Prompt #1

Driving up into the area is very different than the surroundings I am used to encountering. Joseph L. Smith Elementary School is placed right in the middle of the streets just like a house would be. There is just enough parking availible too, so all visitors are left to find a spot on the roads. In result, the school has two floors with a basement, compared to the one floor spread out elementary schools I’m used to seeing. Also, every person going into the building has to ring a buzzer, where there is a camera that's connected to the main office so they can see who it is before they let an individual into the building. More times than not, there are two classes at once in a small lunchroom participating in physical education, with two different teachers. Causing so many distractions, I don't know how they expect students to pay attention.


One of the first artifacts everyone sees when they walk in is a bulletin board. The board has a painting of a child with the quote “Children should be seen, heard, and believed.” It brings up the idea of rupturing boarders, that not every student has the same experiences as the next, or the same form of family up-bringing. Just like in Dennis Carlson’s’ Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community article portrays within his five principles of democratic, multicultural pedagogy. These teachers in this elementary school and especially my teacher Mrs. Blue realize that every students voice needs to be heard and protected. Their imaginations are going wild at such young ages and teachers need to let them speak and get involved with discussions. They don’t hold the children responsible for what they can’t change, they are there to help and teach. Mrs. Blue doesn't consider one gender or race to be superior to any other individual in the class. Mrs. Blue also takes it upon herself to supplies every student in her class with two bags; a math one and a reading one. The students get to take them home for the week so if there is a situation where a parent or guardian can’t afford to buy books, the students are not losing out. She was in a way rupturing the borders like Carlson's third principle, she was allowing everyone to be equal and on the same level. Even if people had more at home she gave them books and math activities too so no one knew the difference. Everyone was on the same level and felt equal to one another within the classroom. She is honestly there for her students and will do whatever extra she can to help them succeed.


As I finally make it into Mrs. Blue’s classroom, one can see that she has things set up in all different areas, but it works for her. She favors bringing the students to the rug and going over the material there and then having them go back to their assigned seats to finish the work as she walks around and helps anyone that needs it. She also has an assistant in the room helping her out at all times, in hope that no student loses out during any activity. (Refer back to the picture at the top, I couldn't figure out how to get it to show up after this paragraph)

The schools positive behavior plan; which they call the “Smith Fabulous Four,” is Respect, Responsibility, Achievement, and Safety. Every teacher strongly believes in following and having the students follow this plan too. Mrs. Blue actually has a bulletin board dedicated to the Smith Fabulous Four right in her classroom, allowing students to see it every day. So no one can say they did not know what the schools behavior plan was. If these rules, or terms are followed and teachers witness these acts they can hand out “Smith Cash.” The cash can also be taken away if students are not following the rules. For example, when a teacher is walking in the hall or happens to be looking out the door and sees students walking quietly, respecting the fact that teaching is going on, they can receive Smith Cash. The opposite can take place too, money can be taken away if students are running through the halls and being loud. Then once a month the school store comes around to every class and the students can buy things with this money. So it is essentially free! It only takes a little good behavior. The students love it; it gives them something to work for. Or in the teachers eyes a form of rewards in hope to get the students that act up to behave.