All Things CLASS

Good morning,
I have a question. How would close proximity be effective since we have to be in social distances now?

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Jennifer Reed
Marion SC
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Hello,
You asked a  thought provoking questions that made me have to refer to CLASS manual before responding. Positive Climate, has other indicators to support this Dimension, close proximity is one of the behavioral markers to support Positive Climate. Due COVID-19 I would focus on strong connection between the teacher and child,  that you and your child/children clearly enjoy being with one another even if that means virtually. There is excitement and enthusiasm when you visit via phone, face time etc... . You are genuinely interested on how the child/children are doing, what they are learning, what their interest are during this time. You are able to engage in their world as they share their thoughts and ideas. You show an awareness and interest in one another through communication. Positive Climate is about relationships so build a great relationship with your children via email, text, IPad, face time, WhatsApp etc...
Hope this was helpful,
MM

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Margaret Morales
Phoenix AZ
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Thanks so much. Yes you are absolutely right. How will look at close proximity.

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Jennifer Reed
Marion SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-24-2020 11:38
From: Margaret Morales
Subject: Social distance

Hello,
You asked a  thought provoking questions that made me have to refer to CLASS manual before responding. Positive Climate, has other indicators to support this Dimension, close proximity is one of the behavioral markers to support Positive Climate. Due COVID-19 I would focus on strong connection between the teacher and child,  that you and your child/children clearly enjoy being with one another even if that means virtually. There is excitement and enthusiasm when you visit via phone, face time etc... . You are genuinely interested on how the child/children are doing, what they are learning, what their interest are during this time. You are able to engage in their world as they share their thoughts and ideas. You show an awareness and interest in one another through communication. Positive Climate is about relationships so build a great relationship with your children via email, text, IPad, face time, WhatsApp etc...
Hope this was helpful,
MM

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Margaret Morales
Phoenix AZ
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Hi @Jennifer Reed,

I think @Margaret Morales ​is totally correct in the sense that aspects of Positive Climate look a lot different right now, and will likely to continue to look a bit different when students are back in school. One of the biggest things to also keep in mind during all of this is that the behavioral markers are not a checklist, they are just examples of behaviors that would support each indicator, but they do not all need to be present to score in the high range. Thank you for asking such a wonderful question!

Best,
Allison

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Allison Bloomfield
Charlottesville VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-24-2020 12:57
From: Jennifer Reed
Subject: Social distance

Thanks so much. Yes you are absolutely right. How will look at close proximity.

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Jennifer Reed
Marion SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-24-2020 11:38
From: Margaret Morales
Subject: Social distance

Hello,
You asked a  thought provoking questions that made me have to refer to CLASS manual before responding. Positive Climate, has other indicators to support this Dimension, close proximity is one of the behavioral markers to support Positive Climate. Due COVID-19 I would focus on strong connection between the teacher and child,  that you and your child/children clearly enjoy being with one another even if that means virtually. There is excitement and enthusiasm when you visit via phone, face time etc... . You are genuinely interested on how the child/children are doing, what they are learning, what their interest are during this time. You are able to engage in their world as they share their thoughts and ideas. You show an awareness and interest in one another through communication. Positive Climate is about relationships so build a great relationship with your children via email, text, IPad, face time, WhatsApp etc...
Hope this was helpful,
MM

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Margaret Morales
Phoenix AZ

This is such an interesting question, Jennifer. I am so glad that you asked it! I agree with Margaret and Allison that you need to look at the markers as not a checklist, but rather suggestions for behaviors that are present when supportive relationships exist. I have had some very interesting conversations with my teachers at my school about this very behavior recently. I think that it is particularly interesting during distance learning because although we are farther away from our student, and we have less proximity, we have more in some ways. We are unable to lean over a students' desk to help them with a math problem, but we are able to see the poster on their bedroom wall or see what is on their kitchen table. This certainly is a different kind of proximity and develops the relationships in a different way, don't you think?

Also, as the teachers are trying to loop the students into discussions or connecting them through songs for example couldn't that be considered a "virtual proximity?" (It, of course is social conversation, or peer interaction.) I think this is worth further discussion about how this term "proximity" might look in our new Zoom world. I am so glad that you brought it up, Jennifer!

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Marla Read Capper
Director of Faculty Development
Pace Academy
Crozet, VA
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