1. Describe how you believe teacher "WITHITNESS" (Jennings, p. 43) reduces teacher bias and improves the culture of a classroom. What does "wititness" look like in a classroom setting? What does it feel like?

I believe that a teacher that has withitness improves the culture of the classroom by genuinely knowing their students and being aware of what is going on in their classroom.  If a teacher knows that a student had a basketball game the night before and the student came in the next day quiet and sullen, the teacher could take the student aside and talk with him about the game and how he did his best and that there is always another game to improve his skills at.  Just acknowledging the fact that you remembered he had a game goes a long way to improving this student’s mood for the entire day.  Teacher’s that practice relationship management also have a better understanding of self-awareness and social awareness.  They are also able to control their emotions.  This type of teacher is able to handle situations and prevent disruptions on the spot with discipline issues without teacher bias and the students will agree because she treats the students fairly and equally.  The classroom of a withitness teacher is an open, friendly, safe classroom where the kids can talk freely but constructively during learning times.  This classroom feels warm and inviting.  When you walk into this classroom you can just feel that the kids are truly working together.  

2. Why do you believe authentic learning (Knight, p. 225) is so critical to student learning? In your classroom, what will authentic learning LOOK like? What will authentic learning FEEL like (for students)?

Authentic learning is critical to student learning.  In authentic learning, students are discovering that they can learn real life applications to actual issues being addressed.  Students that are memorizing vocabulary terms, science problems, geography issues or computer code are most likely not going to remember them for very long.  However if students are exposed to real life situations where they are solving real life concerns, they will remember that forever.  Students retain more when they see that what they are learning means something.  I hope that in my classroom I can use authentic learning for areas like science, math, writing, and geography to name a few.  I can imagine an assignment for writing to be Write an opinion essay.   That would be all that I would say and write for the kids.  I would let them go and see what I would get back from them.  Robots is another area where you can give them a box with robots to build and say something like “For the next few weeks our subject will be robots.”  Sometimes it is a bit difficult depending on time constraints and exactly what the curriculum says we need to do.  But I would try my best to leave it open ended.  I feel that the students will respond to authentic learning very well.  In the beginning they will need some guidance as to what is going on. If we give students the freedom to decide what they want to write.

3. How does what you are reading about in the Mindfulness for Teachers book-- understanding the emotional life of a teacher, the impact of negative emotions in the classroom, and the power of positivity-- directly relate to creating authentic learning environments that educate the whole child?

I think that teachers that practice mindfulness are better prepared for authentic learning in the classroom.  This type of learning model is not easy to set up and deliver for some people.  A teacher needs to be fully aware of their social and emotional value that they bring to their class.  Our students are influenced by what they see in teachers and if we are having a bad day and we let it show, there will most likely be behavior issues in the classroom.  If a teacher is happy and excited there will be a willingness to learn in the class and hopefully a bad day can turn into a good day for a student. The students need to be in a learning environment that makes them feel loved, safe, interesting, and joyful.  The only way to achieve this is if the teacher has a genuine connection with her students.  Students look to be happy, they do not come to school to be sad.  School should be a safe place for all students.  Practicing Mindfulness will enable teachers to understand and control their emotions better.  If the teacher is happy then she will create a happy successful learning environment for her students.

 

 

In your current learning setting (virtual, hybrid, or in-person), in what ways do you see evidence of teacher withitness? (Please provide a detailed 5-7 sentence response). What are you and/or your host teaching doing, saying, communicating, thinking...

 

Currently I am observing several teachers in the in person model at my elementary school.  In one of the second grade classes I noticed the teacher greet and talk with each of her students either in the hallway or during morning work.  During the whole group reading lesson we were reading a story about a little girl whose family lost their dog after it dug a whole under the fence.  Without notice the teacher asked me to take over the class and she and a little girl went out into the hallway.  I had a feeling what was happening,  but I carried on and we continued the story.  After the story, retell, and writing, the teacher and the little girl came back into the room.  I talked with the teacher and my suspicions were correct.  The little girl’s dog did get out of the yard the week before and they still have not found it.  This teacher had withitness because she knew this story was going to upset this little girl.  I see this teacher talk with her students all the time.  Before covid she would have lunch-bunch where once a week she would have a group of random students have lunch with her in the room.  They would talk and laugh the entire time.  When I am with this group or any other group I try to talk with the students to see how they are, what did they like about the story, what did they not like, and so on.  I hope to continue to do this with this class and the forth grade class I will primarily be working with this year.

 

2. What are some simple, yet intentional, routines that you see your host teacher (or you) engage that contribute to creating conditions of authentic learning and "unconditional positive regard” to students?

 As a teacher, I will greet each student in the hallway by their lockers and ask how they are doing for a quick “check in”.  I like the idea of having lunch with the students once a week to just talk and see how things are going for them.  Talking with students on the playground is another good way to get to know them and show that you care about them and want to have open communication.  It is also important to show your students how motivated and engaged you are with their learning.  Teaching students the art of having communication skills is very important and happens naturally in an environment where they feel that they can speak openly and honestly.  The only way to achieve this is to create a safe learning environment that can grow into an authentic learning environment.  Last year I was asked to take over a fifth grade class due to a teacher retiring unexpectedly.  The principal called and asked me to “take on this class” and I accepted.  The next day I went in and watched the teacher with the students for a few hours so that I could continue routines for the kids.  The first thing I noticed was that there was no caring, compassion, or respect with this group of students or the teacher.  I decided that when I started we were going to start as if it were day one.  The next day I put a note on the board telling the entire class something I saw that was great about them as a whole.  Then I had written an individual note to each student telling them something positive I saw them doing the day before.  I wanted each student to hear something positive from me.  I did not want to single out a few kids for going the extra mile to help the teacher, I was certain they always heard the praise.  I wanted everyone to feel I was in this with them,  This was a difficult class with high diversity and lots of tough personalities.  It took me about six weeks, but they finally came around and trusted me.   On my last day with these kids the cards and notes I received meant the world to me.  To see some of them say that no one had ever told them that they had done anything good until I had just devastated me.  I am so glad I took the time with the whole group every week and with each student every other week for the four months I was with them.  These kids went from not listening in class and having below grade level test scores to participating in class and improving their scores.  Having a relationship with them aloud made them to feel safe enough to have discussions with me.  All at once we were talking about the stories we were reading or the math problems and it was wonderful to be a part of it.

Last year I was asked to take over a fifth grade class due to a teacher retiring unexpectedly.  The principal called and asked me to “take on this class” and I accepted.  The next day I went in and watched the teacher with the students for a few hours so that I could continue routines for the kids.  The first thing I noticed was that there was no caring, compassion, or respect with this group of students or the teacher.  I decided that when I started we were going to start as if it were day one.  The next day I put a note on the board telling the entire class something I saw that was great about them as a whole.  Then I had written an individual note to each student telling them something positive I saw them doing the day before.  I wanted each student to hear something positive from me.  I did not want to single out a few kids for going the extra mile to help the teacher, I was certain they always heard the praise.  I wanted everyone to feel I was in this with them,  This was a difficult class with high diversity and lots of tough personalities.  It took me about six weeks, but they finally came around and trusted me.   On my last day with these kids the cards and notes I received meant the world to me.  To see some of them say that no one had ever told them that they had done anything good until I had just devastated me.  I am so glad I took the time with the whole group every week and with each student every other week for the four months I was with them.  These kids went from not listening in class and having below grade level test scores to participating in class and improving their scores.  Having a relationship with them aloud made them to feel safe enough to have discussions with me.  All at once we were talking about the stories we were reading or the math problems and it was wonderful to be a part of it.