Reflections
Throughout the term we have been reading a book called The Girl with the Brown Crayon by Vivian Gussin Paley. This book has initiated many reflections, below I share several...
Emergent Curriculum
As teachers I believe it is important to find out what students interests are. Taking the time to get to know our students shows that we care about them as individuals. Also, by drawing on student curiosity we can make learning experiences more engaging.
One way to get to know our students is through listening to them and observing them. There may be a particular topic they talk about a lot or something they act out in play. Another way to learn more about our students is through interviews. This could be done in a large group or individually. These are just several of the many ways we can get to know our students so we can draw on their interests.
In the story The Girl With The Brown Crayon, the children bring out Leo Leonni’s books. The teacher hadn’t planned on using the books that particular year, but after seeing an interest, she reads a wide variety of books from that author to the children. This is a great example of playing on student’s curiosity.
One way to get to know our students is through listening to them and observing them. There may be a particular topic they talk about a lot or something they act out in play. Another way to learn more about our students is through interviews. This could be done in a large group or individually. These are just several of the many ways we can get to know our students so we can draw on their interests.
In the story The Girl With The Brown Crayon, the children bring out Leo Leonni’s books. The teacher hadn’t planned on using the books that particular year, but after seeing an interest, she reads a wide variety of books from that author to the children. This is a great example of playing on student’s curiosity.
How Do Teachers Create An Environment Where It Is Okay To Be Different?
Teachers need to celebrate human diversity, individuality, and uniqueness in their classroom. Children are aware of differences from a very young age. It is our job to show children that differences are positive and not something to be ashamed of.
We can affirm students by teaching them that everyone is different and by celebrating difference in our classroom. Some ways to do this are to have children’s books that portray a variety of ethnic backgrounds, abilities, cultures, family forms, and more. Differences can be portrayed through the images displayed on classroom walls. We can incorporate different languages into the classroom. Multicultural materials can be incorporated such as crayons in a variety of skin tones, aboriginal beads for counters in math, and dolls with visible disabilities. We can also incorporate cultural ways of knowing into our classroom such as aboriginal story telling. These are just a few ways we can begin to celebrate difference in our classroom.
I believe that children deserve to feel valued for their individuality. Teachers can show students they are valued by implementing curriculum that reflects the students in their class. It is also important for teachers to portray differences that aren’t in the classroom. Learning about differences helps prepare students for our diverse society.
We can affirm students by teaching them that everyone is different and by celebrating difference in our classroom. Some ways to do this are to have children’s books that portray a variety of ethnic backgrounds, abilities, cultures, family forms, and more. Differences can be portrayed through the images displayed on classroom walls. We can incorporate different languages into the classroom. Multicultural materials can be incorporated such as crayons in a variety of skin tones, aboriginal beads for counters in math, and dolls with visible disabilities. We can also incorporate cultural ways of knowing into our classroom such as aboriginal story telling. These are just a few ways we can begin to celebrate difference in our classroom.
I believe that children deserve to feel valued for their individuality. Teachers can show students they are valued by implementing curriculum that reflects the students in their class. It is also important for teachers to portray differences that aren’t in the classroom. Learning about differences helps prepare students for our diverse society.
One of the children's stories that was shared in my Social Studies Education class was Chrysanthemum. Below is a Quick Write I wrote after listening to the story.
Chrysanthemum
As teachers it is our job to make every child feel welcomed and affirmed in our classroom. I was disappointed with how Chrysanthemum's home room teacher failed to address the teasing going on at school. When Victoria made negative comments directed at Chrysanthemum, the teacher told her to put her head down. I think that the teacher should have responded to the comments in a different way. She could have talked about how words can be hurtful and used role-playing to teach empathy. This could have shortened the time that Chrysanthemum was bullied.
I was very impressed with how Mrs. Twinkle affirmed Chrysanthemum. She declared that she too had a long name that was after a flower. Students like Mrs. Twinkle and quickly changed their minds about Chrysanthemum.
This story is a reminder of how much power we have as teachers. We have the potential to make a difference in children's lives. Hopefully there are not any teachers who would turn a blind eye to bullying the way Chrysanthemum's home room teacher did. I would like to be like Mrs. Twinkle in my future classroom using the power that comes with being a teacher to make a difference in the lives of young children.
I was very impressed with how Mrs. Twinkle affirmed Chrysanthemum. She declared that she too had a long name that was after a flower. Students like Mrs. Twinkle and quickly changed their minds about Chrysanthemum.
This story is a reminder of how much power we have as teachers. We have the potential to make a difference in children's lives. Hopefully there are not any teachers who would turn a blind eye to bullying the way Chrysanthemum's home room teacher did. I would like to be like Mrs. Twinkle in my future classroom using the power that comes with being a teacher to make a difference in the lives of young children.
