Abstract
As students, we are “trained” to comply to a classroom culture, in which we continue to use through our educational careers. This compliance has become the normative structure that we see in the majority of classrooms we visit, observe, and are a part of. But, what about the students that are seen as the “troublemakers”? Are they just eager to share and learn with others? What about the students who are English learners? Are they “troublemakers”, or do they not understand what they are told? This project draws on practitioner inquiry and participatory action research methodologies aimed at improving my teaching practice and expanding the scholarship around establishing classroom culture. I will be a participant, teacher’s assistant, and a “teacher researcher” – working in any way to support the teacher in a kindergarten classroom at the Jacob Hiatt Magnet School, in Worcester, MA. Based on my interests, I will be observing student participation – paying attention (by taking field notes and audio recording) to students who are eager to participate, but sometimes participate at the “wrong moments”, while also developing new teaching methods. I hope this research builds on existing research, creates more questions, and develops more research in this field of interest.
Brittanys-Praxis-Thesis-FINAL-1