communityplan

In order to build a �community of learners� in the classroom, there are many essential �ingredients� that must be examined and discussed. As I attempt to find my own personal �recipe� for a community, I realize that there are numerous factors that will influence the atmosphere in any particular classroom. It is important and necessary to realize that each individual teacher will build a community and perfect their recipe in a different way. The following are my thoughts, assumptions, goals and plans with which I hope to develop a sense of classroom cohesiveness. I am excited that in the very near future I will be able to put this philosophy to use in an actual classroom.

To begin, it is essential to detail the assumptions that I have of what students and a classroom, specifically an English classroom, should be like. I feel that students should be open-minded and ready to learn. Realistically, I know what some of them will be less than motivated and sometimes unenthusiastic about the subject of English. Students should be excited to learn about possibilities, reasons and explanations regarding literature and writing. I assume that students are in school to become educated and to learn something that they do not know. I assume that students and classrooms are built upon mutual respect for the teacher, the students and the school building. I furthermore assume that students are in class to enhance their mind and broaden their horizons. On the other hand, some of these assumptions may be a bit lofty and I know that some students will not possess all these characteristics. However, in my classroom I will hold students to the highest level of expectations and hope that they will hold me to the same.

Along with my assumptions of what students should be like, I feel that classrooms should be places that foster individual growth and achievement. To elaborate, I believe that each student should build upon his/her strengths, gain new skills and enhance his/her individual talents. I want students to develop a sense of personal identity. A classroom should be a place where all students feel safe and protected and where they feel free to share what is on their minds. Also, classrooms should be warm, inviting and filled with examples of student work. Equally important in any classroom is having fun! I want to create an atmosphere where students have a good time and feel comfortable and relaxed while learning.

So what is the definition of a �community?� This definition will differ depending upon who is answering the question. Some characteristics of a great community, as defined by Ernest L. Boyer, would be open, just, educationally purposeful, celebrative, caring and disciplined. I would like to incorporate each of these into my classroom. Similarly, I want each student to have a vested interest in the community by interacting with their peers and by investing time in classroom activities.

I assume and realize that some students will not be extremely excited about English, but I do believe that students should know that their ideas and interpretations are a necessity to understanding authors and pieces of writing. On the other hand, many students will have a love for this subject and will be excited to read and experiment with different genres of writing and literature. Still others may see English in very simplistic terms: reading and writing, but I feel that the English equation is composed of many more variables. I know my subject is expounding with possibilities for student growth and input. I expect to create an atmosphere that helps students to relax and share their ideas. Allowing student input in other aspects of the classroom is also important. For example, I do not see a reason why students cannot participate in the appearance of the classroom with regards to creating things for bulletin boards and the wall space.

Consequently, there are many expectations that I have of my students. When students are in my classroom I expect them to participate, listen and ask questions. I will count on them to respect others and me in the same way that I will respect each one of them. I should encourage them to be open to others� ideas and opinions at all times. English is a subject that requires group participation and involvement, therefore I expect students to be able to work well with one another and to realize that many times there is not one right answer to a question. I should expect many different ideas and thoughts and I hope for each student to share his/her own personal reactions to what is being discussed. I want students to know that when they are in the classroom they are creating their own meanings and interpretations after examining different forms of writing and literature. Exerting the effort to complete assignments is also expected, and most importantly I assume that all students will at least try.

Obviously, there needs to be a way for me to express and share these assumptions and expectations to my students. I really like the idea of having a class meeting in which the students and the teacher sit down together and discuss the goals and expectations for the classroom. I feel that this would work well and I would like to involve students in making some of the rules for the classroom. I think that I will tell students my expectations of them, some of which include coming to class, respecting everyone in the room and participating in class work and assignments. I will stress the idea that in order for everyone to succeed we need to support each other and learn to work with everyone in the classroom. I feel that by having this kind of a meeting at the very beginning of the year or semester it will stress that each student is valued and that the classroom is built upon a foundation of respect.

I would also like to �publish� the expectations that students have of one another and that I have of students. This would be hung inside the classroom and we could title it �Our Expectations� rather than �Ms. Sale�s Expectations.� This would show that students have a role in determining the atmosphere in the classroom. By asking students what kind of rules, policies and procedures are important to have in our classroom, I can then incorporate these into our goals for the class. A student-teacher partnership is a great way to let everyone know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in our classroom. Giving students choice with regards to projects, assignments and even seating arrangements allows increases the vested interest for everyone involved.

There is a direct relationship between what I expect my students to be like, what I want our classroom to be like and how I will go about communicating these expectations and assumptions. This, in turn, connects with my goals and purposes of instruction. My goal is to have all students develop their opinions and appreciate the art of writing. One of the purposes of instruction is to help students understand and apply new concepts. This includes making connections between the past and the present, as well as making connections to students� daily lives. I feel that student learning is encouraged when students have an input into what is going on in the classroom. I agree with Alfie Kohn when he states that allowing students to voice their opinion about things such as classroom policies will create a vested interest in the classroom community. A community involves every person, not just the person �in charge.� A classroom community is the way it is because of the different characteristics that each student possesses. I personally believe that students will learn more and be more engaged when they are able to interact with their fellow peers and hear other ideas besides their own. Similarly, if students have some kind of a say in the policies of the classroom, then they may be more likely to follow the guidelines, complete the assignments and have an active role in the community.

Now this �recipe� of building an ideal classroom community looks and sounds great on paper and in my head, but realistically I need to figure out a way to implement this plan in my classroom. A step-by-step process of implementing these ideas may begin with a class meeting at the beginning of the year or semester. At this class meeting I would include activities and icebreakers for students to get to know each other. This would make students feel more comfortable not only with me as a new teacher, but also with one another. By allowing students to share personal characteristics about themselves, it will help to develop personal relationships with the students. Personal relationships between my students and myself are extremely important because they provide the foundation for a great classroom community built upon respect.

Another step in implementing my ideas to build a community would include sending a letter to the parents/guardians of each student. This letter would serve the dual purpose of introducing myself to the parents, along with detailing classroom expectation and policies. I feel that having parental support for the classroom �team� early on is a great way to encourage student success. This letter would also discuss how excited I am about the upcoming year and some of the activities/lessons the class would be focusing upon. I would also extend an invitation for parents to visit our classroom or speak with me at any time.

Once the school year is in full swing I would adhere to our classroom expectations and policies and make sure that students are benefiting from the procedures that we had in place. For example, if a student were causing a major disruption in the classroom, I would remind him/her of the policy of respecting each student in the class. Due to his/her disruptions, there is a lack of respect to the fellow learners in the classroom. I would take him/her aside and ask why he/she is having such a difficult time in our class. I think it is very important to hold students accountable to the community expectations. We could then develop a plan of how to stop the behavior, as well as consequences that may occur if the problem persists.

Also a part of my step-by-step process would be to continually reevaluate the procedures that are in place for the classroom. For example, if many students were having a difficult time with one of the classroom expectations, then it should be looked at and reexamined to see if it is a good expectation to have in place. If it is not helping students succeed, then I will examine ways to modify or change the policy so students benefit from it. Simply following a group of rules and regulations from year to year does not mean that these policies and expectations are benefiting the students or community as a whole. Different classes will need a different atmosphere, and while some classes will struggle in some areas, others will excel in others. Adjustment and flexibility are key to helping each student and each community succeed.

When implementing and building a community in our classroom, I realize that my personal characteristics will play an important role. I am an ESTJ personality, which means that I adhere to deadlines, like organization and dislike ambiguity. I am very outgoing and like to make decisions based upon facts, not possibilities. I thrive on planning my day and doing things ahead of time. I have a great sense of humor but can be very task oriented at times. My personal characteristics will influence my community- building plan and how I implement it in the way that I am a step-by-step person who likes to follow a list of things to do. I am also very honest and straightforward; therefore I will let students know what I am thinking and feeling with regards to the community.

However, at times I allow individuals to become too dependent upon me and I need to allow myself to give students some control in the classroom. I also need to work on being patient with students when they become frustrated or confused. Making contact with individual students will be easy for me due to the fact that I am talkative and friendly. Organizing events such as class meetings will also not be a problem. On the other hand, I will need to be quiet and listen to what everyone has to say, especially the quieter students. I do not put things off or procrastinate and I feel that this will be helpful when dealing with problems or issues that arise. It is very important to address problems or situations as soon as they occur in order to prevent these situations from getting out of hand and becoming a larger problem. Overall, my personal characteristics will definitely influence the climate and community in the classroom. Also necessary to realize is that each and every student will bring personal characteristics into the classroom and these will have a remarkable impact on the overall atmosphere and tone of our community.

There is not one �recipe� for building a community within a classroom. Just as everyone bakes cookies differently, each teacher and group of students will provide different ingredients to make the �dough� of a classroom community. Along with the teacher, I feel that it is extremely important that the students contribute some of the ingredients for the dough. Some classrooms will require more of one ingredient, while others may require less of another. What is most important is to realize that each teacher will see their classroom in a different way and different variables are going to have an effect upon the students; including everything from assumptions of students to individuals� personal characteristics. It is up to the teacher and the students to determine which kind of recipe yields the most satisfying results for the community. Taste testing is important because without adjusting the recipe, there can never be a perfect product. I am excited to test out many new recipes with my students in the near future!