This week we discussed what a classroom should look like. We looked at a chart by Alfie Kohn, an author and advocate for progressive education. His chart described good signs and "Possible reasons to worry", which I think is an interesting header for the category. His chart highlights the characteristics of an engaging, student-focused classroom and contrasts them with warning signs of a more rigid, teacher-centered environment. It can be a guide for evaluating or creating learning spaces. His reasons to worry are mainly what I would describe as "old style teaching", like what my parents or grandparents experienced. This would be called Authoritarian style and it is rarely seen in America today.
Something interesting I read on his chart is having a list of rules on the wall is "a possible reason to worry". Thinking back on my experiences on elementary school and beyond, I definitely recall many teachers having an anchor chart displayed with class rules. Even in my senior year of high school I had a teacher who enforced a list of rules and often referred to the visual when a rule was broken. Typical the rule broken was "no phones allowed". But this makes me want to know more about the psychology/reason behind posting class rules where they are visible at all times and what it means when the teacher chooses to do it. Why is it a reason to "worry"?
Hi Abby! I was also thinking about the list of rules being a reason to worry. I personally think it could actually be a good thing; it helps to remind students of the classroom expectations.
ReplyDeleteHi Abby. I like how you mentioned that these rules can become something negative. It shows us a different approach to things.
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