The saying that it takes a village to raise a child is as true today as in the past.  Today I would like to reflect on the traditional education system and my thoughts on creating a safe and harmonious learning places.  Not so long ago classroom environments where controlled by a single teacher at the head of the class that managed their students by fear and intimidation and what they said was the law in the classroom.  However, today we live in a more relaxed society were people of all ages are used to expressing their options and value the right to have input. I envision my ideal classroom to be a place of collaborative learning one in which students feel safe and supported.  I will endeavor to create a mentor-ship style of instruction, where I will facilitate learning through engagement and discovery.  By inviting various community stake holders into my classroom I will develop and support a sense of local pride and celebrate the good work the students are doing.  As the confidence of my students grow they could become ambassadors for the school and lead by example.  I will not be the sage on the stage but rather the guide on the side. During my practicum I will try to create my ideal classroom by first establishing a set of classroom rules or policies with the students.  I will allow the learners to decide what is important to them in order to have a harmonious environment for learning.  As a Tech Education teacher, safety has to be at the forefront of everything that happens in a shop class however, student input and say can be included in day to day activities.  When students are treated with respect and have a say in their education they are more likely to have a sense of control and ownership.  Recently I read an article on creating caring school communities I would like to try to try some of its strategies :

• Social and civic participation
• Cross-age “buddy” programs – that regularly bring together whole classes of younger and                                     older students to work one-on-one.
• Service learning opportunities – inside and outside the school that enable students to                                       contribute to the welfare of others.
• Leadership development.

I belief when young people start to think of other people, not just themselves, they can achieve incredible things to be proud of.

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