Memo #6: Taking Stock and Making Sense

After all of the research I have done for this project I have learned quite a lot about my topic. I now believe that there are many (almost infinite) ways through which teachers can create physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe and inviting writing environments and communities for their students to thrive in. Even through the sentence before this one, I feel as though I have had to add many vocabulary words like "psychologically" and "inviting" and "communities" to my original topic title because I have learned to associate them with what I have been studying.

Where am I in this project as of now? Well, I think I have reached the end of my research for this topic. I have read multiple secondary sources from scholarly sources, interviewed students, teachers, and myself, went to sessions and workshops that pertained to my topic, and have gained new and exciting strategies and ideas for my future classrooms. I think there were a few things that surprised me as strategies: classroom cheers, Post-Secret incorporation, trust exercises, games, and unique writing exercises like writing a BAD poem.

While learning about this topic there were also a few things that frustrated me. I think the biggest thing was hearing from both teachers and students how often it is that they are uncomfortable with the temperature of their classrooms and how often it is that the school does not have the funds to fix these issues. I know from experience that I am less likely to concentrate on anything academic when I am sweating gallons of sweat in a room with no windows and no air conditioning when it is in the low 90's outside. I also remember how aggravating fans were because they were always very loud and we could not hear our teacher when they were on. Temperature is a huge distraction in a classroom when it is not properly handled and, unfortunately, many schools do not handle this issue. This was probably the biggest frustration of all because I know that this will be an issue that I have to handle in the future. A few lingering questions I still have is: Why is this not a priority in schools? Will this issue ever be fixed or taken care of properly? I guess these are just some complexities that I will have to live with for now and in the future. Temperature has always been a huge issues to me, and I think that it is something that needs to be paid attention to more.

In conclusion I can say that there are many things that factor into a classroom's environment and community: physical conditions (temperature, organization, decoration, lighting, air quality, etc.), physical safety (eliminating bullying), emotional and psychological conditions (student-student relationships, student-teacher relationships, student-self relationship, feeling like one belongs in his society, writing and sharing strategies, assessment and grading strategies, etc.) and so on. I can also say that, in order to create a safe and inviting environment, it takes a lot of planning and time. Though this is true, the outcome is always worth the work. Through these strategies and through planning, students are more likely to feel comfortable with their work and, therefore, are more likely to produce their best possible writing. What is most important is creating relationships that are based on mutual-respect and trust within in a classroom. Almost every source I went to (both primary and secondary) stressed this point. In order to create these things in the class we, as teachers, need to plan, plan, plan, and then plan some more.

Overall this project has really taught me a lot about my topic. I have learned tons of new strategies to keep in my teacher's tool box for the future.

Memo #5: Follow Up and Creating An Action Plan

There is still a few things that I want to know more about. I want to know more about specific strategies teachers can use to make sharing writing more comfortable and positive in a classroom. I heard a lot about decorating strategies and climate strategies/opinions, and I heard a lot about how to create a community of writers, but I now want to know more about specific strategies about the sharing process. I think for this information I am going to go with things that I have learned from our SED445 class. Professor Collins (at least in my opinion) is one of the best professors I have had a RIC when it comes to teaching us about teaching and sharing writing. We share our writing all of the time in class, and I think her strategies have really brought us all together. I plan on using strategies that I have observed in her class to answer this final question. 

When it comes to dealing with bullying, I want to know how to deal with it in a way that both eliminates it from the classroom while not eliminating the bully from the classroom. In other words, how can I change the actions of a bully? I think the best way to find this answer is to talk to a specialist in dealing with some troublesome students. One that I can really think of is the principal of Central Falls High School: Joshua Laplante. Even being in his presence is very calming, and I know that he was hired at the school because of his experience and excellence of dealing with troublesome students and helping them succeed and change. 

I think by reflecting on observations of Professor Collins’ class and talking to Josh Laplante I will have the answers to these few remaining questions. 

Finally, I will definitely be including some of my own reflection and opinion in this project. I am a student too (at least for now), and I am still learning. By reflecting on how certain teachers made me feel and talking about classrooms that worked for me, I can make a decision on what I think works well. Now that I have secondary and primary sources to back up my information, I think I will have plenty to talk about and address about my topic. I almost think there is so much information that it will be nearly impossible to include it all in one paper. I think this is what I need to think about next: how am I going to take all of the information I have received and turn it into a coherent paper? I think this will be my biggest struggle coming up in the future. 

Memo #4: Primary Sources and Findings

I apologize to those who have been waiting to see the outcome of my primary sources. I have been waiting for certain interviews from particular students, but I finally found time to talk with them. I found out so much information about creating safe environments  from my participants! I’ll take time to talk about them here:

PHYSICALLY SAFE AND INVITING ENVIRONMENTS:

I first interviewed a teacher named Jack Caswell that I used to be my Honors English teacher. When I asked him about ways to make his classroom physically safe we talked about key factors to physical safety that I learned about from my secondary sources: room decoration (encouragements, posters, etc.), and climate (temperature, air condition, lighting, arrangement of furniture). I found that he decorates his classroom in the beginning of each year with students’ collages that are components of heir autobiography projects. This way students always have a piece of them on their classroom walls. I think this is a great idea. Not only will this make the classroom colorful and bright to lighten the tone of the classroom, but it also helps students to feel more comfortable by having parts of their lives included in their learning place. When students are more comfortable with their surroundings they are more likely to write more fluently. 

Mr. Caswell also stated that he allows students to paint ceiling tiles in his classroom (as long as the painting has something to do with the content of the classroom). He said that he loves the artwork so much that he refuses to move to another classroom. I think this is also a great idea (as long as it is approved by the school, which, in this case, it is). Through this students that want to can show off their artwork and design part of the classroom by themselves. I was actually one of the students to paint a ceiling tile of Big Brother from George Orwell’s 1984. Through these ceiling tiles I think one becomes a part of the community. When a student decides to go above and beyond to paint something literature-based that is not required, it brings them into a writing and reading community. I really always enjoyed those ceiling tiles and creating one. 

 He also thinks that it is important to, as a teacher, include parts of yourself on the wall. He has what he likes to call his “Holy Trinity” on his walls which includes posters of: Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, and Mark Twain. While only one of these figures is a writer, all three are people in history. Mr. Caswell thinks that by including these figures on his walls, he is showing the students a part of him too which I think is something that many teachers forget. Students are intrigued by their teachers and want to know who they are. While it is inappropriate to show them too much about our lives, I think it is okay to show the students that even their teacher is human that has idols and influences in his life. I think by including student collages with the teacher’s work is a really great idea. This way the students and the teacher are on an equal level where their interests are combining into a whole on the wall, symbolizing that the classroom is a community through which they can trust one another and share their personal writing. 

I know from personal experiences in his classroom that Mr. Caswell also uses a technique called “The Wall of Fame” where he posts students’ best papers on the wall. I always thought that this motivated me to write better and better as I progressed in that classroom. I wanted to see my work get up there. Anytime Mr. C thought that a paper was well-written he would bring the student to the front of the class, announce their achievement, the class would applaud, and then the student would staple it to the wall. It was almost like a little ceremony after ever paper was due. Mr. Caswell always makes it a point to make sure that every student gets on that wall at one time or another. By the last paper of the semester, every student was on the wall because they all showed signs of improvement (which is really what he is always looking for). I think that this idea is also a great one to use. Students need to be motivated by something, and the way that he allows students to clap and cheer for one another when they make the wall is really a great way to create a writer’s community in the classroom that is based on respect and support. 

When it came to climate, I found out many things from my teachers and my students. Mr. Caswell said that his classroom always gets stifling hot in the spring and late summer months. He doesn’t like to use fans because they blow papers around and make a lot of noise to the point where it distracts students from their writing. While this is true, the heat is also a distraction. If it is too hot or too cold, students will not feel comfortable enough to work. He said he used to always take students outside to inspire their writing while helping them get some fresh air, and sometimes he would take them to the much cooler auditorium, but recently (due to all of the school shootings on the news) they refuse to let them open the outside doors. Thus, he often takes them to the auditorium. I think that it is sad that we now have to monitor our schools so much due to the terrible school shootings, but I think that Mr. C has a point here. Fans are distracting, and so is the heat. I think that taking students outside or to a cooler location is a good idea. Being outside is freeing to students and may inspire their writing.

When I asked my two students about the temperature of classrooms they said that the temperature really affects their work. Ryan Pinney (a junior at Johnston High School) said that he was taking a final exam in English once in the beginning of summer and the room was so hot that he couldn’t concentrate on the exam and ran out of time to complete it because he was constantly getting up to grab paper towels to whip his forehead with. Another student, Erin Isherwood (a senior at Pilgrim High School), expressed how the heat often puts students to sleep or agitates students. Some get so hot that they often have to leave the classroom (which doesn’t help anybody create better writing). She also said that sometimes the classrooms get too cold to the point where students keep whispering to one another about how cold it is. By doing so they often miss instructions by the teacher or do not hear what the teacher is talking about. Again, I find this to be very important information. Schools and teachers need to cooperate to find a way to regulate the temperature in their schools. Eventhough it may cost money to install or fix air conditioners and heaters, it is necessary to help the students feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings in order to provide their best work. 

When I asked about lighting of classrooms I found out even more information. My second teacher (who wishes not to be named) said that she had a flickering light bulb in her classroom that drove the students crazy. The changing of light was giving students headaches and was hurting their eyes. She said that she asked the school to fix it multiple times and they didn’t get it done until two weeks after. Two weeks of flashing light and headaches is a long time! What student can write in this kind of condition? No student. 

Erin stated that recently her school lost power during one of the storms. She said that when this happens it makes it easy for students to fool around and scream “boo!” at one another. When students can’t even see the work in front of them they tend to not care that they are in school. Even if they work by a window where they can see their papers, they know that something is off with the school and take advantage of it. While schools cannot stop storms from taking out the power, they should always have a backup plan as to how to keep the students engaged in what they are doing and to distract them from the lack of light. 

Finally, when I asked about organization of rows, nearly all of the people I interviewed agreed that they liked to be seated in groups or big circles. All except Mr. Caswell. Mr. C said that he has always aligned his class into rows. In semi-circles he thinks that there are too many conversations and disruptions which makes it more difficult to manage a classroom. He said that the only time he puts students into circles is if they are doing a socratic seminar. The other teacher I interviewed said that she really enjoyed using wide circles because students could see each others’ faces and, thus, started more conversations about writing that they shared. This way students also could see their peers reactions to their work instead of staring at the backs of each others heads (which is uncomfortable because one may never know if someone is laughing at them). My two students, Ryan and Erin, stated that rows are better if you want to cheat off of someone’s paper , but that circles have always been more fun and engaging. They think that when they are put into circles, they can’t hide behind other students and, thus, talk a lot more. They like debating about things with other students and feel more comfortable sharing their work this way. 

EMOTIONALLY/PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE AND INVITING ENVIRONMENTS: 

I already stated a little too much above, so I’m going to try and keep this section relatively short for now (but it will be explained more in detail in my paper). There was so much information that I got from this section that I simply cannot talk about all of it, so I will name a few things. 

1.) In regards to making a community of learners and making students feel supported by their classmates: 

Mr. C talked about how he always sets parameters of behavior and respect. He has a no-tolerance rule. He always announces and achievement by a student and sets the rule that students should always support one another and applaud for each others accomplishments. He reads aloud some of the papers for shy students and points out all of the good things about it to the class. 

The other teacher said that she often creates student trust activities where students must trust other students to finish their piece of writing without changing the story (and it oftentimes works). I fount this to be a very interesting practice. She also said that she tries to show students that she is not perfect and makes mistakes just like everybody else. She oftentimes shares some writing from her past that is far from being perfect and students usually get a kick out of it. 

Ryan and Erin talked about how they like it when teachers ask students to tell them compliments about their work once they have shared. That way they don’t relate their students to negativity and, thus, create a better community. 

I also remember in Mr. C’s class he created a cheer for us to chant in the beginning of class. It went something like this: “We are the always writing, people enlightening, room brightening, no complaining, excellence sustaining, A- attaining, over-achieving, dream-believing, extraordinary, legendary, period 1 honors class!” I remember that we loved the cheer so much that we did it every morning with a certain clap excerise to get the day going. It only took about a minute of class time and it really brought us all together as a community. When a classroom has their own personal cheer it really helps them feel like they are special. Saying the cheer together creates a singular voice that helps students recognize that they belong in this environment. 

2.) In regards to bullying of writing:

Erin and Ryan said that students hardly ever bully one another for their writing, but they still don’t feel comfortable presenting personal pieces. They said it is easy to present a project or an essay because it is just an assignment given to them that is not personal. Things like poetry or journal entries, on the other hand, are embarrassing to share and seem to personal. 

Ryan stated that at his school there was only one time when a student bullied another for their work and called him “a faggot”. Ryan said that it seemed like a playful friend-like kind of joke, but I think that even this style of “joking” should never be allowed in a classroom. We do not know if the other student really took it as a joke. This kind of behavior only disheartens students and we need to stop it from penetrating our classrooms. With it lurking around our students will never do well. 

Both of my teachers stressed that a no-tolerance stance in the classroom on bullying is important. A teacher needs to be the difference. Make examples out of students that bully and kick them out of class. 

3.) In regards to assessment and trust:

All participants stated that it is better for a teacher to grade on improvement rather than perfection. Teachers need to find the important issues in a paper and address those specifically. Ryan and Erin think that teachers only berate their writing and, thus, Ryan stated that he “thinks he is stupid”. Erin said that she is typically a good writer and gets good grades, but she feels like her work is never enough for a teacher and, in that way, she feels like a failure. Teachers need to look at how their assessment methods affect students’ confidence and motivation to write. Both of my teachers stated that they often attach a page to their students papers where they list at least 3 things they liked about the paper and 3 things they need to work on. I think this is a good strategy to allow students to see that there is potential in their papers and not bombard them with 100 things to fix at once. 

I could continue to talk about what I found, but this would go on forever. I found these interviews to be my favorite part of the project. Finding out first-hand how students and teachers feel about classroom communities was really interesting. How can we fix temperatures of a room in a school without the funds to do so? How can we keep students who bully from bullying without taking them out of the class? I think these are some important questions to ask. Bullies are students too. They can’t be kicked out of class all of the time. There has to be a way to stop it without extracting them. As for my next steps? I have to decide how to find out some answers to these questions I have and how to compile all of my information together in a paper. There is almost too much information!