Democratic Classroom

TLED 435

Shakia Mosley

Democratic Classroom

I intend to establish a democratic classroom that emphasizes mutual respect and

cooperation. I’d want to think of my classroom as a community of learners, but I’d treat them

as if they were family. I’d want to see student empowerment in my classroom so that they may

be active learners and have opportunities to engage in their learning while they’re still young.

Creating a Safe Space & Building Community

By giving predictable responsibilities and procedures to all of my learners, I will include

them in classroom management. I’d have a number of procedures in place that would serve as

the foundation for our classroom structure. Giving learners responsibility for regular activities

helps them feel valuable. In the classroom, shared responsibility may help foster a sense of

belonging. If learners are given the chance to exert authority in positive ways, they are less

likely to want to demonstrate their power and significance by questioning the educator. I want

to make sure that all kids know what is expected of them at all times of the day, we would have

particular activities to do at various times of the day. This also keeps children from continuously

asking what time it is, wasting time, or being bored since we will always have something to do,

and they will know what their expectations are at all times of the day.

To begin with, the better we get to know our children and the more they get to know us,

the more involved they become in school. Relationships are also the foundation of a vibrant

and dynamic learning environment. One of the most prevalent misunderstandings that many
educators have regarding their classrooms is that their learner are already acquainted. This is

an understandable blunder. To assist your learners to develop the classroom community you

desire, teach them how to interact to one another in good, schools-appropriate ways. The

quality of the relationships between the students in your class will be determined by how well

they know one another and how effectively they can utilize that knowledge to treat one

another with mutual civility and respect. Have students work with a partner, saying that person

one thing that the student can do well and one thing that the student would like to learn how

to do, and you can have your students being in pictures that indicate things that are of value of

them. Combine these into a giant collage that shows how your students can be different yet still

part of the whole.

As a teacher, you may believe it is self-evident that you should get to know your

learners, but how well do you truly know the children in your class? You may become a more

successful and impacting teacher by taking the time and effort to get to know them as persons.

It’s crucial to understand more about your kids’ learning interests and talents than just their

names, ages, friendship groups, and family histories. Learning about your students as people

will assist you in creating a welcoming, courteous, and accepting classroom atmosphere. This

will not only keep your students involved in learning, but it will also give a secure area for them

to open up and seek help when they need it. Some students may be afraid to speak up in class

and may not like large-group projects or volunteering to give presentations as much as another

kids. It’s crucial to remember that just because a kid excels in a subject, sport, or artistic

endeavor doesn’t mean it’s their love. Allow your kids time and chances to explore their
interests and find what they actually like doing so that they may get the information and skills

they need to thrive in their chosen fields.

Classroom Rules & Procedures

My learners and I would develop the classroom rules jointly in a democratic classroom.

We’d make a list of classroom values because I loved the idea, and it’d be like a social contract.

“How would you like to be treated by me?” is one question I’d use to begin kids thinking about

the types of values we want to create. “How would you wish to be treated if you were in each

other’s shoes?” “How do you think I’d want to be treated by you?” and “How do you think I’d

like to be treated by you?” I believe that focusing on the positive things we do to create a safe

place rather than “Do bell work at the start of class, do not strike each other” promotes the notion

that we are creating values and a contract that we will all live by. Once we’ve made our small

contract, I’d like everyone to sign it as a pledge to uphold out classroom principles.

More than one person working together to achieve a task or project is referred to as group

work. Group work in the classroom can take numerous shapes, but the objective is always the

same; to get students to engage with one another and collaborate to fulfill a common job. We are

exposing kids to folks they may not have chosen to work with otherwise. Diversity,

communication, and compromise are all taught through this notion. Students can benefit from

group projects by developing a variety of skills that are becoming increasingly useful in the

workplace. Group projects, when properly planned, may reinforce abilities that are applicable to

both group and individual work, such as the capacity to collaborate. Here is one way to engage

group work by using Think, Pair, Share. This would be an excellent moment to explain the

concepts of think, pair, and share. TPS, or think, pair, share, requires pupils to operate on a

variety of levels. First, have students consider the term and examples you've supplied on their
own, and then invite them to come up with their own ironic example. After a short period of

time, pair students together and have them discuss their ideas. Finally, have the groups discuss

their ideas aloud so that the entire class can hear them. Students must not only work individually,

but also cooperate and share their thoughts to others.

Structures and protocols aid students by allowing them to feel comfortable and secure

during dialogues. This is especially true when discussing current events that may be divisive or

elicit strong feelings in our students. Structures and procedures assist to scaffold the

development of communication abilities by providing predictability. It's critical to establish trust

in order to shift the classroom atmosphere to one that not only promotes but thrives on active

engagement. Building trust with your students will allow you to have honest and open

conversations and arguments with them, as well as increased engagement. I'd have a class

discussion with the children about the "ways we want our classroom to be" and how we can

make that happen. If I'm teaching younger children who have trouble thinking abstractly, I'll use

the following guidelines to assist them create classroom expectations: respect, responsibility,

honesty, and politeness

Democratic classrooms contrast with more authoritarian, conventional teaching and

learning methods. They're founded on democratic ideals of shared control and authority among

students, instructors, and, in certain cases, school administrators. Students are empowered to

take greater responsibility for their own learning and are more intrinsically motivated as a

result of this teacher-student relationship. Democracy is not just the substance of children's

learning in the democratic classroom, but also the vehicle through which all of their learning

takes place.
 Reflections

In order to create an effective learning environment, every teacher must be able to

manage their classroom. I think that pupils should be supervised and punished, and that students

of this age should be directed in the appropriate direction. They are capable of self-discipline, but

they must be taught the norms of the classroom and the teacher's expectations. I feel that students

are generally wonderful people, but that their surroundings have a significant impact on them.

They will not have time to be disruptive if they are kept engaged with education, and they will

need to be guided to act responsibly. Students should feel protected, nurtured, and supported in a

setting where they can study. I'd love for parents to participate in the class, but I believe I'd limit

their participation to becoming guest speakers. I would e-mail them weekly updates or contact

them on the phone. If they are truly unable to attend school, I would be pleased to pay them a

visit at their house, and I would do the same during parent-teacher conferences. I'm not

acquainted with Class Dojo, but I've seen my first two mentor teachers use it, so I believe it's

something I'd use in my classroom! If a student's conduct becomes a concern, I would first talk

to them and try to come up with a behavioral management plan with them before approaching

parents. I've also seen some parents who want to form a management plan with the teacher

because of their child's conduct at home, and I'd be happy to cooperate in order to keep that

connection healthy and alive, but they'd have to suit the demands of my classroom. It will

undoubtedly be an educational experience for me. The ultimate purpose of my classroom

management is to educate students self-discipline and to comprehend the norms and

consequences of my classroom by acting appropriately, rather than to manage control of the

class. This allows them to study in an effective and supportive atmosphere.