Double Journal Entry 13

Double Entry Journal #13
Chapter 6: Affinity Spaces

1. Give an example of a "community of practice" in which you are currently participating in. I am a member on AmeriCorps (active in the Energy Express Program). We teach over the summer and try to help children gain a love for reading while also participating in many community service projects.

2.Why is the term "community" better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people? Label are thrown around according to the author. If they label the people of the community it tends to look like everyone in the community is that way but if they label the place it doesn't seem quite as bad.

3. What is a "generator"? What is it's counterpart in school? A Generator is the space. Examples of this are teachers, books, student materials and more.

4. What is a "content organizer"? What is it's counterpart in school? Content organizer is the design of the content presented. It can take place in discussion form, activities, labs, circles and many more forms.

5. What is a "portal"? What is it's counterpart in school? a portal is a way of accessing the content. Portal can be used in either in groups or individually. Students can engage in thoughtful work, lads, discussions and more.

6. What do people have an "affinity" for in an "affinity space"? How does this inform your understanding of good teaching?

7. How do "affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms? Choose two characteristics below to make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms. It is all about interests in things. Good teacher can take into consideration the interests if their students and work to accommodate these into teaching.
 A Sense of Community - An inclusive school is a school where every child is respected as part of the school community, and where each child is encouraged to learn and achieve as much as possible. In order to achieve that sense of belonging for each child, many schools have found that fostering a sense of community is of primary importance. A good teacher can take interesting engaging activities and build a community of learners and these students will become learners who care and have a love of learning.
 Parents as Partners - A significant addition observed in inclusive schools is the solid
inclusion of parents as full members of the school team. Recognizing the valid perspective
of parents, addressing their concerns and dreams for their child, and incorporating their wishes into the educational plan are all aspects of a successful problem-solving team.Parents are interested in the education of his ir her children. Parents for the most part want to help out if they are able. Getting parents involved in the school can boost the want for students to do their best so that their parents can see how hard they can work and how bad they want to achieve. It can build a bond between parents and their children.

8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces? The traditional classroom is children sitting in seats and doing work, affinity spaces lead to students working together and sharing ideas rather than keeping everything to themself.