Mr. Sneller's Classroom

I have grown up my entire life going to a public school. It was a curious moment for me then when my classroom visit was set at a private, Christian school. I wondered how the classroom dynamic would change, if at all, and how this would affect my future decision to be a teacher. The teacher I was visiting, Mr. Norm Sneller, had been working at this particular school, Grand Rapids Christian Middle School, for over ten years. He had mountains of teaching experience and a special type of classroom dynamic that enhanced every lesson his students sat down to here, when they were actually sitting that is. Despite a small level of chaos, Mr. Sneller was able to still maintain the lesson in a way in which children were not only engaged, but actively learning as well.

Mr. Sneller had a unique relationship with his students. Immediately, as I walked into the room I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the class. Adorning the walls were trinkets from all over the world. The desks were arranged in groups of L-shapes, so that students could both direct their attention to the front of the classroom and be attentive to each other. All of these contribute to the roles that were presented of the teacher and his students. The students saw Mr. Sneller as their friend, whom they joked with, laughed with, but also respected. Consequently, Mr. Sneller shared this relationship with his students. He described to me the joy he found in teaching families year after year and the special bond he made with students that allowed him to ‘joke’ with them more. It was because of Mr. Sneller’s view of his students, the idea that he was their friend helping them along their journey that he was able to treasure each individual student for who they already were whe...

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...ces of family and income constantly weighing on their minds. The entire purpose of their schooling is to prepare the students for thriving lives as Christ focused citizens.

I wish I could say that this vision was the same for my school, but in reality it was not. Some students only received one meal a day, and even in middle school fights would erupt in the bathroom. Despite this, by watching Mr. Sneller, I came to the realization that if I was to teach, I would still teach in a public school. I would want to bring the type of relationship he offers to his students to the type of students I grew up with. I would want to take a private theology of teaching to a public school.

Works Cited

http://www.greatschools.org/michigan/grand-rapids/6244-Grand-Rapids-Christian-Middle-School/ http://coloradoschoolgrades.com/ http://www.grcs.org/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=1037