Classroom Environment

2a Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

An essential skill of teaching is that of managing relationships with students and ensuring that relationships among students are positive and supportive. Teachers create an environment of respect and rapport in their classrooms by the ways they interact with students and by the interactions they encourage and cultivate among students. An important aspect of respect and rapport relates to how the teacher responds to students and how students are permitted to treat one another. Patterns of interactions are critical to the overall tone of the class. In a respectful environment, all students feel valued, safe, and comfortable taking intellectual risks. They do not fear put-downs or ridicule from either the teacher or other students. “Respect” shown to the teacher by students should be distinguished from students complying with standards of conduct and behavior.

Document Description: This image is of a paper that me and my students filled out during my senior practicum. We then shared some of the things that we included. This helped me to get to know my students and to develop rapport.

2b Establishing a Culture for Learning

A “culture for learning” refers to the atmosphere in the classroom that reflects the educational importance of the work undertaken by both students and teacher. It describes the norms that govern the interactions among individuals about the activities and assignments, the value of hard work and perseverance, and the general tone of the class. The classroom is characterized by high cognitive energy, by a sense that what is happening there is important, and by a shared belief that it is essential, and rewarding, to get it right. There are high expectations for all students; the classroom is a place where the teacher and students value learning and hard work. Teachers who are successful in creating a culture for learning know students are, by their nature, intellectually curious, and that one of the many challenges of teaching is to direct the students’ natural energy toward the content of the curriculum. Part of a culture of hard work involves precision in thought and language; teachers whose classrooms display such a culture insist that students use language to express their thoughts clearly. An emphasis on precision reflects the importance placed, by both teacher and students, on the quality of thinking; this emphasis conveys that the classroom is a business-like place where important work is being undertaken. The classroom atmosphere may be vibrant, even joyful, but it is not frivolous.

Document Description: This is a paper describing how I plan to use the inclusive classroom culture model to make my classroom a place where students can feel comfortable and be willing to learn with their peers.

Document Description: This is a scavenger hunt that we had the student do within thier individaul IEPs. This was a really fun and useful lesson for the teachers and students. This helped to establish a culture for learning because the students knew more about what their goals were and therefore had a desire to achieve them.

2c Managing Classroom Procedures

A smoothly functioning classroom is a prerequisite to good instruction and high levels of student engagement. Teachers establish and monitor routines and procedures for the smooth operation of the classroom and the efficient use of time. Hallmarks of a well-managed classroom are that instructional groups are used effectively, noninstructional tasks are completed efficiently, and transitions between activities and management of materials and supplies are skillfully done in order to maintain momentum and maximize instructional time. The establishment of efficient routines, and teaching students to employ them, may be inferred from the sense that the class “runs itself.”

Document Description: This is a list of classroom rules that I developed. These include rules that I developed from problems and situations that I faced during my senior practicum in an elementary school.

2d Managing Student Behavior

In order for students to be able to engage deeply with content, the classroom environment must be orderly; the atmosphere must feel business-like and productive, without being authoritarian. In a productive classroom, standards of conduct are clear to students; they know what they are permitted to do and what they can expect of their classmates. Even when their behavior is being corrected, students feel respected; their dignity is not undermined. Skilled teachers regard positive student behavior not as an end in itself, but as a prerequisite to high levels of engagement in content.

Document Description: This is a behavior pathway chart for one of my students negative behaviors. This helped me to identify when this behavior happens and what some more acceptable bahviors would be.

Document Desciption: This is a certificate from an e-course I took of Functional Behavior Assessments. In this course we looked at the functions of behaviors, how to write a FBA and then how to write a Behavior Intervention Plan and implement it, and then how to assess if the plan is working. We also studied reinfocements and punishments and what can be effective for what behaviors, and how to use them.

Document Description: This is a Behavior Intervention Plan that I wrote based on a case study. For this we identified the student's triggers for their negative behaviors. For this I also wrote goals that would help the student to be more successful. In these goals we also included a funcationally equivalent replacement behaviors.

2e Organizing the Physical Space

The use of the physical environment to promote student learning is a hallmark of an experienced teacher. Its use varies, of course, with the age of the students: in a primary classroom, centers and reading corners may structure class activities; while with older students, the position of chairs and desks can facilitate, or inhibit, rich discussion. Naturally, classrooms must be safe (no dangling wires or dangerous traffic patterns), and all students must be able to see and hear what’s going on so that they can participate actively. Both the teacher and students must make effective use of electronics and other technology.

Document Description: This is a checklist from the Idaho Special Education Getting Started binder. I really liked this and felt like it outlined some important things to consider before school starts. I indend to use this in my future classroom.