I am currently student teaching in a 4th grade classroom at Sunset Elementary under my master teach, Alissa Nakaji. Upon my first day, I instantly fell in love with the dynamics of the classroom. The classroom had colorful posters explaining rules, consequences, inspirational quotes, and a list of roles for each student (changed weekly). This classroom feels more like a community of students striving together to have an optimal learning experience instead of just one teacher demanding and controlling the students. It is very autonomous and the teacher is involved only when needed. Because it is a 4th grade class, the students are a bit older and are given huge responsibilities to make the classroom flourish.
The students are split into 6 tables …show more content…
Nakaji’s reward system involves more of a whole class/table atmosphere instead of a single student reward. Each table group gets to create their own table names and from then she adds points to whichever table cleans up the fastest or gets ready for an out of class activity first. The classroom really stresses that cleanliness and tidiness are vital for a comfortable learning environment. On the flipside, tables are docked points whenever something isn’t up to her standards. As a class reward, when all cumulative table points are added up, she will reward the class with some sort of party. This system works because the students take pride in whether their table is performing on par with the other tables. This group of students are extremely competitive and do not want to lose in anything, including table …show more content…
The students respond very well to this and if they are not on task, the teacher lets them understand that if you cannot complete your role, the whole classroom is being let down. She emphasizes that the classroom is a big community with specified roles where everyone needs to complete in order for the classroom to run smoothly. My master teacher’s long-term scheduling was done before the first day of school. She has everything listed in her planner and any additional notes on post-its stuck onto the date of the event. She comes into the class around 8:10 (8:40) to review the lesson plans and familiarize herself with the lesson so she can teach the students optimally. Because her weekly schedule is almost the same, with some changes in outside classes, the class knows exactly what is expected and the planning for her is very
The students are split into 6 tables …show more content…
Nakaji’s reward system involves more of a whole class/table atmosphere instead of a single student reward. Each table group gets to create their own table names and from then she adds points to whichever table cleans up the fastest or gets ready for an out of class activity first. The classroom really stresses that cleanliness and tidiness are vital for a comfortable learning environment. On the flipside, tables are docked points whenever something isn’t up to her standards. As a class reward, when all cumulative table points are added up, she will reward the class with some sort of party. This system works because the students take pride in whether their table is performing on par with the other tables. This group of students are extremely competitive and do not want to lose in anything, including table …show more content…
The students respond very well to this and if they are not on task, the teacher lets them understand that if you cannot complete your role, the whole classroom is being let down. She emphasizes that the classroom is a big community with specified roles where everyone needs to complete in order for the classroom to run smoothly. My master teacher’s long-term scheduling was done before the first day of school. She has everything listed in her planner and any additional notes on post-its stuck onto the date of the event. She comes into the class around 8:10 (8:40) to review the lesson plans and familiarize herself with the lesson so she can teach the students optimally. Because her weekly schedule is almost the same, with some changes in outside classes, the class knows exactly what is expected and the planning for her is very