A common expression, especially in my experience as an Education Coordinator. The things we do in our classrooms reflect the love we have for the children within them. This week I've spent a large amount of time at one of our sites and have some concerns about the environment and the messages being sent to the children.
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| Science Area: Spring 2011 |
I worry because although there are labels, they don't reflect the actual items present on the shelf. Additionally, the materials seem to have just been thrown onto the shelves without much thought. The materials have been the same since I began observing the room in the fall. Now's the time to change! With spring approaching (well teasing us really), I plan to intervene in the most supportive ways possible to help this teacher support her children through acts of love!
What constructive feedback would you share with this classroom teacher?
What constructive feedback would you share with this classroom teacher?
Spread the love!
Oh my, In my role I run across the same thing too and I have given this a lot of thought over this past year. How do I get teachers to understand the important role their classroom environment plays in the learning process as well as how it is a reflection of their teaching skills and practices.
ReplyDeleteI began tackling this by helping the teachers set up their centers properly only to find that they didn't take ownership so I went to plan b :)
Now I talk to the teachers on every opportunity I get about how their classroom is like an assistant teacher. It can help you with keeping children positively occupied, it can help you teach, it can help you with classroom management, it can help you and your students feel good, be responsible, have fun, and so on. But in order for your classroom environment to be an effective assistant teacher - it needs to be nurtured, trained, cared for, organized, and you have to be invested in it.
We talk about how the classroom is helping or hindering their efforts. It can get complex or simple - it depends on the teacher:)
I agree whole-heartedly! The environment can function as the third teacher & allow teachers more time to teach rather then spend time "putting out fires."
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