Blog Post #5

REFLECTION: 

After reading Alfie Kohn's What to Look for in a Classroom I thought about what applied to my experience volunteering in a second-grade classroom, and I noticed quite a few of the positive signs he describes. Classroom seating was organized to foster conversation, the kids sat in pods that doubled as activity centers, and a rug in front of the board was used as a meeting area for students and a place where the teacher could instruct them all. This setup fostered a sense of camaraderie and collaboration, often saw students helping other students and working well with each other on various tasks.

The walls were covered in a mix of student projects and instructional posters. Kohn listed commercial posters as “possible reasons to worry”, but they are used in a practical sense here and don’t feel too impersonal or generic. The room seems to belong to the teacher and the students, which I feel adds to the environment of enjoying their learning.

Discussion was almost constant in the class, but that is what I would expect from a second grade class. They would often chat between themselves, sometimes to ask a question to me or the teachers, but mostly they just talk. There are only a few moments of silence, either when the teacher is trying to instruct them or when they get too loud and “lose the privilege” to talk. I also noticed that students would help each other without being told by the teacher, which shows that the students feel comfortable in the class environment to freely collaborate. Some students were excited to have me in class so I could help them, but others students see me as an opportunity to socialize and not do their work. The mix of distraction and engagement is natural for their age and I feel it reflected a learning environment where students were comfortable with interaction.

The space was stocked with books, art supplies, and materials that made learning exciting. A lot of the work they do while I’m there is done in stations allowing students to walk around and have various activities, keeping them on the move and engaged. Kohn’s chart mentioned "purposeful clutter," and I saw that in practice, materials were abundant and felt very intentional, providing students with a very interactive learning environment.

My experience has been mostly limited to the classroom, but from what I’ve seen of the school, it has an inviting atmosphere. The front office staff has been warm and welcoming, and students’ projects are displayed in the hallways, reinforcing the idea that their voices and efforts are valued.