Room 103 Backs up to the Basics

Jim Knight explains that when dialogue is learning-centered it will exhibit traits such as humility, honesty and critical thinking. Learning-centered dialogue allows for persons to really listen, learn, think, reflect, engage and demonstrate a great act of unselfishness. "Dialogue occurs when we start by trying to understand together, when we listen and learn rather than tell and resist (Knight, June, 2010).  Link to article

I agree with Nirvi Shah that a classroom with a personal and profession repport with students creates an environment of mutual respect that thrives on engagement. Link to article Rapport relation; especially: relation marked by harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity (Merrium-Webster online dictionary, November, 2012). Link to dictionary

How to I create learning-centered dialogue and rapport with my students and parents?
This year there was such an emphasis and high pressure to immanently implement the 1:1 initiative that my students and I have both been lost in the pressure to use computer. Yes, I do believe that computers are one of the most useful tools in the 21st Century classroom, but not at the cost of KNOWING my students and parents as people -- just like me. I sacrificed my some of my most important  beginning of year activities and hence, have not established the engaging classroom that I have experienced in the past. It  is time for me to back up and and really get to know my students and parents  by creating the dialogue and  rapport that allows students and teachers to learn everyday for the sake of learning -- not the sake a test or grade in the grade book. As educators we want to help develop individuals that are  thinkers, creators, collaborators, dialoguers and simply life long learners that are equipped with 21st century skills.

I have an idea -- students and teachers create individual Dream Board!! More to come!!
This week Room 103 will create learning-centered dialogue and rapport!! How do I begin!!
I start with the "Eat the Frog' video; my video about my dad; and let the conversation begin!!