Compassionate+Classroom

__Vision Statement__- Our classroom will be based on celebrating diversity. we recognize that we need to embrace our differences and accept our special qualities. We each have something unique to contribute. By respecting and appreciating one another, we work together to achieve a common goal. These goals will lead to our success. (Kelly Bates)

__Developing Values in the Classroom__

The teacher will begin developing classroom values by reading the book __Mrs. Spitzer's Garden__ by Edith Patou. The story creates a metaphor using Mrs. Spitzer's "seeds" to represent her students through out the year. Some of her seeds grow quickly while others grow more slowly, but at the end of the year, all the seeds have grown in some way and are ready to move on from her classroom. The books is a great example of the diversity that our classroom embraces. All students will have the opportunity to succeed in our learning environment by respecting and appreciating everyone's unique differences and abilities. After the book is read, the teacher will read the Vision Statement of our classroom aloud to the students. The teacher would then open the group for discussion and ask the students what the Vision Statement means to them. The teacher will create a list of their responses on the board that could be used later to form classroom rules or appropriate behavior charts. The activity that will follow the discussion will be to create a giant flower to decorate the classroom. Each student will have their own petal from the flower. They will be asked to write their name somewhere on the petal then draw a picture of something they find meaningful; favorites, special ability, their family, anything that tells the rest of the class a little bit about themselves. The center of the flower will represent the class as a whole. The teacher could even include a class picture for the center. Each petal will represent each of the members of our community classroom and how diverse and special each of them are. (Catherine McIntire)

__Developing Rules:__

Ø Activity One: Circle Time Talk · The class will all meet on the classroom rug where morning meetings are usually held in the form of a circle. · Students will be asked what rules they think might be important to follow in the classroom. The teacher will be expecting certain rules to come up in the discussion, and will hint toward them if necessary. These are rules such as, ‘Be respectful to others’ and ‘Raise your hand before speaking.’ · When the class decides on a rule, they will be written on the petal of a sunflower. · The petals will then be put on a circle, which will contain either a class picture, or individual pictures of each student.

Ø Activity Two: Chants · Students will sit in a circle with their teacher, and will learn chants that will help them to remember what the rules of the classroom are. For example, “Be respectful and be nice, I don’t want to ask you twice.” · If students came up with some rules that the teacher hadn’t prepared, they can work together on making up chants as a group, or as smaller groups if it is more appropriate. (Created by: Julie Brady- feel free to make changes if I misunderstood something, or if you have more to add!)

__If There's A Problem, We Can Solve It Together__ Activity: Help the Farmer Untie the Knot (Help the Gardener Detangle the Vine ~ if we are doing a garden theme instead of the farm (o: ) The activity begins with all students standing in a circle. Right hands are extended and grasp the right hand of another person, making sure the hand does not belong to one of the people standing next to them. This is repeated for all left hands, however, in addition to not holding the hand of anyone next to them, the students cannot hold both the right and left hands of the same person. Once the giant knot (or vine) is created, the group of students must work together to untangle it WITHOUT LETTING GO OF THE HANDS THEY ARE HOLDING. This requires a lot of thinking, planing, and respectful communication. The group is successful when everyone is once again standing in a circle, holding hands. (Note: When the task is completed, it is quite normal for some of the students to be facing the outside of the circle while others are facing the inside. This is nothing to worry about.) When success has been achieved, gather the students in a Meeting (seated circle/rows) and ask what they thought of the activity, what they found helpful, and what they would change if they could do it again. These reflections could also be done in the students' journals. Have fun! =__Garden for the Greater Good__ = Our class will also learn about and respond to issues in the larger community of which they are from. One activity, in particular, that not only ties into out classroom’s garden theme, but also allows the students to consider o thers’ perspectives, would be for the students to plant and maintain a vegetable garden. This may need some modification in the Northeast, such as a greenhouse or the use of potted plants in the room. The students would harvest and donate the food grown to the local soup kitchen to provide fresh ingredients for the food prepared for those less fortunate. Ideally, delivering the food could be done as a walking field trip so the students can meet the volunteers, tour the facilities, and see exactly where their contributions are going and what they mean. It’s one thing to pick up a couple of extra cans on sale at the grocery store and drop them in a box. It is another thing completely to be responsible for nurturing plants to grow food for others personally. We believe this activity will open the minds of the students to big-picture, critical thinking.
 * This activity requires all participants to communicate respectfully and work together. Open-mindedness and strategic thinking are also key.