#futuristiceducation

Last week I had the pleasure of being able to do classroom observations at École Secondaire Notre Dame High School. One of the classrooms that particularly stood out to me was Mrs. Schulzke’s Math 30-2 classroom. Good teachers are hard to track down, but extraordinary teachers are almost impossible to find.

At first glance this classroom was just like any ordinary high school classroom. It had 5 round tables, each surrounded with 4 chairs. Each table (which were referred to as stations) had a dollar store bucket filled with pens, pencils, sticky notes, highlighters, and various other classroom tools. There were a few posters scattered across the walls advertising for math and the fun of the subject. At the back of the classroom were two different boards. One that was called a “Word Wall” and another that was referred to as the “Questions Board.” The “Word Wall” was covered in vocabulary words that the students would need to know for the course. Whereas the “Questions Board” was used for exactly what it says. Any questions that a student may have but might not have the confidence to ask in class gets written on the board (anonymously) and gone over in class. Overall her layout was what you would expect for an average classroom. So what did Mrs. Schulzke do that was so different?

One of the first things I noticed about Mrs. Schulzke was that she had some sort of connection with every single student. As each student was walking in after the bell Mrs. Schulzke would say “hello” to be sure everybody felt welcome. After everyone was settled into their stations Mrs. Schulzke began explaining to students what was going to be covered during the class, so they knew what to expect for the duration of the period. Throughout the course of the class she was always willing to answer questions and she encouraged students to share their answers from their homework or class problems. Before moving on she would ask if everybody was ready and if there were any questions to insure that no student was ever left behind. Something that I specifically enjoyed about Mrs. Schulzke was that she was extremely encouraging even if a student was wrong or unsure of themselves. She always went out of her way to say “that’s okay” or “that is right if you are doing a different question” to reinforce and encourage her students. Another thing I really liked about Mrs. Schulzke was that she would have random asides from the curriculum where she would connect with her students on a personal level. This was done by having a conversation about the “Food Truck” (a fundraiser that had taken place during lunch just before class) and talking about when she was their age. This was a great way for Mrs. Schulzke to connect with her students because it reminded them that she is also human and has a life of her own outside of the classroom. It even sparked conversation because students realized they had mutual interests with their math teacher. 

While the students were working within their stations Mrs. Schulzke took some time to explain the art and science of her teaching. She explained that the only advice she had for a first year teacher would be to “be strict” and remember “relationships, relationships, relationships”. Teaching without building relationships is nearly impossible. Without relationships you lack respect, support and connections with not only your students but with faculty, staff and parents. As an educator you need to know your students, and respect them to get respect in return. After spending only one period in with Mrs. Schulzke it was evident that she absolutely loved her job and her students, and her students loved her and her class in return. 

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ73ZsBkcus)