The Language of My Classroom

I keep a flashcard on my desk that is a great reminder for me (especially at the end of the year when the schedule, my students, and life in general feels hectic and out of control.) The flashcards says:

Language of my classroom:

-language of community

-language of identity

-language of agency

-language of noticing and naming

-language of knowing

As I strive to develop a culture of thinking in my classroom, I remember that the language of my classroom is an important facet of the culture I am trying to create. Ron Ritchhart focuses on these languages in his book, Intellectual Character (an amazing read!) It is important to foster these languages in my classroom, and Literature Circles have helped us become more "fluent" in them this year. We have developed into more of a community because the students have been working with the same small group and have rotated their jobs. I find myself saying, "We need to figure out..." or "We need to meet and discuss...." becaues I am constantly rotating around and joining in on the conversations taking place. My students need to see themselves as writers, creators, co-collaborators--and they have done just that as they have been given specific jobs and responsibilities to complete. They feel a sense of agency and autonomy when my classroom is student-centered, not teacher-centered, and they are in charge of their own learning.

I asked my students for feedback about Literature Circles in a recent Edmodo post, and their comments confirmed what I have observed all quarter. They love what we are doing, and they wish we had done more of it.