Create A Safe, Learning Environment

The tree was perfect with its umbrella of leaves providing shade from the sun and its strong branches promising support for those who wanted to climb up to the sky. Children of all ages climbed up, through, over, under and around the branches. Nearby, other children skipped through the water and some made sandcastles.  It was a long weekend in March and the weather was perfect for the school families camping at the same place, some of whom had never camped before. I felt so privileged to be part of this school community and I wandered around the campsite, chatting with families and joining in the activities. 

I approached the tree and looked up at all the familiar faces looking down at me through the branches. "Come on up," they encouraged so I went as high as I could, which wasn't very high but at least I had climbed up a little. The children from our school were talking to other children who attended a prestigious school in the city and they were comparing notes. When my students 'introduced' me to the other children, their eyes grew wide that a teacher would be in the tree, and my students giggled at their response.

Over the years, the school communities I have belonged to, encouraged school families and staff families to enjoy activities together such as: Family fun days, with hair colouring, face painting and a jumping castle, car washes to raise money for class camps, meeting at the local pool and having pizza or a BBQ together, having informal gatherings at the school premises where lolly snakes (minus the red ones) were shared amongst the adults. 

When it comes to book character dress-up days, I've had the whole class dress up as a character from the "Mr Men" series and characters from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". I've dressed up as Pippi Longstocking, one of the ugly sisters from Cinderella, Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and last year, the staff dressed up as characters from "Alice in Wonderland". Costumes don't have to be expensive and professional and I am not particularly crafty, but I enjoy making the effort with my class.

Look for ways to establish an identity with your class. One year, I pulled out my guitar and taught my students a bunch of fun, silly songs that we performed at the end of year presentation night. With another class, we made it a habit to read for the last 10 minutes of the day. I remember when a new student came, the others pulled out their books to read and she declared, "I don't like reading!" She refused to get her book out and from the back of the room, I watched her looking around the class, seeing everyone read quietly. The next day, she got out a book and read too. With a 3/4 class, we made up a chant that we would say loudly and proudly as we walked from the classroom to the parent-meeting room. "We are creative. We are prodigious etc." During Covid, I wrote a  series of chapters about a clan of characters who were teddy bears and had adventures during lock-down. (although they referred to by their names, not that they were stuffed toys.) During the week, I read the chapters to my class on zoom. This year, my classroom is enjoying participating in a classroom economy system and they love the Bargain Bonanza at the end of each term. I have also set my desk up with a lot of pink things which makes the students laugh.

Although those things may seem trite and unacademic, it turns the classroom into a safe, learning environment. It encourages a sense of belonging and in that regard, also fosters a positive wellbeing. A safe, learning environment allows students to learn, grow, fail and learn from their mistakes and keep learning. The students take responsibility for their learning. Today, one of the students chose to "share" the assignment that he was working on, with me. As it wasn't a requirement and I hadn't even mentioned it, I was surprised and pleased that he showed such initiative. 

Whenever possible, I encourage teachers to get into the 'spirit' of things, even if it's not something you normally do. Make a costume, kick a football, play handball, laugh, and make mistakes. Read to your students and learn alongside them. Look for ways to create and maintain a class identity. Do what is best for you and your class, and don't feel pressured to emulate another teacher and their class. I look into some classrooms and think "Wow! If only I was more creative!" or "Why didn't I think of that?" That can be discouraging so instead, I look for ideas that I could try out with my class. 

Again, it comes down to getting to know your students and providing a safe, learning environment for them. You can do it! If you're not sure how to go about it, ask a mentor or colleague or even leave a message here for me. 

It really is worth it!

Technology and Students:- Part 1

Before technology....

When I first started teaching, it was before the days of mobile phones, laptops, IPads, even desk-top computers. We all knew it was coming but there was no way we could have imagined the impact technology would have on the world.

Many years ago, when I was doing relief teaching years ago, technology was just beginning to bud and teaching computer was a new concept. At the local primary school, the computer teacher would line me up to teach the days he would be off. He would give me the apps he wanted me to teach, so that I could take them home and practise using them, and as I had already entered the world of internet and chatrooms, I enjoyed the extra challenge. Those were the days when a teacher could come into the classroom and 'blow up' all the computers, when computers were feared and when some people viewed them as a hostile opponent. I, on the other hand, wanted to have the latest and best technology.

I walked into the Year 5 computer class and noticed a little green messenger icon in the corner of a few of the children's screens. "It's nothing Miss. I think it helps the computer work" the boy smirked, trying to look innocent and failing. 

A few years later, at another school, a teacher aide handed me a print out of a messenger conversation that had taken place between a few of the older students. She had been cleaning out the library and found it on the printer. I read through the messages and went to the classroom with it in my hand and sat down, pretending to read through it while surreptitiously watching the students. One boy started sliding down in his chair, a girl put her face in her hands and a couple others looked around furtively, their faces a nice shade of red.

I began, "Sometimes, I don't hear or find out when you do something wrong. Other times, you make it easy for me." I paused and shuffled the papers. "I know what LOL, BRB and WTF means, as well as all the other things you have said in your chat with each other."

Those years were the beginning of social forums and since then technology has progressed and advanced, weaving its tentacles into homes and the lives of even very young children. When I started a teaching job at the beginning of 2020, someone on the interview panel asked me what area I would like to grow in professionally and my response was "Using technology in the classroom more effectively." A few weeks later, we were preparing to go into remote learning/teaching from home and I was thrown into the deep end!! Although I did not like being separated from my students and the classroom, I enjoyed the challenge of using technology to educate and engage my students in their learning.

Today, I gave my students a research task and they had to present their findings in a powerpoint presentation. In their small groups, they shared their presentation with each other so that they could work on the same page together. I was proud of how hard they worked and how engaged they were in their learning. I got each group to share their Presentations with me so that I could be a part of their groups. While each group worked, I'd add a new slide with a message of encouragement or fun, or put in a picture of something they liked, do a bit of the editing where needed, or give them ideas about their topic. We laughed and learned and it was good. 

Technology is a useful tool in the classroom and teachers need to figure out how to share it with their class in a meaningful way. Get to know your students and get to know technology. Don't be afraid of either.