I-5, Exemplary, 3rd Grade
Conversation with Evaluator (Excerpt)
Evaluator: Wow, students seem so invested and supportive of each other. I’d love to hear more about how you communicate messages that support a welcoming environment in your classroom.
Teacher: Well, as you saw, one strategy I use is a weekly community meeting. Our meeting includes time for student-generated shout outs, announcements, and issues. I teach explicit lessons about making good choices, resolving conflicts independently, and supporting one another, but I also use conflict as a teachable moment. One goal of mine at the beginning of the year was to have a supportive classroom culture in which students could take the lead in affirming one another and independently working out situations that arise. Another thing I’ve found to be really effective are students’ Juicy Journals where the children write about their fears and insecurities every day and I respond personally to them about once a week. It’s a really open format that allows students to express themselves freely and it gives me insights into areas where I need to improve the welcoming environment of my classroom. It also serves as a written dialogue between each student and me where I respond to their concerns and ensure everyone in my class feels safe and affirmed.
Evaluator: It seems like your strategies are pretty comprehensive and they have definitely impacted students. Is there anything else you do?
Teacher: Oh, actually one other strategy comes to mind. In addition to more explicit lessons like the one you observed, I also teach students a lot of lessons about tolerance, respect, and appreciation for our differences that are more integrated into my curriculum and everyday lesson plans. I do this a lot through discussions on literature, politics, and current events.
Evaluator: Could you give me some examples?
Teacher: Sure. With the election coming up, one of the big issues is gay marriage, particularly in Howard Dean’s campaign. This has been a great springboard to discuss different sexual orientations and increase students’ tolerance and acceptance of others. We’ve had some great discussions about our own diversity and biases. Another time we read a book called, So You Want to Be President?, and on the back page there’s a picture of all the US presidents. They are, as you know, all white and male. This sparked a great discussion about the under-representation of women and minorities in politics. Students got so into it that some even completed an extra credit assignment where they researched a woman or person of color in congress and presented to the class. I really try to get my students to see diversity as a positive thing and approach new individuals with tolerance and humility in whatever situation they encounter, even outside our classroom.