How have we been conditioned to think what an effective classroom looks like? For many, it’s a teacher walking around or leading a small group. , a vision that includes a table of students sitting quietly and studying intently. But as I reflect on what I learned in my own childhood and career as a paraprofessional, I find that the most effective classrooms are not necessarily the quietest and quietest, but those that prioritize relationships and relationships. One thing is clear. Building community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes for educators and students. Many existing gaps and disparities have become even wider during the crisis and as we seek to recover from these losses. many districtsI implemented a new test, including curriculum obligation That puts tremendous pressure on educators. This leaves less room to focus on what we know is most important: building relationships, social-emotional development, and building a respectful and inclusive classroom community. Finding a balance between focusing on community development and meeting these demands was difficult.
I have been a paraprofessional for eight years and have had the unique experience of working in multiple classrooms. I’ve seen how different teachers build classroom communities, and the most successful teachers focus on creating vibrant spaces where children and staff can be themselves. I did.
While every classroom is unique, one commonality I’ve found is a focus on relationships, which requires time and skill, and which has become even more demanding in recent years. Masu.
New mandates focus on what matters most
The most effective teachers I have ever worked with support their students through lessons, bond with students over common interests such as the latest video game to be released, or learn more about gaming. I spend a lot of one-on-one time with my students, learning more about them. For example, by asking how the recent family outing went. They also spend time getting to know their colleagues. For me, that part is important. Because we collaborate best when we feel like we can empathize with the people we work with more than just working with them.
One clear sign that a classroom community is built on strong relationships is to address the happenings in the classroom that may impact the social-emotional development of learners. This is when teachers are able to put academic lessons aside.
For example, I remember when we were working on a lesson, some students were fixated on a situation that happened during recess. The basketball game became so serious that the word “bullying” was thrown around. I remember that we were able to spend a lot of time talking. We need to pause everything else that defines bullying, talk about what students can do individually and collectively to intervene or report incidents of bullying, and help each other care for each other. We talked about how to build a community of individuals who give out.
I remember thinking to myself how much I respect teachers who recognized that it was essential for students to feel like that conversation was a priority. They wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything else. When I resumed the lesson the next day, they were attentive and participation was higher than usual. There are many such moments throughout the year. Part of your job is to stay on your toes and decide which things to work on in a whole group discussion, and which things to work on in small groups or individually.
Also, how important it is to be able to step back and say, “Let’s pause what we’re doing,” to students who are having behavioral issues in the classroom, and to take the time to actually get to the bottom of the problem. I saw it with my own eyes. How do they feel and where does their behavior come from? In order to do our jobs well, we sometimes need to step away from work and have space to just talk and connect with the students we support. The more you can connect with your students and understand the causes of certain behaviors, the better you can support them. And most of the time, I noticed that what happened outside of school, perhaps what happened at home the night before, or on the way to school early in the morning, influenced the behavior of students in class. Ta.
Being able to put class aside and bond with students and have conversations about non-academic matters that impact the class is so important. But that freedom is being lost.
In my district, recovery from the pandemic is prompting many transitions that will require tremendous focus and momentum. The start of this school year brings with it a new list of duties. Review of reading and writing curriculum and a number of new reading and math assessments administered to students during the first three months. And in September, our school administrators created a recommended pacing calendar to let us know how we should progress through each subject throughout the year. From September to June it was full and there were no buffer days.
As it stands, my time is limited and I feel like I’m being pulled in 20 different directions all the time. I am concerned that incorporating a new curriculum and assessment into an already busy schedule will create a stressful and rigorous environment that may be detrimental to students’ ability to continue their educational efforts.
At my school, these changes have increased stress, reduced opportunities for students to pivot when needed, led to social-emotional learning disengagement, and changed the look and feel of the classroom. One question I keep asking myself is how much this shift will cost students and staff in the long term.
Effective classrooms prioritize relationships.
There is more than one approach to creating an effective classroom. I saw several people, but they all had different atmospheres. But what I know for sure is that relationships come first. Those of us who work directly with students have a responsibility to push back when certain obligations are not beneficial. When education becomes too focused on testing and data collection, we begin to lose the bandwidth to get to know our students better and the flexibility to change gears when needed.
Before the pandemic, my school created a nurturing learning environment where students and staff could be themselves. Right now, we’re all feeling lost, worrying about numerous deadlines, rapidly changing requirements, and new obligations.
It’s only November, but I’m already feeling as tired as I was in March. Now is the time to reflect on how these changes are shaping the teaching and learning experience. Yes, we need solutions that address the losses we are facing, but not ones that add to our already overwhelming workload or take away our time to get to know our students and build relationships.
