Teaching with Intention: Chapter 2

Hi!

This evening I am linking up with Flying into First Grade, The Primary Gal, and Mrs. Dailey's Classroom discuss chapter 2 of Teaching with Intention. These awesome ladies are the hosts for this week and they have come up with some guiding questions to help lead our discussion. If you haven't joined this study yet, I encourage you to do so. I love love love this book!

 

If you haven't joined this study yet, I encourage you to do so. I love love love this book! In this chapter she has us looking at our teaching. Do we practice what we preach? Really deep thought for the second chapter but a great one. 

Well, we discussed this in greater detail with the first chapter, but it has been something that I have been thinking about a great deal. I know that no matter what I teach I want my classroom to bright, cheerful, inviting, happy, and full of learning. I want people to walk in and see evidence of student learning in the groups of kids working all over the room as well as in the decor on the walls. I want my students work to be the primary decor for my room. They need to be able to see and feel proud of their accomplishments. I also realize that this takes time to build. I also want to be organized, almost obsessively so that my students and I can find anything we need without frustration. I work with first grades so working in groups will take time and practice. Getting work on the walls will also take time and lots of learning experiences need to happen first.

I also realize that this next year of teaching will be a very defining year for me after reading this book. It will be the year that I ensure that I am actually practicing what I preach. That my beliefs are being displayed for students, coworkers , and parents in the way that I interact with students and the way that my classroom runs. It will be the time that I make sure that the ideal room I have been working on creating in reality works the way it should. I believe that the fifteen minutes of reflection that Miller mentions in this chapter will come in handy.

I believe that a classroom should be inviting and organized. Students, teachers, and anyone else who walk into the classroom need to feel welcome and be able to find any materials they may be in need of without frustration. I think that this helps students feel ownership in their room if they know where things are that they can access them when needed.

I believe that my students should feel safe and comfortable in their classroom. They should know by their teacher's words and actions that they are loved and respected. They will not be teased or made fun of for wrong answers, clothing they wear, things they like, etc.

I believe that students should be engaged in learning. They need to be a part of the learning that is happening. It needs to be presented in a way that makes them enjoy learning. Having students work in groups and giving them choices on the groups they work in helps with this. 

Thanks for reading through my thoughts on this chapter. See you next week for chapter 3. 

Ashley