There comes a time each school year when the students and
teacher begin to fall away from putting one’s best foot forward and it becomes
ok to make mistakes, ok to show your true colors, ok to just be yourself. In doing so a classroom culture is
defined. Those special things that make
each year special begin to emerge and take shape. Moments that will become memories, often distant
memories, are forged.
Emerging from their collective cocoons, my students and I are
at the point where we are sharing personal stories from our lives; stories that
accentuate the theme of a lesson. Letting
down our collective hair we have begun to find the quirks each possesses;
celebrating the unique nature of each person.
Taking a collective sigh we are finally at a point where behavior and discipline
are intertwined with comfort and relaxation; the common good of learning is
taking precedence.
A “collective” is made up of parts…in this case the
collective is the class as a whole, the parts are each person therein. The “collective” can move as a school of fish
might, each member turning in unison with the group…in this case the adherence to
expectations is growing stronger. The “collective”
develops attitudes, norms, and acceptance embedded in the overall good of the
members…in this case the task of learning while enjoying oneself.
The “parts” of the collective have an identity all to
themselves. These identities are
developing right before our very eyes.
The individual has many decisions to make within a day in a
classroom. The decisions reached call on
the individual to seek acceptance. The
collective often decides what is acceptable or not…it can be a rough road at
times.
I would say we’re on the cusp…on the cusp of the members of
our little “collective” coming together to identify with the collective…to be
known as one made up of many. I would also
say we’re on the cusp of forging memories that have the potential to last a
lifetime…and if nurtured with delicate care, these forged memories can become a
source of comfort and delight.
Mr. Casten
Oct 16, 2015
All written material is property of Michael C. Casten
