How does exploring values assist in building a classroom community?
I consciously began building a community with my students by exploring the values that we hold as individuals and as a class. Taking the time to consider values with students permeates the many aspects of learning a new language immersed in a new culture. Some of the aspects that I would like to mention include reading and interpreting literature, classroom management, writing, intercultural adjustment, and engagement. By exploring student values, I discovered my own values and the impact they have on the learning environment I strive to create. I believe we model and build community with our students every day, oftentimes subconsciously; however, purposefully exploring values as a theme in a curriculum can be a great way see continuity in the topics being studied. Exploring values can act as an underlying support system to revisit during the year. In this paper I not only discuss the ways that I explored values in the classroom, but I also point out some of the problems that I encount
