Overview:

This week we had the privilege of having Brittany Johnson talk to our class. She spoke about many things including classroom management, inquiry in elementary classrooms, and was available to assist in our group projects. We then had lots of time to work on overdue assignments and our group project.

Inquiry in Young Grades:

I have many inquiry projects this year. However, I never considered doing one with young students as the type I am currently doing would be too difficult for them. Brittany explained to us how inquiries can be adapted to fit the abilities of students as young as kindergarten. This was super surprising to me and made me wonder how this could be done. She suggested for us to use the “See, Think, Wonder” technique with earlier grades. This technique is great to start getting kids to critically think about any subject. It could be about a book they’ve read, a science topic, something they see outside and want to know more about. Brittany showed us how students who can’t write yet can draw what they are seeing, thinking, and wondering. This makes the activity accessible to younger students and students who are new to the language. Here is a template of the worksheet.

After hearing and seeing this technique I think this is a great way to get kids engaged and exited about learning. I also think it will enhance their critical thinking skills, which I believe is vital. I would love to use this template in my future classrooms.

Classroom Management:

Brittany shared many different strategies she uses in her classroom which help the overall cohesiveness between her and her students. One thing she has her students do everyday is a self-check in. She added a link to Tara Hale’s Pinterest Board of Mood Scales, where she has found many fun examples to use. The next strategy she highly suggests is a soft start every morning. I have heard this many times from several teachers recently. A soft start can be any fun activities from playdough to reading to outdoor time. My L2P classroom uses this technique and it is a great way to start everyone’s day. Brittany then told us about arguable the most important classroom strategy which is having consistent routines and schedules. Students thrive in an environment they feel safe, secure, and comfortable in. When kids have clear expectations and come into class knowing what they need to do it produces positive feelings. Following a routine will make transitions quicker and smoother.

Overall:

Overall, I think Brittany’s presentation was helpful and provided quality advice. I will defiantly be using these strategies in my classroom in the future.