Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

I started working at I.S. 230Q the first year back during COVID-19. To say the least, maintaining a classroom environment of respect and rapport came with challenges. However, I have grown. I am consistently learning how to utilizing the physical space and interactions between students and myself to eventually inhibit highly respectful genuine warmth, caring and sensitivity to students as individuals. In the year 2021-2022, we still had many restrictions involving masks, but even in those did students still cheer as seen in the video. In the 2022-2023 school year, students are seen cheering and clapping enthusiastically after all getting an answer right on a class focused ELA game. 

​

For the next two years, I was (am still) privileged to have my own classroom: Room 218. In this classroom, I work to celebrate students by plastering the walls with student work that demonstrates knowledge and caring about individual students lives beyond the class and school. I work to be sure students feel no need to fear participating (seen in Photo in slideshow) with a sense of freedom. We can see students look visibly comfortable standing to raise their hand to participate. With these photos, I show the growth of taking what I've learned for years 2021-2022, and 2022-2023 to cultivate an environment that is safe, learning is accessible for all students, and the physical arrangement is appropriate for learning activities (students are seating in groups). 

​

These selected videos and photos are chosen to capture the overall tone and growth I aim to establish in this classroom environment over the past four years.