Essential Questions Padlet by

Response 1

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-21 19:52:11 UTC

I think that classroom management can act as a foundation by setting clear expectations and things like "classroom contracts". If students are given a voice to help to create what the classroom rules are they can feel like they have a voice as to what their learning enviornment is like.

Response 1

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 13:59:17 UTC

I think that when you use things like Trauma informed, social emotional, and differentiated instruction strategies in your lessons it can help reach more students and their needs. Students have a very diverse set of needs and you often times cannot reach every single student, however when you try to implement strategies into your teaching you may be able to help more students. It can be more equitable by having lessons that work with students based on their needs or skill level. That is an example of how it can help the classroom

Response 1

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 13:59:44 UTC

I think as an educator I am becoming someone who is striving to create an inclusive/welcoming classroom. I would like to think I am taking my own personal experiences and combine it with what I am learning in classes to use in the classroom. I know that I struggled so much with executive function, and mental illness, and bullying so I want to take the example of what I saw/did not have in terms of support and do more than what was done for me.

Response 1

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 14:00:49 UTC

"Democratic education seeks to enable students to be empowered as autonomous, critical thinkers. Through experimental and participative democratic activities within classrooms and communities, teachers can support students in understanding their own participation and how such participation impacts the world in which they live." (pg. 2 Democracy and Education)

Pedagogical approaches that prioritize trying to experiment with learning to create a democratic classroom where students take an active roles in shaping their education. By engaging in discussions and critical thinking, it can help students understand their impact on the classroom community.

Response 2

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 14:20:48 UTC

I think as an educator I am becoming someone who is learning how to evaluate my own strategies and behaviors. As I progress through the program I am learning where my "flaws" are either with my studying or life skills. I am learning how to reflect and then build on these both with the information I am learning in my classes and my placement but also the work I am doing on my own.

Response 2

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 14:33:25 UTC

"We can pinpoint the exact moment when resilience can be cultivated. You can actually do something about how you experience every day; you don't have to be a victim of the turmoil and unpredictability of the world" (pg. 2 Onward)

Classroom management is not only about the rules, its also about trying to create a space where students feel encouraged to engage and take responsibility for their personal learning. By creating resilience in both teachers and students, classroom management can support a democratic, student-centered environment where everyone can have a voice in shaping the learning.

Response 2

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 14:36:06 UTC

"When you know yourself well-when you understand your emotions, social identities, core values, and personality- you gain clarity on your purpose in life and in work. Being anchored purpose makes you able to deal with setbacks and challenges." (pg. 15 Onward)

Pedagogical approaches that help to encourage self-reflection and identity exploration help students to develop their voices and help in turn to foster a democratic classroom. When both teachers and students understand themselves and their perspectives, they can engage in a meaningful dialogue, and this can lead to a more inclusive classroom.

Response 2

louise_cameron1 — 2025-01-28 14:38:46 UTC

"We must focus on cultivating our own resilience because it'll help us manage physical and emotional stressors, enjoy life more, and fulfill our purpose as educators." (pg. 5 Onward)

Equitable and inclusive education starts with emotionally resilient teachers who are able to be flexible to the needs of diverse kids. Instructional strategies that help to notice students' social and emotional experiences help create a supportive classroom where all students feel valued and capable of success.

Response 3

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-04 14:24:01 UTC

I think classroom management can act as a foundation for student-centered and democratic classrooms in the way of structured routines and transitions can help students to know what/when to do things. It can be the foundation in a lot of different ways, for example if there are clear routines and smooth transitions it can minimize the chaos in the classroom and it allows students to just focus on their learning instead of worrying about what comes next or what is happening in class. It helps students if they feel secure they will be more engage and want to work with their peers and share ideas. Another way is when students understand how their class will flow, they will potentially take ownership of their learning because they will not have to rely on their teacher for constant direction and information, they know how to find what they need and what to do next.

Response 3

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-04 14:24:05 UTC

Various pedagogical approaches, such as cooperative learning help to foster a student centered classroom. If you emphasize students voices and help them to work together to not only make choices on assignments but to share ideas it can help them to feel like their voice matters. Along with this if you have a student-centered classroom where students know where/how to find materials and the routine of the classroom it helps to promote autonomy and engagement. Cooperative learning helps to have group work to make sure it gives a chance for all students to contribute which helps students feel included in the classroom.

Response 3

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-04 14:24:10 UTC

Classroom instructional strategies and practices can help to create a more equitable and inclusive experience for diverse learners by using strategies such as differentiated instruction and culturally responsive teaching to create more experiences that meet the needs of students. Differentiation helps to make sure students can receive more personalized support for their needs, while culturally responsive teaching helps to validate students identities and both of these together can work to make classrooms more equitable and inclusive. It helps students have the opportunity to succeed.

Response 3

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-04 14:24:17 UTC

(Image from The Park Record) I think who I am becoming as an educator is someone who is feeling frustrated and wanting to make positive change as a teacher. I am an education student who is learning how to make sure to support my students and I am learning how to make sure I can try to make sure to support all my students in my classroom and have them feel that they are respected, valued, and important. However, as an educator I am also seeing what is happening in our world and I wish to become the educator can fight against those who want to make students feel like they are not important.

Response 4

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-25 21:26:10 UTC

Response 4

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-25 21:26:15 UTC

"Norms should be framed positively (e.g., speak respectfully to each other) rather than negatively (e.g., no put-downs)." This quote helps to guide you on how you can approach having a democratic classroom space where students have helped to write the "norms". Some approaches you can use would be classroom contracts, the class can brainstorm and try to come up with the norms and you want to make sure they are specific, as on page 30 it talks about how you want to choose language that resonates with the students. Another approach would be to use PBL contracts for work within the classroom. A PBL can help students have a voice and also hold themselves accountable but having them be able to speak up if other group mates are not doing the things they are supposed to do and also can be held accountable by their peers. This helps to make a democratic classroom because students feel they have more of a say and more participation.

Response 4

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-25 21:26:18 UTC

I think that first and foremost the idea of "bell-to-bell" lessons is very important in relation to norms and consequences. On page 38 "The best approach is to plan your lessons tightly so that students are engaged." this quote reinforces this idea because if you make sure that there is very little wiggle room where students could start to engage in behaviors that would result in consequences it can help break down on the amount that is happening within the classroom. I also think as I mentioned in the class answer for the previous question using things like PBL charts can help with this as well. I think structured activities as well can help with having an inclusive classroom because many structured activities you can very easily adapt to what some children in your class may need due to their specific learning needs.

Response 4

louise_cameron1 — 2025-02-25 21:26:22 UTC

Response 5

louise_cameron1 — 2025-03-25 12:04:00 UTC

In the article there is a statement " No one can stop you saying that vaccines cause autism, no matter how many times that claim has been disproven." that really helps me answer this question. I think that its important to make sure all opinions have a space to be heard within the classroom, but you have to also ensure you are teaching your students to be open to feedback and be willing to critique their thoughts as they gather more information/research. Scaffolding discussions is a great way to help meet diverse learners where they currently are, it can ensure that students with different backgrounds, learning needs, and way of thinking all have access to the conversation. The balance of valuing all student's perspectives while also holding everyone to a standard of mutual respect and being open to feedback is key. It makes sure that no student is excluded and that all learners are supported in developing their thinking, identity, and confidence in a safe and respectful environment.

Response 5

louise_cameron1 — 2025-03-25 12:04:06 UTC

As an educator I am becoming tired. When I say tired I do not mean of the path that I am on, but more the nation we are living in and its view on education. It feels like there is an entire political party at war with education when there is no need for that. After the Executive Order was signed to dismantle the D.O.E. it really made me stop and evaluate how I feel about our current state within this nation, what I plan to do as a future teacher, and how I hope to make small changes within my own classroom.

Response 5

louise_cameron1 — 2025-03-25 12:09:13 UTC

In the article there is a quote that I think really helps to answer the question. "But if ‘entitled to an opinion’ means ‘entitled to have your views treated as serious candidates for the truth’ then it’s pretty clearly false. And this too is a distinction that tends to get blurred." In the classroom its important to teach students the difference between having an opinion and supporting it with reason and evidence. Its also important that teachers model and expect respectful discourse from their students. Both modeling and expecting this helps to have the space for students to have a voice and engage in meaningful conversations about their opinions and be given the chance to critique and revise their own thinking.

Response 5

louise_cameron1 — 2025-03-25 12:14:54 UTC

I think while reading the article, I was trying to formulate responses to our padlet questions and I think that the same quote can be useful in both answers. "How can various pedagogical approaches create a democratic, student-centered, dialogic classroom space?". This emphasizes again the difference between having an opinion and being able to defend it with reason and evidence. I think that directly supports approaches to help have a more democratic and student-centered classroom because it can point teachers towards specific approaches. These approaches are socratic seminars, inquiry-based learning, and discussion based learning where students can explore viewpoints, ask meaningful questions, and supporting their ideas with evidence rather than just stating personal beliefs. These methods also encourage students to have dialogue and create a space where they can share their thoughts. This goes hand in hand with having students have the chance to have a voice which is crucial to a student-centered classroom.

Response 6

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-01 13:10:15 UTC

Classroom management helps to lay the groundwork by creating structured routines that promote student engagement and responsibility. In math, assigning specific "listening roles" and expecting follow-up helps foster a culture of mutual respect and attentiveness. I found a quote from the reading on Math "Assigning listening roles and calling on listening students to respond...will make a dramatic difference in discussion engagement and thus prevent many management problems" (Bahr, Bahr). I think this quote helps reinforce that the use of "roles" along with routines where students regularly have roles, can help students feel engaged and as if they have a part/voice in the classroom.

Response 6

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-01 13:12:54 UTC

Pedagogical approaches like assigning thinking roles in math or using the five practices in science can help to encourage dialogue and equal participation. For example for science from the article if students lead inquiry-based work and then co-construct meaning through their discussion it can help to encourage a democratic and student-centered classroom. "The discussion starts at a general level and builds to a deep and complex discussion...Students are able to begin to identify important elements in their artifacts" (Davidson and Ross)

Response 6

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-01 13:17:08 UTC

Both documents, math and science, help to emphasize practices that support all learners in participating meaningfully. In math, using scaffolds like response routines helps reduce barriers. "Teach them how to engage in the listening role...model it" (Bahr, Bahr). In science use tools like manipulatives and visual aides to help students to conceptual ideas they may not understand and this makes instruction more accessible to all students. "Manipulative blocks to model the tectonic plates...help students visualize and verbalize their thinking" (Davidson and Ross)

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-01 13:20:05 UTC

I chose this gif because as a teacher I feel like I am always adapting, even as a "education student" right now. We are changing as we learn new things and as we find what we want our own classrooms to look like. We are at the point in our education where we have to start thinking about what we are wanting as far as management strategies, classroom environment (physically), etc.

Response 7

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-08 13:51:15 UTC

Classroom management rooted in anti-oppressive principles supports democratic learning by fostering a space where all students feel safe, heard, and respected. Rather than focusing solely on control or discipline, effective management disrupts common sense practices that may marginalize certain students. Kumashiro argues, we need to challenge the assumption that schools should simply prepare students to fit into society. If society itself is unjust, then classroom management should not reinforce these norms-it should trouble them which helps open dialogue. A quote I like for this is "Common sense tells us that schools are neutral places...but that very neutrality often silences marginalized voices" This shows that creating structured expectations, clear routines, and student voice in rule-making can build the trust and participation necessary for democratic learning.

Response 7

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-08 13:53:17 UTC

Kumashiro emphasizes that education should not just deliver knowledge, but rather create space for students to question and critique the systems around them. This is where pedagogies that are dialogic (built on conversation and reflection) come into play. Approaches like inquiry-based learning, discussion circles, and critical reflection activities allow students to be active participants in their learning, rather than passive recipients. These methods support a student-centered classroom, where knowledge is co0constructed and students' identities and experiences are validated.

Response 7

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-08 13:56:04 UTC

Instructional strategies that embrace anti-oppressive education make space for diverse learning needs, cultural backgrounds, and lived experiences. Kumashiro calls for strategies that intentionally create discomfort and crisis in the learning process-not to harm, but to spark critical awareness and change. Practices like: differentiated instruction, Trauma-informed teaching, Social-emotional learning, and culturally responsive pedagogy. All of these support inclusive experiences by recognizing that students do not all start from the same place, and education should not be "one size fits all." Creating equity means rethinking what we teach, how we teach it, and why. Involves asking yourself things like "Whose stories are here? Whose are missing?"

Response 7

louise_cameron1 — 2025-04-08 13:58:40 UTC

Who I am becoming as a teacher is critical of all my actions and learning from my past experiences. My mentor this semester has been giving me tons of opportunities to lead, give instructions, small group, etc. and this has resulted in my reflecting on each day and thinking "What went well?" "What could improve?" and really work on my teaching and evolve/continue to grow and adapt.