Structured Interactions in Elementary School Classrooms
Western schooling is predominately characterized by dyadic exchanges between teacher and student (Chavajay, 2006). The Community School of Davidson’s (CSD) kindergarten and first grade classes utilized Western schooling techniques such as turn-taking, asking known answer questions, and the teacher’s adoption of a managerial role. This poster examines the teacher-student interactions in three of CSD’s elementary school classrooms, and the future implications of such interactions. The activities observed include how the teacher engaged the child, who oversaw the discussion, and types of activities students performed. In this way, the classroom setting is structured according to a hierarchy, where the teacher dictates schedule and discipline. Elementary school education is crucial in teaching students social and behavioral skills needed to be successful. These observations have greater implications; they model interactions between adult and child that the student may continue to apply in his or her future life.
