Blog Post #1
In what ways do teachers build a sense of community in the classroom?
- When I was in the classroom some of the things that I saw that built a sense of community was a picture wall. When I was looking around the classroom, I saw some pictures of families on the wall. When it was snack time and I was looking at the wall, some of the kids spoke up and said “that’s my family” or “this is my brother” as we were talking. I saw that other kids were listening too. They were learning about families other than their own. One of the other things I noticed was the play groups, they had a choice to go from station to station and play with other kids, not just a set group of kids. There was also some music playing in the background that I also thought was very welcoming to start the day.
Blog Post #2
In what ways do these classroom space(s) indicate power relationships? Does the space provide opportunities for all students to engage in learning?
– Some of the ways that the classrooms indicate power relationship were the teacher desks. Before we got in our classroom the principal showed us around the school and led us into one of the classrooms to show us the layout of the student desks and the teacher desks. The desks were in groups and the teacher’s desks was in the back of the classroom. The desk was c-shaped with chairs for kids to sit at the teacher’s desk too. The space does provide many opportunities for all students to engage in learning. I think having this setup in the classroom builds relationships between the student and the the student and teachers. All the students were comfortable in the classroom, and you could tell the student respected the teacher.
Blog Post #3
Based on our field placement, describe how teachers and the school community integrate and honour indigenous knowledge in the learning environment
– Some of things I noticed to integrate and honour indigenous knowledge in St. Augustine school is having the seven-teaching posted around the school. I also heard some of the teachers talking about what they were planning for their grandfather teaching. I haven’t seen a lesson about indigenous knowledge, but teachers and the principal have talked about how they include it. This week in out placement, we got to see the culture room. The room included drums and the colours of the medicine wheel. The walls and benches in the room were the colour of the medicine wheel. We learned that the room is ventilated for smudging and in the past, they have had an elder come into the school and teach.
Blog Post #4
How are the needs of English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners being met in the classroom? In what ways do teachers, administrators and students honour diversity, equity, and human rights for gender and sexual diverse students in their classrooms and within their schools and communities?
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When I was in the grade 1 and 2 classroom this field placement, I noticed that one of the students did not speak english as well as his classmates. The EA in the classroom took him to play a game. When I was looking at the games it was matching the right letter to itself. Though he had some one-on-one time with someone, he wasn’t separated from the class. Throughout that class I saw students going to the back table for some reading and spelling help. They were not separated from the class just working on something else at that moment.
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When we all sat down with the principal of the school, some of us asked questions about gender and sexual diverse students and in what ways do they support them. One of the things she said was that she has had students in the past who have spoken up against some of the things teachers say like “ladies and gentleman”. When this was brought to her attention, she asked for an explanation and then did her best to solve that problem. She said that not only was it good to see a student speak up but also trust them enough for them to come to her.