Creating a safe community can lead to imagination

In the article by Mara Sapon-Shevin, she brought many ideas that I have thought about incorporating into my very own classroom. Every little decision that we (teachers) are going to make “is going to have an impact on how the students will, how they will treat one another, and what the classroom atmosphere will feel like.” (Sapon-Shevin, 99). When I read this a first it was a very scary thought, that everything and any will have an impact on the students. But she talked about many different ways in which we as teachers can create a safe learning community. From my camp experience I have picked up many ideas about how to bring together 10 different children, these campers come from different backgrounds, ages, races, social economic status, family dynamics, and more. On the first day we set up what we call cabin rules. I always give each group the first two rules; 1) have fun, 2) be safe. Then I turn and put the power in their hands. They as a group have to come up with their own rules, and all they have to agree. When then come up with the rule we need to respect each other. I have then have them explain what respect means. When they are done I have each camper sign the paper. This way they are in power of their rules, and don’t feel like I am tell what to do. It gives them power and creating a community of rules. One of my goals as a teacher is to make the classroom feel like a safe place. In my classroom I want to create an environment in which my students can fail. So let me explain this statement, it is not that I want my students to fail, but I want my students to understand that it’s ok to fail. The important part is that they tried something new, they challenged themselves, and even though it did not work ok, it is ok. Today when we tell student they did something wrong or incorrect, it can have very damaging effects. I want to students to understand that when we fail, it when we really learn the most. When we fail we have to go back reflect over or work and see where we went wrong. Failing should not be a big dramatic event, it should be an extra opportunity to learn, and that it’s ok to fail and it happens to everyone. As a teacher it is important to create not only a fun space to learn but a safe space. Where all students feel safe to share ideas, are able to grow, because when the students feel safe, they are more likely to open up, let others in to see all side to the students. After the classroom feels safe, this will hopeful allow for deeper learning to happen. Allowing the children to feel safe can allow their imaginations to grow. There was a quote by Greene on page 36, “Imagination is an important is the lives of teachers as it is in the lives of their students.” We as teachers need to find creative ways to reach our students. As stated by Sapon-Shevin, “imagination can bring severed parts together, can integrate into the right order; can create wholes.” (Page, 38). I feel that imagination is so important for children today. Their play had been replaced with video games and TV. When I was a child I was forced to go outside and create my own play. I used my imagination to create my own worlds. Imagination is so important, it help let children see things in different lights and it can let the creative flow. I feel that it is important to bring imagination back into the classroom.