Blogging in kindergarten. Used as a portfolio of their work on the iPad
BCosham of stmary school Simsbury, CT
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
newtown, CT 12/14/12
As a teacher who has huddled in the corner of a room with kindergarten kids in a code red drill, trying to keep students occupied while not focusing on why we must be versed in this behavior, I found myself choking back tears at the news of what happened in Newtown. How unspeakable. How sick the shooter must have been to point guns at children. Just hearing that 18 Children were dead, teachers who heard the news knew it meant the shooter had entered a classroom- too early to know all the facts, but I\'m old enough to have experienced enough issues of mental illness to know that it is unmistakably a factor in this tragedy.
But what will come of this tragedy? A call for schools to increase security to keep it from happening again? Certainly not a discussion about gun control! But how about a discussion of a proactive social safety net? The common thread in all these tragic mass shootings seems to be lost young males. How many of us know one of these males? We think they are okay-but after reading the profile of one of these shooters, they seem to be so close a description to that lost child we knew.
Most modern countries have some social safety nets that join families in raising their children. Whether that help comes when a women brings her child home from the hospital or whether it comes at graduation from high school, how hard is it to design a system that can check in with all students and families to ensure they have the help they need or know how to access it should they ever need it. We need to do something real this time. Back in the early stages of my teaching career, there was a term: "end up on a tower with a rifle" that described the troubled child that you knew in your heart needed help and God forbid what would happen if they didn\'t get it. In the wake of today\'s news that idea seems some how so much less harmful, but still the idea remains and is magnified........there are children and young adults who are troubled and need our help and without that help what will happen is unthinkable but must be on all our hands. It takes a village to raise a child, and yet somehow in this rich nation, we can\'t seem to understand that simple prophecy. I say prophecy because it truly does predict what our society will become.
But what will come of this tragedy? A call for schools to increase security to keep it from happening again? Certainly not a discussion about gun control! But how about a discussion of a proactive social safety net? The common thread in all these tragic mass shootings seems to be lost young males. How many of us know one of these males? We think they are okay-but after reading the profile of one of these shooters, they seem to be so close a description to that lost child we knew.
Most modern countries have some social safety nets that join families in raising their children. Whether that help comes when a women brings her child home from the hospital or whether it comes at graduation from high school, how hard is it to design a system that can check in with all students and families to ensure they have the help they need or know how to access it should they ever need it. We need to do something real this time. Back in the early stages of my teaching career, there was a term: "end up on a tower with a rifle" that described the troubled child that you knew in your heart needed help and God forbid what would happen if they didn\'t get it. In the wake of today\'s news that idea seems some how so much less harmful, but still the idea remains and is magnified........there are children and young adults who are troubled and need our help and without that help what will happen is unthinkable but must be on all our hands. It takes a village to raise a child, and yet somehow in this rich nation, we can\'t seem to understand that simple prophecy. I say prophecy because it truly does predict what our society will become.
Monday, February 21, 2011
thoughts on curriculum
Even though I had taught for 20 years, worked through two masters programs and consider myself a thinking teacher, my initial thought of curriculum was still the guide that sat on the shelf and was very removed from what I did in my classroom. Over the course, I’ve come to see curriculum is not a static document but truly encompasses everything that goes on in a classroom, and it is only through well thought out development and implementation that we can ensure the teaching and learning we hope to achieve.
Looking at different definitions of curriculum helped me to begin to examine my own thoughts on the subject. The ideas of the Operational, Hidden, Null and Extra Curriculum made me start to examine what was really going on in schools and classrooms and how it is influenced.
The idea that the written, taught and tested curriculum can be very different was a bit of a revelation but so true when I think of the guide on the shelf being so removed from what I did in the classroom. I’ve come to understand that only through aligning these pieces can there be real success. Teachers and administrators often wonder why they are not seeing greater improvement in student achievement. Taking a closer look at the alignment of these three curriculums can hold a part of the answer. Often what is written, as the curriculum, is not what is delivered to students, and what is delivered to students is not what they are tested on or used to demonstrate their achievement.
The real problem I’ve come to think is that we don’t design curriculum in a manner that is truly usable to the teacher. Often it is designed in a manner that is unwieldy or too sparse to provide any real guidance. Too many pieces outlining everything often make it difficult to use the resource as a guide. Too little often forces the teacher to use the textbook-which should be just one resource-as a guide.
Another issue is the curriculum development process. It must begin with a philosophy and vision that guides the curriculum development and shines in the final document. I found Postman’s narratives from The End of Education most intriguing and his “gods that fail” connect well to what Ken Robinson is talking about in his TED talks on creativity and a new paradigm for schools. There needs to be a closer look at what we expect our schools to do for our students. This new vision and philosophy will guide what and how they are taught.
I’ve come to feel that delivering the curriculum in separate blocks is neither efficient nor meaningful to students. Designing curriculum to be delivered in integrated units through project-based learning can help students connect their learning to the real world. Providing the resources to implement these units, standards to be covered through them, and assessment tools through a well laid out curriculum will help teachers to deliver instruction in a manner that will engage learners and allow for creativity, critical thinking, and the building of independent learning habits. These types of projects can often be best delivered through the use of technology, helping to build 21st century skills in a meaningful way.
Too often the curriculum doesn’t provide for teachers all the resources they need to teach all students. Universal Design for Learning theory seems to be the solution to this issue. By designing curriculum to provide multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement you plan for differentiation. By including these elements in the curriculum from the outset, teachers are provided with the tools they need to reach all learners. Integrating technology through out the curriculum design also provides teachers with the tools they need to engage today’s students.
I’ve come to see curriculum as the critical element in making changes in our schools. Designing curriculum that includes all of the important components mentioned in a manner that is user friendly and accessible to teachers can truly change what happens in the classroom.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Written, Taught, Tested Curriculum for 21st Century Learners
Districts striving to meet the needs of the 21st century learner must look towards the future for the skills the learner will need. Fortunately this has been done for districts through the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.( http://www.p21.org/) The skills outlined by this initiative include the themes that will be essential for today’s learners to understand, as well as the learning skills, information, media and technology skills and the life and career skills they will need for success in the future.
The themes of global awareness, financial, economic, civic, health and environmental literacy can be woven into the core subjects of language arts, math, social studies and science. However, these themes and all subjects should be taught in a manner that will give students the opportunity to practice creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication and collaboration. These are the learning and innovation skills necessary that will allow students to succeed in the complex work environments they will face in their future.
In order to do this, the written, taught, and tested curriculum must be reworked from what is traditionally thought of as “the curriculum”. Districts shouldn’t tie themselves to specific programs and materials but strive for more open-endedness. The curriculum will still present the skills and knowledge students need to know and master. But it must also include methods and strategies that allow them to be presented in a context that deepens students’ understanding and allows for practice of the learning and innovation and life and career skills. This can be done through the presentation of projects and problems as a basis for student learning. The tested curriculum will need to include more open-ended assessments, which will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways. Presenting and developing rubrics to and with students will help students have an understanding of the expectations and allow assessment to be done in a formalized though less traditional manner.
Towards this end, the ubiquitous use of Web 2.0 tools need to be a part of these curricula. Tools that allow students to not only access information but also utilize the information to create knowledge products that can be shared are essential. Through the use of such tools, creativity and innovation are fostered and developed. Collaboration and communication skills are developed when students can utilize these tools to work with experts in the field as well as students across their school, district or the world in the development of solutions to real world problems and knowledge products to share with real audiences. Podcasts, videos, blogs, wikis, web pages and other online tools allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a manner that can help others to learn.
The use of the wide array of resources available on the web allows for instruction to be differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. It allows for various entry points and levels of support. The use of media in the classroom brings audio and video to students who may have been otherwise shut out of learning through text alone. Online games and simulations and digital manipulatives also give students the opportunity to see concepts through a different lens than previously available. All of these tools are available through the web. Through open-ended project and problem-based learning, students can access this material at their entry-level point, as well as utilize it to demonstrate their learning and share it in a manner that helps them to build confidence in themselves and their skills.
Some of the most important skills a student can hope to gain are information, media and technology literacy skills. With the wealth of information and media available to them, students must learn to think critically regarding its use. Technology will always be changing, however, students who gain the understanding of how to utilize technology for learning will be able to move forward with it. Students will need to learn how to discriminate among the rapidly growing wealth of information resources available to them for the resources that best meet and fit their needs. Providing students with the skills to discriminate and fully utilize the technology, information and media available to them will empower them to take control of their learning. Instruction in these information skills and the use of web tools are essential for all 21st century learners.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Philosophical Beliefs on Curriculum
I believe school has many purposes but the most important one, to me, is to prepare students to be functioning members of society. Towards that end, students need to be able to think critically, communicate effectively, understand the interdependence of society, and establish lifelong learning habits as well as develop a skill base that allows them to earn a living. With these skills, students will be able to support themselves, participate in a democracy, behave as responsible citizens locally and globally, and pursue the interests that will add richness to their lives.
This belief fosters the need to ensure that students have the language, math and science skills which will allow them to develop the skill base to earn a living. It also means students need to have an understanding of all cultures, how they have developed and interacted through history, an understanding of their government, and an understanding of global issues to develop citizenship skills and behavior.
The fine arts, technical vocations, and physical and mental health also need to be developed in students for them to understand the many different aspects of society and to ensure a rich, full, and healthy life. Philosophy, the study of various religions, foreign languages, and other humanities pursuits also give students a broader understanding of their world and better understandings and abilities to interact with people.
Through all of these subjects, critical thinking and communication skills must be taught. Delivering these skills through meaningful pursuits and in the context of various subject matters will ensure their development and use by students. Having recently heard about the Paideia Group and their framework for education, I think it probably sums up my ideas of what should be taught in schools.
I believe all students can learn. They learn best in a safe, nurturing environment where they can establish personal relationships. Differentiation of instruction is important so that each student can be met at his or her skill level and is successful. Students learning experiences must be relevant and meaningful, and the concepts students learn need to prepare them to be successful in their future. Towards that end, I believe the integration of technology into instruction is key. Students will live in a world where technology is an increasing part of their everyday activities. Their learning must include the meaningful and thoughtful use of technology to teach them the skills they will need as well as how to utilize technology as a tool.
In my work as the technology teacher in a K-5 school, I try to plan and deliver lessons that are an integrated part of students’ content learning. Whether it is having fifth graders publish their autobiographies, while practicing use of literary devices, utilizing Google Earth for third graders to study their community and state, or first graders and kindergarteners utilizing software to demonstrate their emerging math skills, I try to make all of my lessons an integrated part of students’ learning. What I find most frustrating is the fact that classroom teachers don’t seem to see my lessons as such. There are few teachers who continue the work I start with students in the classrooms and are true collaborators in the planning of projects and the execution of them. However, most seem to look at my tech time as a special lesson that provides them with planning time. Despite constant attempts to collaborate, it seems to be the rare teacher that truly understands the meaning of the word.
I think what is needed is a true revamping of the curriculum as it exists in my district so that it reflects the integration of technology. Administrators and staff may then begin to give it a closer look and see the value of meaningful use of technology in students’ learning. I see technology as a tool which can transform schools in a myriad of ways. But until it is an integrated part of all curriculum and embraced by educators as a tool that enhances instruction and management of learning such a transformation cannot occur.
In regards to my other beliefs about learning, I have made a concerted effort to learn the names of all of the 400 plus students I work with, as it is the first step in establishing a real relationship with students which allows them to reach a comfort level to take the chances necessary in their learning. I find differentiation to be the most difficult part of my work. I try hard to keep activities open ended enough to ensure success by all students.
I also am leaning more and more towards collaboration between students as this is a skill that needs to be developed in students, but also allows for differentiation. It often requires a great deal of creativity to live my beliefs within the confines of a system that does not reflect them.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Assignment 2: Post conference Reflection
The whole full clinical cycle proved to be a very enlightening experience. However nothing was quite as enlightening as watching the video of my post observation conference.
After observing my post observation conference, I think one of my strengths is the conversational style I utilized in the conference. There was lots of nodding, good eye contact, and phrases such as “you know what I mean, right, yeah….” in the conversation. We both appeared relaxed for the most part, but I am clearly relaxed, leaning into the conversation or across the table to share information.
I tried very hard to put the teacher at ease. I am working with a first year teacher and had given the Clinical Dialect Preference Survey from Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles to the teacher prior to our observation to help inform both of us of her teaching style. She had tested as being a feeling/sensing teacher with equal scores in the feeling and sensing categories. In reading up on this teaching style and how to speak the Caring Teacher dialect, I focused on the need to avoid being insensitive or confrontational when presenting data and also the need to highlight the tone of the classroom as well as what was observed. Teachers relying on feelings and senses can be sensitive themselves, and I tried to keep this in mind when preparing for the conference.
The conference was held in my office, and I initially suggested this thinking it would be most convenient for the teacher. (I asked her to stop by on her way out.) In hindsight, I should probably have given the teacher the option of where to meet as this would have been a simple way to give the teacher a say/options and a feeling of collegiality and lessen any feelings of superiority. We did sit together at a table as opposed to across a desk, which I think helped the tone of the meeting to be more informal.
Throughout our conversation there appears to be active listening, with nodding and affirmative sounds, questions for further clarification and laughter at appropriate times. I feel there were times when my delivery, word finding, or phrasing could have been smoother. I think I was trying very hard to convey my thoughts in a sensitive manner and not appear serious in tone. I’ve decided that if this makes me appear to be the bumbling professor but puts the other person at ease, I can live with that. However, I feel there may have been occasions where I was less than clear and had to paraphrase and repeat a thought in different ways in order to get my meaning across. I think it may be necessary to be less than direct while you are building rapport with a teacher. But it is also the point of communication to get your message across clearly, so hopefully with practice, I can find a tone which puts people at ease and does allow me to be direct.
I had utilized an observation tool that recorded what the teacher said and the students’ actions, as this was a focus (clarity of directions) that the teacher had asked for. I had provided the teacher with a copy of my notes prior to the observation so she would have some idea of what I had observed before our meeting. I had also prepared a document of observations and interpretations as well as a mapped out continuum for the collaborative approach to the conference.
The teacher I am working with is in her first year of teaching and as much as a directive approach may have been appropriate, I felt that the collaborative approach would do well in helping to build her confidence. I briefly discussed the tone of the classroom and the positive choice of engaging activities to both set her at ease and provide a positive start to the conference. I began with a prepared list of questions to go over before getting to my data, to provide more information on the lesson as a whole and to begin the clarifying process. I tried hard to follow the collaborative style and asked her if she would like to first share what her greatest concern or area of improvement might be or if she would like to discuss my data.
As I had hoped, she shared her concern, which basically paraphrased my concern. The clarifying, listening, and reflecting done at the beginning clearly made the conference longer but I feel it was worth the time because the teacher was really able to hear what I said later with an open and like mind. Had I just presented my “I see situations in which management is interfering with instruction” it would have been harsh to hear and probably pretty demoralizing for a first year teacher. I believe it would have made the conference less than what it became because the teacher would not have been as in tune with what I had to share. But after she offered that she feels there is a need to set expectations to deal less with behavior problems and have smoother transitions, we had a discussion about what classroom management really is. I gave the example of a teacher who thinks in terms of minutes and helps her students to think in those terms. I also discussed how planning out the minutia of classroom routines for students helps to save those classroom minutes so there is more time for instruction and better flow overall in the classroom. In this way, we clearly linked the identified need to improved instruction.
It was only after this conversation that I presented my data, which showed evidence from the observation and my interpretation of the evidence. Of the five interpretations, one was positive, one was more of a question of what I had observed, and three were issues that could be addressed by her. I also provided her with some direct actions/suggestions that could be tried to improve classroom management in the type of lesson she presented (small groups, rotating through stations). These were presented highlighting how they could help the class overall as well as specific students to help reinforce the link between the observation and improved instruction.
In the end there was lots of agreement. Phrases such as “that makes sense” and “I think this is everything I want to accomplish but I haven’t been able to put it all together” as well as “it makes much more sense to talk about it out loud” made me feel like the conference overall was successful and useful to the teacher. We also had a conversation about how the observation process was meant to work in this way: helping a teacher reflect on practices in order to improve them. After watching the video, it seems this is the sentence I should have started the conference with. However, after going through the process of the conference, it seemed much more meaningful when stated at the end. We agreed upon some actions she would take, confirmed the details of an improvement plan and set a date for another observation.
Overall I think the time and effort put into preparing for the conference paid off in establishing rapport, helping the teacher to reflect on her practice, and accept constructive criticism. I am constantly reminded in this course of how different this method of supervision is from my own experiences of being supervised and what a good thing that is.
Resources:
After observing my post observation conference, I think one of my strengths is the conversational style I utilized in the conference. There was lots of nodding, good eye contact, and phrases such as “you know what I mean, right, yeah….” in the conversation. We both appeared relaxed for the most part, but I am clearly relaxed, leaning into the conversation or across the table to share information.
I tried very hard to put the teacher at ease. I am working with a first year teacher and had given the Clinical Dialect Preference Survey from Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles to the teacher prior to our observation to help inform both of us of her teaching style. She had tested as being a feeling/sensing teacher with equal scores in the feeling and sensing categories. In reading up on this teaching style and how to speak the Caring Teacher dialect, I focused on the need to avoid being insensitive or confrontational when presenting data and also the need to highlight the tone of the classroom as well as what was observed. Teachers relying on feelings and senses can be sensitive themselves, and I tried to keep this in mind when preparing for the conference.
The conference was held in my office, and I initially suggested this thinking it would be most convenient for the teacher. (I asked her to stop by on her way out.) In hindsight, I should probably have given the teacher the option of where to meet as this would have been a simple way to give the teacher a say/options and a feeling of collegiality and lessen any feelings of superiority. We did sit together at a table as opposed to across a desk, which I think helped the tone of the meeting to be more informal.
Throughout our conversation there appears to be active listening, with nodding and affirmative sounds, questions for further clarification and laughter at appropriate times. I feel there were times when my delivery, word finding, or phrasing could have been smoother. I think I was trying very hard to convey my thoughts in a sensitive manner and not appear serious in tone. I’ve decided that if this makes me appear to be the bumbling professor but puts the other person at ease, I can live with that. However, I feel there may have been occasions where I was less than clear and had to paraphrase and repeat a thought in different ways in order to get my meaning across. I think it may be necessary to be less than direct while you are building rapport with a teacher. But it is also the point of communication to get your message across clearly, so hopefully with practice, I can find a tone which puts people at ease and does allow me to be direct.
I had utilized an observation tool that recorded what the teacher said and the students’ actions, as this was a focus (clarity of directions) that the teacher had asked for. I had provided the teacher with a copy of my notes prior to the observation so she would have some idea of what I had observed before our meeting. I had also prepared a document of observations and interpretations as well as a mapped out continuum for the collaborative approach to the conference.
The teacher I am working with is in her first year of teaching and as much as a directive approach may have been appropriate, I felt that the collaborative approach would do well in helping to build her confidence. I briefly discussed the tone of the classroom and the positive choice of engaging activities to both set her at ease and provide a positive start to the conference. I began with a prepared list of questions to go over before getting to my data, to provide more information on the lesson as a whole and to begin the clarifying process. I tried hard to follow the collaborative style and asked her if she would like to first share what her greatest concern or area of improvement might be or if she would like to discuss my data.
As I had hoped, she shared her concern, which basically paraphrased my concern. The clarifying, listening, and reflecting done at the beginning clearly made the conference longer but I feel it was worth the time because the teacher was really able to hear what I said later with an open and like mind. Had I just presented my “I see situations in which management is interfering with instruction” it would have been harsh to hear and probably pretty demoralizing for a first year teacher. I believe it would have made the conference less than what it became because the teacher would not have been as in tune with what I had to share. But after she offered that she feels there is a need to set expectations to deal less with behavior problems and have smoother transitions, we had a discussion about what classroom management really is. I gave the example of a teacher who thinks in terms of minutes and helps her students to think in those terms. I also discussed how planning out the minutia of classroom routines for students helps to save those classroom minutes so there is more time for instruction and better flow overall in the classroom. In this way, we clearly linked the identified need to improved instruction.
It was only after this conversation that I presented my data, which showed evidence from the observation and my interpretation of the evidence. Of the five interpretations, one was positive, one was more of a question of what I had observed, and three were issues that could be addressed by her. I also provided her with some direct actions/suggestions that could be tried to improve classroom management in the type of lesson she presented (small groups, rotating through stations). These were presented highlighting how they could help the class overall as well as specific students to help reinforce the link between the observation and improved instruction.
In the end there was lots of agreement. Phrases such as “that makes sense” and “I think this is everything I want to accomplish but I haven’t been able to put it all together” as well as “it makes much more sense to talk about it out loud” made me feel like the conference overall was successful and useful to the teacher. We also had a conversation about how the observation process was meant to work in this way: helping a teacher reflect on practices in order to improve them. After watching the video, it seems this is the sentence I should have started the conference with. However, after going through the process of the conference, it seemed much more meaningful when stated at the end. We agreed upon some actions she would take, confirmed the details of an improvement plan and set a date for another observation.
Overall I think the time and effort put into preparing for the conference paid off in establishing rapport, helping the teacher to reflect on her practice, and accept constructive criticism. I am constantly reminded in this course of how different this method of supervision is from my own experiences of being supervised and what a good thing that is.
Resources:
Pajak, E. (2003). Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles A Guide for Supervisors. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Classroom Arrangement
Room Arrangements
This assignment would have been way more interesting in our old school. In January 2008, we moved into a brand new building (how many teachers get to say that in their career?). All of the furniture and fixtures were purchased new and all of the technology was wrapped into the cost of the new building.
The classroom design and purchase of furniture were supposedly well thought out by the architects and designers. There were some meetings with teachers, however, as one of those teachers, there is varying degrees of evidence of teacher input. Ultimately what it means is there is little opportunity for variation in room arrangement by the teachers because of the room configuration and furniture purchased.
All classrooms have Promethean Boards. The placement of the teachers’ desks is determined by the outlet/drop from the data projector and USB from the board for connection to the teacher’s computer. Hence, all teachers’ desks are to the side of the front of the room. (The exception would be Kindergarten where there was a huge mistake made in placing the drops and the boards on opposite sides of the room making the boards inoperable until an additional run was added from the board to the teachers computer. We still have issues with how the boards run in those rooms.) Naturally running an IWB, the computer needs to be close to the board, however, purchasing a computer table or stand, could have given teachers some options regarding placement of their desk, and seeing as the teacher would still need the computer for many other tasks, it would seem the desk placement is not really negotiable.
The decision was made to purchase tables for all rooms, so there is little opportunity for varying room arrangement. While I initially was in support of the tables, it leaves very few options for room arrangement because the rooms themselves were designed in an L configuration. Tables are either arranged close to the board leaving a gathering space on the floor to the side or back or a gathering space is left in front of the board with tables pushed further back. The lack of student desks means there is only one way to arrange student seating. While the tables lend themselves to cooperative groups, they leave little options for partnering students or providing space and distance for times when some students may need quiet work space. Teachers have secured a few desks but utilizing them tends to make a child stand out more. Some teachers are more adept at utilizing the furniture for learning spaces. Traditional teachers seem to have the hardest time with this.
The only real variances in room arrangement seems to be the number of tables, cubbies, writing centers, etc in each room. Some of these pieces were new items in our old school so teachers were given the option of bringing them along with them. The other variance is the amount of teacher “stuff”. The stuff factor either in additional furniture or various teaching materials is what contributes to traffic flow and ease of movement. As I push into every room with my cart and COW, I am often struck by how easy it is to access a space at the front of the room in some classrooms and how hard it is in others.
One of the reasons there was a need for a new building is that the old building was not handicap accessible, and there was no way to make the 90 year old main building and its additions compliant. We had a few students who had to attend other schools because they were wheelchair bound. Ironically, we have not had any students with mobility issues in our new building, which is completely handicap accessible. However, I noted several rooms where mobility would be an issue due to “teacher stuff”.
Interestingly, I did not make a clear connection between the type of teacher and the traffic flow patterns established. I have witnessed teachers who do move about their rooms quite a bit to work with students even though the amount of furniture, etc. makes it somewhat difficult. There are also teachers who keep a minimalist room and require students to come to their desk for assistance rather than moving throughout the room. In regards to those who are actually being hindered in their teaching by the room arrangement, I think this is an area that teachers need help in taking a critical eye to what is in the room and how it impacts their instruction.
All classrooms are equipped with 3-5 student laptops depending upon grade level. We also brought over some older computers that need to be hard wired so all rooms have a computer table with the hardwired laptops or desktops and charging space for the newer laptops. Most teachers use the wireless laptops at students’ desks and the computers at the table are used as well.
The L configuration was designed so that an inclusion model could be used with support and special ed teachers working in the rooms with teachers. While this theory was thought to work well, in practice it seems to be more difficult for our teachers. The room needs to be arranged in such a way that allows for teachers to be at either end of the L when there are two groups working in the room so as not to disturb each other and yet the teacher needs to take groups at the juncture of the L, where the whole room can be viewed, when she/he is working alone in the room. It’s doable but requires an organized teacher who can grab what they need easily and move to the appointed spot.
While there is little room for variation in room arrangement, that’s not to say there is little variation in rooms. There is a wealth of creativity in what teachers display on their walls and throughout their rooms in some rooms, and very little in others. There are displays of students’ work in some rooms and in others more commercial material or very few displays. We have a teacher who insists on having plants and now fish on the tables for students, but there seems to be little connection to the students’ learning or the distractibility these items may cause. I’ve noticed what I have dubbed, “paper trail teachers”. These teachers seem to require a great deal of paper and pencil tasks from students as the trail is evident in and on the students’ desks and on the teachers’ desks. I also notice “teacher tidy” rooms- those that look good but how much learning can really be going on if they look that neat?
What I find most unsettling after this review of classroom arrangements is that the school itself was designed and fitted to be a modern learning environment. It was equipped with technology, designed for inclusion, and furnished for cooperative learning experiences. However, the teachers were never equipped, designed or furnished for such things. Three years in, we are only now getting to consistent professional development on the Promethean boards and technology integration through the use of a coaching model. There has not been any training in the inclusion model, including any given to special ed teachers or their assistants even though our special ed students are placed in the regular ed classrooms. Many of these students are serviced by being pulled out to the sped teachers smaller offices. Support teachers are also pulling kids out rather than working in rooms. I believe this is due to a real low level of comfort on both the part of the classroom teacher and special education teacher on how best to service students in an inclusion model. There are some teachers who are working in classrooms but this is not the rule.
While teachers use small groups and learning centers for reading instruction, I would say the majority of teaching for many teachers in the other subjects is done through direct instruction. Our new math curriculum is also providing teachers with a new approach to teaching, having them guide students to prove their work. Most of our kindergarten teachers are quite comfortable with hands on, small group work and active teaching strategies. However, I often see many teachers using traditional teaching methods, which are difficult to use in this more modern teaching environment.
I can certainly see how a walkthrough to observe room arrangements can be very helpful for supervising staff. Classrooms display various aspects of teachers’ personalities and teaching styles. They also can be a tool to display the mission, vision, and goals of the school. An observant administrator could use information gained on walkthroughs to help guide teachers towards different instructional methods and strategies. We have been given walkthrough guidelines of what administrators will be looking for, however, I’m not sure these guidelines have actually been used by administrators to determine what teachers needs are. Certainly, no professional development has been planned utilizing what has not been seen during walkthroughs.
Teachers seem to be slowly learning from each other. The beginning of each year brings about a few new room arrangements. However, how a room works without students is very different than how one works with students. I think a really useful tool could be to provide staff with some information on room arrangement and classroom environments and ask them to begin to take a critical look at their teaching spaces, perhaps working with a colleague to look at each other’s spaces and even asking students to think about how their room works. Having teachers justify placement and what is in the room could also help to have teachers really look at their rooms critically to determine what is working for them. Unfortunately, I think many teachers just don’t have time to think about the room arrangement and its effect on their teaching once students are in the room.
This assignment would have been way more interesting in our old school. In January 2008, we moved into a brand new building (how many teachers get to say that in their career?). All of the furniture and fixtures were purchased new and all of the technology was wrapped into the cost of the new building.
The classroom design and purchase of furniture were supposedly well thought out by the architects and designers. There were some meetings with teachers, however, as one of those teachers, there is varying degrees of evidence of teacher input. Ultimately what it means is there is little opportunity for variation in room arrangement by the teachers because of the room configuration and furniture purchased.
All classrooms have Promethean Boards. The placement of the teachers’ desks is determined by the outlet/drop from the data projector and USB from the board for connection to the teacher’s computer. Hence, all teachers’ desks are to the side of the front of the room. (The exception would be Kindergarten where there was a huge mistake made in placing the drops and the boards on opposite sides of the room making the boards inoperable until an additional run was added from the board to the teachers computer. We still have issues with how the boards run in those rooms.) Naturally running an IWB, the computer needs to be close to the board, however, purchasing a computer table or stand, could have given teachers some options regarding placement of their desk, and seeing as the teacher would still need the computer for many other tasks, it would seem the desk placement is not really negotiable.
The decision was made to purchase tables for all rooms, so there is little opportunity for varying room arrangement. While I initially was in support of the tables, it leaves very few options for room arrangement because the rooms themselves were designed in an L configuration. Tables are either arranged close to the board leaving a gathering space on the floor to the side or back or a gathering space is left in front of the board with tables pushed further back. The lack of student desks means there is only one way to arrange student seating. While the tables lend themselves to cooperative groups, they leave little options for partnering students or providing space and distance for times when some students may need quiet work space. Teachers have secured a few desks but utilizing them tends to make a child stand out more. Some teachers are more adept at utilizing the furniture for learning spaces. Traditional teachers seem to have the hardest time with this.
The only real variances in room arrangement seems to be the number of tables, cubbies, writing centers, etc in each room. Some of these pieces were new items in our old school so teachers were given the option of bringing them along with them. The other variance is the amount of teacher “stuff”. The stuff factor either in additional furniture or various teaching materials is what contributes to traffic flow and ease of movement. As I push into every room with my cart and COW, I am often struck by how easy it is to access a space at the front of the room in some classrooms and how hard it is in others.
One of the reasons there was a need for a new building is that the old building was not handicap accessible, and there was no way to make the 90 year old main building and its additions compliant. We had a few students who had to attend other schools because they were wheelchair bound. Ironically, we have not had any students with mobility issues in our new building, which is completely handicap accessible. However, I noted several rooms where mobility would be an issue due to “teacher stuff”.
Interestingly, I did not make a clear connection between the type of teacher and the traffic flow patterns established. I have witnessed teachers who do move about their rooms quite a bit to work with students even though the amount of furniture, etc. makes it somewhat difficult. There are also teachers who keep a minimalist room and require students to come to their desk for assistance rather than moving throughout the room. In regards to those who are actually being hindered in their teaching by the room arrangement, I think this is an area that teachers need help in taking a critical eye to what is in the room and how it impacts their instruction.
All classrooms are equipped with 3-5 student laptops depending upon grade level. We also brought over some older computers that need to be hard wired so all rooms have a computer table with the hardwired laptops or desktops and charging space for the newer laptops. Most teachers use the wireless laptops at students’ desks and the computers at the table are used as well.
The L configuration was designed so that an inclusion model could be used with support and special ed teachers working in the rooms with teachers. While this theory was thought to work well, in practice it seems to be more difficult for our teachers. The room needs to be arranged in such a way that allows for teachers to be at either end of the L when there are two groups working in the room so as not to disturb each other and yet the teacher needs to take groups at the juncture of the L, where the whole room can be viewed, when she/he is working alone in the room. It’s doable but requires an organized teacher who can grab what they need easily and move to the appointed spot.
While there is little room for variation in room arrangement, that’s not to say there is little variation in rooms. There is a wealth of creativity in what teachers display on their walls and throughout their rooms in some rooms, and very little in others. There are displays of students’ work in some rooms and in others more commercial material or very few displays. We have a teacher who insists on having plants and now fish on the tables for students, but there seems to be little connection to the students’ learning or the distractibility these items may cause. I’ve noticed what I have dubbed, “paper trail teachers”. These teachers seem to require a great deal of paper and pencil tasks from students as the trail is evident in and on the students’ desks and on the teachers’ desks. I also notice “teacher tidy” rooms- those that look good but how much learning can really be going on if they look that neat?
What I find most unsettling after this review of classroom arrangements is that the school itself was designed and fitted to be a modern learning environment. It was equipped with technology, designed for inclusion, and furnished for cooperative learning experiences. However, the teachers were never equipped, designed or furnished for such things. Three years in, we are only now getting to consistent professional development on the Promethean boards and technology integration through the use of a coaching model. There has not been any training in the inclusion model, including any given to special ed teachers or their assistants even though our special ed students are placed in the regular ed classrooms. Many of these students are serviced by being pulled out to the sped teachers smaller offices. Support teachers are also pulling kids out rather than working in rooms. I believe this is due to a real low level of comfort on both the part of the classroom teacher and special education teacher on how best to service students in an inclusion model. There are some teachers who are working in classrooms but this is not the rule.
While teachers use small groups and learning centers for reading instruction, I would say the majority of teaching for many teachers in the other subjects is done through direct instruction. Our new math curriculum is also providing teachers with a new approach to teaching, having them guide students to prove their work. Most of our kindergarten teachers are quite comfortable with hands on, small group work and active teaching strategies. However, I often see many teachers using traditional teaching methods, which are difficult to use in this more modern teaching environment.
I can certainly see how a walkthrough to observe room arrangements can be very helpful for supervising staff. Classrooms display various aspects of teachers’ personalities and teaching styles. They also can be a tool to display the mission, vision, and goals of the school. An observant administrator could use information gained on walkthroughs to help guide teachers towards different instructional methods and strategies. We have been given walkthrough guidelines of what administrators will be looking for, however, I’m not sure these guidelines have actually been used by administrators to determine what teachers needs are. Certainly, no professional development has been planned utilizing what has not been seen during walkthroughs.
Teachers seem to be slowly learning from each other. The beginning of each year brings about a few new room arrangements. However, how a room works without students is very different than how one works with students. I think a really useful tool could be to provide staff with some information on room arrangement and classroom environments and ask them to begin to take a critical look at their teaching spaces, perhaps working with a colleague to look at each other’s spaces and even asking students to think about how their room works. Having teachers justify placement and what is in the room could also help to have teachers really look at their rooms critically to determine what is working for them. Unfortunately, I think many teachers just don’t have time to think about the room arrangement and its effect on their teaching once students are in the room.
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