw, and invites families to come speak on certain topics and share “how it was for them”. She updates class photos on a bulletin board in the classroom, does various activities about what they do outside of school (for example: family trees, “memories of winter break”), but most of all, she takes a genuine interests in each and every one of her students. Another way teachers build relationships with students is by learning, understanding, respecting, and honouring each students’ individual needs and the different ways in which they each acquire knowledge—or ways of knowing.
As for educators to build their own knowledge, I learned that teachers are given a list at the beginning of the year with various options for their professional development and/or continuing education. They are encouraged to attend one per year and look forward to attending. These development days often show them new curriculum, new teaching strategies, child psychology, behaviour awareness and management strategies, and so much more. They have “Learning Improvement Days” once a month and throughout the year. However, many teachers often find one of the best ways in building their own professional knowledge is from one another—collaboratively!
Students & Learning Environment
The environment throughout my placement school differs from classroom to classroom (spaces/places) and in some of the other subject themed rooms (library, music, science lab, etc.) that are regularly used throughout the day. Some classrooms have dark curtains or cover windows, some have more than one window and have the sun shining in as much as possible. Some classrooms have their desks traditional rows, while others use tables or other desk arrangements (eg. semi-circle, side-by-side, or a square set up where everyone faces each other). Some teachers have added spaces within their rooms like carpets or couches, while others allow learners to pick their own sit spot, for instance in the grade three class (my placement classroom), under my co-operative teacher’s desk is a favourite or some choose the hallway. In line with our ECS 100 class discussion about spaces, places, and boundaries, everywhere I looked I was able to easily notice the many ways the environment within the school is bounded to define places and spaces. Each place or classroom/subject themed room is bound by four walls, one door and one window (rarely more than one, a few with no window), and some doors of various rooms were marked with “limited access to student signs” or reminders that “a supervisor is needed before entry” or they were simply locked. While I realize some of these rooms may be dangerous to children or they have no need to be in the rooms, it still shows the limits and boundaries we normally would not think about, nor question. As for spaces each student is limited and seems to have adapted to knowing what spaces they can access and what they can not. Another example of space I seen was the three “calming” or “sensory” rooms set aside for three specific students with high needs: All the students know these rooms are off limits. However, do not mistake my awareness to the boundaries that limit students to places and spaces to be completely negative, as the atmosphere of the school and personae of the staff are warm and welcoming.
Diversity & Difference
MY FIELD PLACEMENT CLASSROOM:
I have seen a many ways my cooperative teacher honours students’ diversity and differences, as well as being inclusive in her practices. She has a keenness towards each of the students, she is aware of each of their different educational needs and learning methods, as well as an understanding of who they each are as a person. In many of her subjects she gives students the ability to decide how they work best, partner or no partner, other subjects she does centers where the students do various learning tasks in a group of equally skilled peers. She continually uses different approaches and methods in how she delivers learning material and often uses fun engaging ways to test comprehension and knowledge of the material.
IN OTHER CLASSROOMS:
Talking with the grade 2 teacher, I learned that she has one student with higher learning and behavioural needs, as well as life skill needs. Each week this student works with support staff and the teacher to practice a specific life skill in the classroom environment, this student is then paired up with a classmate and given the opportunity to implement the new skill in an associated community environment/setting, depending on the learned skill. For example, last week restaurant etiquette and menu ordering were practiced and then these new skills were put into practice by going to an actual restaurant within the community.
THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL
There is a limited number of students that represent racial differences in this specific school, but from what I have seen there are more differences in learning needs and abilities, as well as socializing skills. This week while we were in the gym to watch the school pep rally it allowed me to see the entire student body in the same place at once. Through this experience I was able to see numerous inclusive ways diversity and difference are honoured as students interacted with both their peers and teachers. There were many students with different coping needs due to the high volume and crowdedness in the gym. I seen a variety of ways teachers were inclusive depending on the individual needs of the student, so they could still take part in festivities. While some wore ear mufflers, some were able to stand behind the glass door so they were able to see without feeling overwhelmed by the crowd, others were aloud to sit in the hall and read or work on assignments, while a few were even able to come and go when they needed a moment to get away.
There is also a gender neutral bathroom available to students to be inclusive of their personal needs.
BONUS EXPERIENCE:
This week I was invited by the grade 4 & 5 students to attend their Heritage Fair on my personal time. What a wonderful display of their hard-earned work, their various learning styles, backgrounds, and interests. The gymnasium was filled with approximately 60 displays highlighting a variety what represented their individual heritage, or interest as a Canadian. There were displays on Vimy Ridge, Slavery in Canada, The War of 1812, Indian Residential Schools, Mining, Farming, Hockey, and even the History of Moose Jaw’s record breaking, Mac the Moose: I am sure if you can think of it, it was covered. Students used various ways to present their work, whether on a computer with a slide show, video, or images; an oral explanation or a question and answer style. Again, if you can think of it, it was done. I realized afterwards how much of my reflection on this weeks topic of diversity and difference, happened in a different environment than within the usual boundaries of my placement classroom and it was even among a greater number of the students, that I normally do not get a chance to observe and interact with. As you can tell I had a fantastic time, I was able to see several examples of diversity and differences through not only the students, themselves, but also through their research, displays, and learning styles and levels. I think it was an amazing opportunity for the students to shine in their own way and it was a great example for their teacher to be inclusive in the same way.