Caring Community and the Common Good

Creating a caring community of students begins in the first few days of the new school year. Each of us as new teachers will spend much time modeling how we want our students to treat each other. Once again I am struck by how a teacher must live in the present moment while also switching gears to remember the bigger picture.

Classroom management styles vary in our classes at IUSB just as all of our backgrounds and experiences vary. Our group on Thursday discussed  what makes a great classroom. We listed those characteristics that make a great classroom . I was struck by the common element of kindness and manners and compassion shining through our list. We came up with these common characteristics we want to teach:
       
                Be a Good Listener
                Be  a Peacemaker
                Use Actions you can be proud of
                Be Prepared

All of these traits and characteristics, or actions are ones we expect our children to have in the classroom. I will do well to remember to treat my students each day with the same qualities of grace and compassion. I believe living one moment at a time will help, living in the present and modeling this daily will be no small task.
        
Here's a website to check out about creating classroom communities
:


http://www.inspiringteachers.com/classroom_resources/articles/beginning_of_the_school_year/classroom_community.html

 

Salt Dough Geography Maps

This month we explored making a salt dough map of a country we were interested in studying. We learned about our county and then made a map out of salt and flour. This was a great way to think about land formations and geographical attributes of a country. We were able to label rivers and mountains as well as interesting landmarks and important cities. I loved doing this and I think my students will enjoy it too! Below I have included the recipe and an interesting website to learn more about mapping for the classroom. So have fun and get messy with your class~

http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/monsonunits/AprMen/utahgeography.html 

MAPPING DOUGH
1 c. salt 1 c. flour 2/3 c. water Food color (or poster paint when mixture is dry and map is formed and you are ready to paint) Mix salt, flour and water until mixture is like icing. Add food coloring if you want dough colored. Otherwise paint dry map with poster paint. On board, shape dough into hills, valleys oceans to make topography map. Let dry.

Where do you call home?

            This week we are thinking and reflecting on how to teach about Geography. Teaching Geography to elementary school children requires some creative ways to have children tap into their natural ability to live in the present. Questions like where do I live? Where do I go to school? Who are my neighbors and where are the special places I like to go to in my community? These are all great starting points for conversation about Place, Regions, Human Interactions with Environments, Movement and Location...Yet, superficial conversations will not have the sticking power to really make a lasting impression or become building blocks for further knowledge.. Young children need to be able to see, hear, taste, and feel what calls these things to mind.

One way to do this, if you have a passion for Geography is to start an after school Geography Club~ think about it~ What a great way for the children to become interactive participants and have some more time for creative activities to sink there senses into! One website I found for some great ideas in the classroom and for clubs is found below...who know's maybe a passion for the place you call home could spark some passion in kids who intuitively live in the present in whatever place they call home.

 https://netforum.avectra.com/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=Test%20One&WebCode=GeographyClub