We created a new Dot-Mocracy Theme Session and it was extremely popular with the group: Classroom Climate and Student/Teacher Rapport
Learning Objectives were 1) Define classroom climate and identify 3 factors that influences classroom climate, and 2) Develop several strategies to create and maintain rapport with students.
The online components included basic definition and two scenarios of poorly handled classroom conflicts reported by real instructors. The participants were asked to select a scenario and to reflect on their own learning experience with respect to student-teacher rapport.
The in-class activities were scenario-based discussions for potential prevention and managing strategies. This was followed by gallery walk – the online contents were the prompts for this activity. (How can these strategies be incorporated into your own teaching practice? What are some potential pitfalls with this strategy that should be avoided?/Put checkmarks beside comments you agree with, and add further comments to either build or disagree with what has been said already).
The participants really enjoyed the “silent” gallery walk.
I love this idea! I think it’s a deeper and more integrated approach to two other possible theme sessions: group dynamics and challenging situations.