1. What is learning?

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Learning is the innate process of encoding new information and building new schema. It is how we build understanding of the world and it is created through our experiences, self and others. Learning is how we change and evolve. Humans are natural learners.

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What is our role as teachers in the learning process for K-12 learners? From where do you draw to describe your role?

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As a teacher, my role in the learning process will be as the learner’s guide. It is important in an inquiry-based learning environment to move student's thinking forward and to get them to maintain and build momentum in their learning and discovery. I want students to be able to take responsibility for their own learning and to be fully engaged in building their own knowledge in their environment. It is important that I model and scaffold for students so that they can reach higher levels of understanding. The description for my role comes from the Ontario document Capacity Building Series on Inquiry-Based Learning in the classroom which I am an advocate for.

As a teacher, my other role in the learning process is as a caretaker. It is important to create an environment where students are valued and confident and have the courage to take risks. I want students to know that I care about them and that I can be a good role model in the process of building a love of learning. The description for my role comes from the Growing Success document which describes the importance of teacher/student relationships in the classroom community.

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How does a learning community contribute to the learning process?

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Classroom community is one of the most important components to the learning process. A positive classroom community can first create a safe space where risk taking is encouraged and mistakes are ok. Students will be more willing to contribute their thoughts and ideas and to produce work that is inventive and unique. A positive classroom community can also help students succeed. If the classroom is a happy and positive place to be and students want to be there, then that can also translate into the effort that students put forth into their learning. Building a love for learning starts at building a love for school and love for the people that surround you. Students are engaged when they are happy. A final way in which classroom communities contribute to the learning environment is by building students self esteem and resiliency. I believe that students who take care of their mental well being and who have positive views of themselves as learners will be successful as learners in the classroom. Building a classroom community that can support one another and be positive can greatly impact the students.

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Why must learning environments be student-centred?

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Students are at the heart of learning. Without the students then there is no need to teach. Learning environments need to be student-centred so that students can use their inquiry to discover and be fully engaged in the learning process. Along with developing engagement, it also helps students be independent learners who can engage in their own reflective assessment. All students have needs and when an environment is student-centred, educators can focus more on the needs of the students and help improve learning. Overall, educators should act as guides through the learning process and help students with their misconceptions.

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Why must learning environments be assessment-centred?

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Like with students, assessment is at the heart of the learning environment. Without a measure of success or an ability to set goals when learning, how can students know where they need to improve and where they have been successful? Assessment is about giving students learning goals and success criteria so that they can see what they need to do to be successful in their learning. Giving feedback is another important aspect of assessment. Being able to give students quality responses of how they can close the gap to reach the learning goals can help students become aware of assessment and how students can assess their own work. Overall, assessment is about improvement and how we can see the growth of the student’s success.

 

Describe one particular learning environment from your K – 12 experiences and describe the degree to which the setting or situation was student- knowledge- assessment- or community centred. How did this setting influence your learning? Why? How might others in that particular setting respond to this question? Why?

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One learning environment from my own K-12 experiences that stands out for me is my grade 11 and 12 history teacher’s classroom. This particular teacher created a classroom that was community centred and a safe space for students to come together and learn. She made sure that at the beginning of the year we had group activities where we worked together to complete tasks. Throughout the semester we would have engaging classroom discussions and debates and there were no wrong answers. One of the most memorable group collaborations we did was form tribes within the class where we had to set up trade and commodities with other students in the classroom. It was exciting and a great opportunity to work with my peers. Having a classroom community made a huge impact on my learning. I was not afraid to speak up in the classroom and I was excited to work with others when normally I would have rather just don’t an assignment on my own. I believe it was due to the fact that it was a safe space as mentioned before. Students were excited to work together and that excitement effected our ability to learn. I believe that if others in that setting were to respond to the same question they would have a similar response as my own. My teacher was well liked in my high school for the very reason that she created a classroom community and made everyone feel successful. Everyone was always engaged and working together was a requirement. I never saw anyone who was reluctant to work as a team while in her classroom.

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How do you define classroom management? From where did you base your definition?

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Classroom management is first and foremost about creating a classroom of mutual respect and having a positive classroom community.  Many of my ideas about classroom management comes straight from the Tribes training I received at the beginning of the semester. It is important to remember that the classroom is built up of individuals and that we all need to be aware of each other and be able to empathize so that we can work towards bettering ourselves. I also feel as though it is important for a classroom to agree upon routines and guidelines so that the classroom as structure and children can know what to expect from the day. Lastly, classroom management is about keeping students engaging and happy in their learning. It is a teacher’s responsibility to make learning experiences that are meaningful to the students and to find new ways of teaching.

 

What is the role of classroom management in teaching and learning?

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The role of classroom management in teaching and learning is to create an environment where teaching and learning can flourish. There is only so much time in the day where learning can take place so it is important to make it so that everyone can function happily within the classroom and that the day goes smoothly. Without having classroom routines, there would be confusion and frustration. Without having guidelines and mutual respect, children wouldn’t know how to regulate. Without creating engaging lessons, children would tune out and not be active participants in their learning. Overall, without classroom management, we would not be able to teach and learn.

 

What positions on ‘classroom management’ resonate with you? Why? What are the challenges and opportunities associated with the various positions?

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The position I take on classroom management is one where the classroom teacher and students work together to create a positive classroom community. I believe in this because children are people who deserve respect in the classroom environment and their opinions and thoughts matter in regards to how the classroom should be run. I think that one of the opportunities with this position is that it will help students build independent and confidence within the classroom. Some challenges with this position may be that conflicting opinions arise within the classroom that we have to work through. Overall, I feel as though respect is important in the classroom and children need to be invited into the management process.