In my classroom, my co-op told me that her class (earlier in the year) was chatty and misbehaving, so the students decided to rearrange the desks into rows and their behavior did get better. When I came into the room, a coupld weeks in, we decided to put the students back into groups to see if they could handle themselves. It was alright at first, but then they just started going down-hill again.
We tried a group-incentive plan where the groups named themselves and they earned tally points for good behavior, but some students ruined it for their own group, and other groups gave up once they were in the lead. I had about 3 or 4 weeks left at thie placement and I brought in a behvaior plan of my own. This one was for the class as a whole, so they had to work together throughout the day. The system is a US map with states that velcro on and off. Students can earn a state for good behvavior and lose a state for poor behaior. Their goal is to get 25 states for a treat before I leave, but honestly I don't see them getting to that point. As of today (with one week left) they only have 11! So sadly, this behaior plan has not worked for them either.
Now, my coop has decided to rearrange the desks back into rows, but with students in partners instead of individually. hopefully this will cut down some of the chit-chatting and get them ready for the PSSAs a little more.
My co-op already uses an individual reward system, where students can earn DAVIS DOLLARS to purchase rewards. SHe says that she doesn't give them out as often as she should, and hopefully she will get back into the swing of passing them out. nI do think that her rewards are a little pricy though. Her cheapest reward is $60 and I think she should have something for maybe $20 so students that struggle can get to a reward at some point.
She also has an individual behavior plan that all the third-grade teachers use. The students "flip their card" from green to yellow to orange to blue. Each of the colors leads to walking during recess, eventually a call home, or even meeting with the principal. By flipping their card students lose rewards and gain consequences.
Beyond rewards and behavior plans, Mrs. Davis manages her classroom very well. I always get worried about my classroom management style and I believe that I will find my niche when I get my own class, but my coop manages her class well. She uses power teaching to gain their attention, conducts class meetings when there is a problem to handle, has high expectations for the students, has the students responsible for themselves whenever possible, and praises great behaviors.
I know that my students do enjoy having me in the classroom because they have told me so. I believe that they listen when I talk and teach, so I am happy for that.
I think my thoughts were a little all-over the place, but I hope I answered the questions somehow. I want my students, and all students, to be responsible for their actions, willing to forgive or say sorry, accepting things they don't necessarily like, being a friend to everyone, and opening their mind to new knowledge. The learning environment is a two -way street that places responsibility on both the teacher and students.
Kyra, I really like the whole DAVIS DOLLARS idea. If I am understanding this whole concept correctly,I believe that Kate's cooperating teacher carries out a similar credit and debit process in her classroom as well.
My co-op did have a similar system for behavior and academics. She gave them a guide for what they can earn credits for and what they can get debits for. For example, they earned 1 credit for every homework assignment, but if they miss an assignment, they get two debits. It gives them ownership of their work. They also can earn credits for being a team player, volunteering, and so on. I loved this system because the students knew what was expected of them and what they could earn or lose. I think this system works best for an upper elementary classroom (maybe 3rd, definitely 4th and 5th).
It sounds like you have added to your tool box that will help you when you have your own classroom. Each class is so different. What works for one class doesn't work for another. It's great you got to see different strategies to create a positive class environment.
On another note,when we think of environment we can think beyond classroom management. What about the types of talk/ discourse and questions that can go on a classroom? How does this impact the classroom? What would a constructivist classroom look like and sound like?
After debating this question, I realized that I am doing what I can to create a positive learning environment. Weekly, we have a class meeting discussing issues in the classroom, such as bullying and saying unkind things. We also discuss how to feel better about themselves and say positive things to one another. While reading "the crayon box that talked" I had the students write a "warm fuzzy" to one another and I taped them on their desk so that they always had something positive to read about themselves. A few individual students have reward systems for themselves, but we do have a reward system for the class as a whole. I know in my future classroom I was an individual for all students, not just the troublemakers. I encourage each student to be accountable for his or her own actions and take the consequences. Our classroom works well but there are many things I would do differently in my own classroom. Many students enjoy the power struggle and my co-op often feeds into it. A lot of the rude behaviors (like calling names and talking while another is talking) will not be accepted in my classroom. I want my students to respect not only the teacher but also themselves and eachother.
I want my classroom to be a spot where all children can engage in learning without being afraid to have the wrong answer. In my life, there are no "wrong" answers, the correct answer just needs to be found.
Yes Becky, I agree and feel it is important to create a risk-free environment where students do not feel pressured by the wrong answer. Also, I feel classroom meetings are an excellent way to create a community and bring students together where they can openly share ideas. However, classroom meetings are not successful if students are not comfortable enough to share personal thoughts and information. It is important to establish a trust as a class and individually. Any suggestions on how to go about doing this?
Kyra just like you I also have a class that is particularly chatty which can be both positive and negative depending on your outlook. Just as you said it can be very difficult to manage their excessive talking at times and makes it difficult during whole group instruction. However, since students enjoy interacting with each other so much it has been very beneficial in small groups, although they can sometimes get carried away with the noise level. It has been nice for me to able to incorporate extensive time in cooperative groups and centers which is one of my beliefs on creating a positive classroom culture. I have a very social constructivist view and feel it is very important for students to interact and learn from each other. My role as a teacher is to be a facilitator and monitor learning growth. Thus, I do not always have a direct role at times which allows for student center learning and inquiry. In regards to classroom management, the school I am currently teaching at uses a school wide behavioral system. The system is a color coded system. The very top square is green which means the student is behaving. All students start the day off on green.Blue is a warning and means the student misbehaved in some way. If given a warning the student has to move their clip to the blue square which is the next square below the green. The other squares are yellow which is a teacher consequence then orange which usually warrants a phone call home and a greater consequence and finally red which is a disciplinary write up and automatically goes to the principal's office. This system seems to be very effective as I have not seen any students move below the color yellow. In addition, the school has incorporated character education into this behavioral system. Last month the focus was on respect and this month the emphasis has been on responsibility. Students are given the expectations that highlight the characteristic of the month and are asked to move their clip when they are not fulfilling their duties as outlined. It has been great to see the students understand how these words look and sound and be able to apply it to their daily routines at school. The students have really held each other accountable for their actions and it has created a great sense of community which contributes to a positive classroom environment. In addition to the school wide system my cooperating teacher has her own classroom management tool. Each day she writes on the board FAMILY with a t-chart depicted below it that has an "S" on one side and a "T" on the other. She calls it teacher vs. students. The students can earn points through a number of ways but mainly it consists of following directions and being on task. If students are not following directions then the teacher earns the point.If the behavior continues to decline or is extremely out of control then the class can lose a letter from FAMILY. If the students lose a letter they are not able to win for the day unless they earn it back before the day is over. At the end of the day the tallies are counted and whoever has the most wins for the day. If it is the students and all of their letters remain then they get 10 marbles in the jar which goes toward a class reward. Just recently the jar was filled and the students voted to have an electronics day. This system has really worked well with her class because they are very competitive and thrive on earning points each day. The other class that I teach is not as competitive so this system has not been as effective. I feel they would probably respond better to an individual reward system.Therefore, it is important to understand and get to know your learners individually as well as a whole class. By implementing effective classroom management strategies for students it will create a positive learning atmosphere where students are motivated to learn.
Moreover, I believe it is important to be flexible and respond to students appropriately. Communication is another key factor in creating a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. It is important to be open and caring. Students will then feel comfortable and willing to discuss things with you when they trust you. Teachers need to openly communicate with families as well. By creating a positive rapport and open communication network with students and families the teacher will be able to better understand the home environment and the needs of the student. This will help to paint a more fuller picture of the student and help the student be a successful learner. In conclusion, the learning environment is pivotal and can make or break stud nets' learning growth. Thus, I believe a large amount of time and energy should be spent on creating the most beneficial learning environment where students can learn and grow. It is my hope that in the future I can use my experiences to be able to create a community of learners where we can grow and learn together.
I agree with you that communication is a key factor in creating a postive classroom environment. I feel that teachers need to develop a rapport with their students early on in the school year, so that students feel that they can come to their teacher whenever they want or need to talk. I also agree that open and positive communication with families is another key factor. I talked about this a lot at my job fair interviews on Saturday!
I believe that in order for learning to take place that there needs to be a positive classroom environment. I want to create a classroom environment of belongingness and safety where all students come to school to learn, and not afraid to be their self and participate in daily classroom activities. Personally, I feel that a positive classroom environment needs to be established during the first couple weeks of school. To do this I would set clear expectations, procedures, and routines with my students during the first week of school. I would also let my students know the rewards and consequences if they don’t meet those expectations. I would be consistent with those consequences and rewards throughout the school year and not discriminate which students get those rewards or consequences. I would also meet with each of my students one on one for five to ten minutes during the first week of school to ask them about their interests, expectations from me as their teacher, and what they want to learn this school year. I want to develop a rapport with my students, where they feel that they can tell me anything or come to me whenever they need something.
In my current student teaching placement I believe that my cooperating teacher did a good job of establishing a positive classroom environment early on in the school year. Coming in to her classroom halfway through the school year, I noticed that the students are very willing and feel comfortable coming to my cooperating teacher with anything they need or anything that is bothering them. In my short eight weeks with my students, I believe I have established a positive relationship with all of them. I made sure to spend some one on one time with each of them and incorporated their interests into my daily lessons. I also let them all know that I would be available at the end of every school day during the twenty minute dismissal time to talk or help them with any homework that they wanted to get started. The students now come to me when they have an issue or need to talk about anything, which makes me feel that I definitely formed a positive relationship with my students in the short period of time I had with them.
I also believe that parents and guardians play a huge part in a positive classroom environment. There needs to be a positive relationship and continuous open communication between the students’ parents or guardians and the teacher. This communication can come in the form of emails, personal letters, newsletters, and conferences. Parents or guardians have a huge influence on a child’s life, and if they have a negative relationship with their child’s teacher, then most likely the child’s relationship with the teacher will suffer. My cooperating teacher does an excellent job of making sure she has a positive relationship with all her students’ parents and guardians. During parent/teacher conferences I really saw that positive relationship with all the parents and guardians. My teacher also makes sure that when she is communicating with the parents about an issue or problem that is occurring with their child that she starts the communication off with a positive and ends the conversation with a positive. I have had the opportunity to read all my teacher’s emails that she has sent to parents and she has definitely influenced the way I will be communicating with my future students’ parents and guardians.
On Saturday I attended a job fair in Virginia, and a lot of the schools I interviewed with asked me about how I would establish a positive classroom environment and my classroom management philosophy. I talked about a lot of these same things in my interviews and strongly believe that learning will only truly take place if there is positive classroom environment. I am hoping my views on a positive classroom environment and my management philosophy will help me possibly get another interview with one of the school districts I interviewed with.
Positive learning environment is something that my co-op has worked hard to successfully create. We have several students in my classroom who struggle acedemically and socially. Most of the time, their fellow students do not treat them any differently. We have a particular boy who is not diagnosed but who clearly has developmental/behavior issues that interfere with everyone in the classroom's ability to learn. The students, as a general rule, have far far more patience for him than my co-op does, which is impressive considering how well my co-op deals with him. This sense of acceptance and community is so important and is something I want in my own classroom one day. It is amazing what an impact a teacher can have on the emotional climate of a room. My co-op taught my students to use the word please every day during lunch count and it is very impressive what a difference that makes. While I find it a waste of time to ask each student individually what they want for lunch, my co-op has redeemed this time by using it to an create environment of manners, respect, and a chance to speak to each child to start the day. I try to say good morning/hello to as many students as possible in the morning when they enter the room and when the students come for math. When students are working independently, I try to stop at each group and get down at their level to be involved in what they are doing as often as I can. I ask what they are getting for each answer and I often ask students to summarize what they are reading for me. The first week of school I worked hard to quickly learn each child in our homeroom's name. I have continued to get to know each student personally by talking to students during bus dismissal about things unrelated to school. In general, an emotionally and physically safe climate is something that is extremely inportant to me.
During my time in fourth grade at Schaeffer Elementary in the Manheim Township School District, I did the best that I could to create a positive learning environment for all of my students in all of my classess (homeroom, math, science, and reading).
At the beginning of February my cooperating teacher gave me the opportunity to create my very own classroom seating plan. When I was developing this plan I made sure to keep three important things in mind. The first thing I kept in mind was student behavior. So, when seating my students I made sure to seperate those who need to be seperated as a result of not getting along, as well as those who cannot help but continuously chatting while in the same vicinity of each other. The second thing I made sure to keep in mind was my students and how each one of them learn. What I mean by this is that for some of my students it is important for them to be in specific areas (i.e. front and center) due to behavior, vision, or attention problems. The last thing I made a point to keep in mind was instruction. When developing my seating arrangement I wanted to make sure that I set up the seats in a way that the students could work individually, with partners, and in groups. After rearranging the room following my originally developed floor plan I recieved a lot of positive feed back from both my students and my cooperating teacher. I also feel that the three previous things I had mentioned reflected in a positive fashion through my floor plan.
Besides a great floor plan, I feel a classroom also needs an effective and stong behavior mangagement plan. Amongst the entire fourth grade at my school a checkmark system is carried out. Each week the students have the opportunity to participate in something called Terrific Tuesday as long as they do not recieve three checkmarks. The students recieve checkmarks as a result of not being responsible for their own actions. For example, a student can reice a checkmark for incomplete assignments, not having his/her agenda signed, or displaying negative behaviors throughout the day. Personally, I am a huge fan of this particular behavior plan due to the fact, that like a lot of you have already mentioned, it makes the students take responsibility for themselves. Like Kyra I was a little worried about carring out this behavior management system. In the beginning I was aftraid of giving the students checkmarks because I was ultimately afraid they would think I was mean. However, there was a point in my time at my placement that a student behaved in a way which definitely deserved a checkmark, and which I ended up giving him. After this occurance I became more confident in myself in terms of behavior management.
Lastly, I feel that every classroom aslo needs to consit of a teacher and students with positive attitudes in order to create a positive learning environment. Every morning I made a point to greet every student with a hello and a small conversation until the morning bell rang. I also did my best to maintain a smile on my face throughout the entire day no matter what went on within the classroom that day. I also made a point to give each of my students encourageing comments throughout the day in hopes that they would reflect these very actions and pass them on to their peers. I can honestly say that my students did just this. I was truly blessed to have such a well behaved group of kids!
Because we aren’t in our placement from the beginning of the year, I feel that this question isn’t as straight forward. Creating a positive classroom environment starts with day one. I was very lucky in my placement because my co-op has had a strong and positive environment set in place from the beginning and our students certainly foster that environment with their lack of behavior problems and mild-tempered nature.
The majority of our problems stems from their constant chatter, some of which is fostering their learning. Often times, students will be talking about a book that really interests them to a neighbor, or sharing ideas about a question that has been posed to the class. In order to encourage cooperative learning, I remind students when they can share ideas and knowledge from their reading. I also give students several warning before actually administering a punishment to the class, like silence. I also try to do as much modeling of positive behavior as I can, for example I try to refrain from talking in the hallway. I ask my students if it can wait until we get into the room.
Over all, my main contribution to a positive learning environment is objectivity. When I do tell students that they need to work silently, I make sure that they know it is inhibiting their learning; in other words, they are showing me they can’t handle talking and working at the same time. I am trying to give my 4th grades more independence and showing that their behavior is a choice, and they can choice to help or hurt their learning.
I also objectively tell students what it is they are doing right and wrong by calling the behavior out. I inform the students what they are doing, i.e. being responsible, being disrespectful, disrupting learning, being polite, being diligent, being mature…
By asking students questions, and taking a personal interest in the students I am also contributing to positive classroom climate. I am always asking students what books they are reading and if they are enjoying them. During library time I am up with the students helping they pick out book and suggesting books to them. And later on in the week I inquire about how they are going on to specific students. I have a conversation with them. Along with having conversations about their books, I converse about their achievements in the class. We grade using clip boards and charts a lot of the time; when I see that a student has done consistently well I show them. This seems to really motivate the students to keep it up, and I also think that it motivates the other students because they want that individualized attention.
I took the lead of my co-op with her credit and debit system. She also put into practice a team/unity theme in her room which has proven to be effective for support and respect among students. If I was in 4th or 5th grade I would definitely use this system because it allows students ownership and promotes respect and honesty.
I would also try to promote tolerance and acceptance in my class. I would do this by incorporating diversity activities like the puzzle pieces (some of you may know what I am talking about)or with younger students I would have them do ice-breakers or use my artifacts from 272. I also think promoting individuality and acceptance through various activities would also play into a unifying theme.
Overall, I think that creating a classroom environment is key to having a productive and safe classroom. Teaching acceptance, tolerance, teamwork, and ownership truly produce an amazing classroom environment where all can learn and feel safe learning.
In my classroom, my co-op told me that her class (earlier in the year) was chatty and misbehaving, so the students decided to rearrange the desks into rows and their behavior did get better. When I came into the room, a coupld weeks in, we decided to put the students back into groups to see if they could handle themselves. It was alright at first, but then they just started going down-hill again.
ReplyDeleteWe tried a group-incentive plan where the groups named themselves and they earned tally points for good behavior, but some students ruined it for their own group, and other groups gave up once they were in the lead.
I had about 3 or 4 weeks left at thie placement and I brought in a behvaior plan of my own. This one was for the class as a whole, so they had to work together throughout the day. The system is a US map with states that velcro on and off. Students can earn a state for good behvavior and lose a state for poor behaior. Their goal is to get 25 states for a treat before I leave, but honestly I don't see them getting to that point. As of today (with one week left) they only have 11! So sadly, this behaior plan has not worked for them either.
Now, my coop has decided to rearrange the desks back into rows, but with students in partners instead of individually. hopefully this will cut down some of the chit-chatting and get them ready for the PSSAs a little more.
My co-op already uses an individual reward system, where students can earn DAVIS DOLLARS to purchase rewards. SHe says that she doesn't give them out as often as she should, and hopefully she will get back into the swing of passing them out. nI do think that her rewards are a little pricy though. Her cheapest reward is $60 and I think she should have something for maybe $20 so students that struggle can get to a reward at some point.
She also has an individual behavior plan that all the third-grade teachers use. The students "flip their card" from green to yellow to orange to blue. Each of the colors leads to walking during recess, eventually a call home, or even meeting with the principal. By flipping their card students lose rewards and gain consequences.
Beyond rewards and behavior plans, Mrs. Davis manages her classroom very well. I always get worried about my classroom management style and I believe that I will find my niche when I get my own class, but my coop manages her class well. She uses power teaching to gain their attention, conducts class meetings when there is a problem to handle, has high expectations for the students, has the students responsible for themselves whenever possible, and praises great behaviors.
I know that my students do enjoy having me in the classroom because they have told me so. I believe that they listen when I talk and teach, so I am happy for that.
I think my thoughts were a little all-over the place, but I hope I answered the questions somehow. I want my students, and all students, to be responsible for their actions, willing to forgive or say sorry, accepting things they don't necessarily like, being a friend to everyone, and opening their mind to new knowledge. The learning environment is a two -way street that places responsibility on both the teacher and students.
Kyra, I really like the whole DAVIS DOLLARS idea. If I am understanding this whole concept correctly,I believe that Kate's cooperating teacher carries out a similar credit and debit process in her classroom as well.
DeleteMy co-op did have a similar system for behavior and academics. She gave them a guide for what they can earn credits for and what they can get debits for. For example, they earned 1 credit for every homework assignment, but if they miss an assignment, they get two debits. It gives them ownership of their work. They also can earn credits for being a team player, volunteering, and so on. I loved this system because the students knew what was expected of them and what they could earn or lose. I think this system works best for an upper elementary classroom (maybe 3rd, definitely 4th and 5th).
DeleteIt sounds like you have added to your tool box that will help you when you have your own classroom. Each class is so different. What works for one class doesn't work for another. It's great you got to see different strategies to create a positive class environment.
ReplyDeleteOn another note,when we think of environment we can think beyond classroom management. What about the types of talk/ discourse and questions that can go on a classroom? How does this impact the classroom? What would a constructivist classroom look like and sound like?
After debating this question, I realized that I am doing what I can to create a positive learning environment. Weekly, we have a class meeting discussing issues in the classroom, such as bullying and saying unkind things. We also discuss how to feel better about themselves and say positive things to one another. While reading "the crayon box that talked" I had the students write a "warm fuzzy" to one another and I taped them on their desk so that they always had something positive to read about themselves.
ReplyDeleteA few individual students have reward systems for themselves, but we do have a reward system for the class as a whole. I know in my future classroom I was an individual for all students, not just the troublemakers. I encourage each student to be accountable for his or her own actions and take the consequences.
Our classroom works well but there are many things I would do differently in my own classroom. Many students enjoy the power struggle and my co-op often feeds into it. A lot of the rude behaviors (like calling names and talking while another is talking) will not be accepted in my classroom. I want my students to respect not only the teacher but also themselves and eachother.
I want my classroom to be a spot where all children can engage in learning without being afraid to have the wrong answer. In my life, there are no "wrong" answers, the correct answer just needs to be found.
Yes Becky, I agree and feel it is important to create a risk-free environment where students do not feel pressured by the wrong answer. Also, I feel classroom meetings are an excellent way to create a community and bring students together where they can openly share ideas. However, classroom meetings are not successful if students are not comfortable enough to share personal thoughts and information. It is important to establish a trust as a class and individually. Any suggestions on how to go about doing this?
DeleteKyra just like you I also have a class that is particularly chatty which can be both positive and negative depending on your outlook. Just as you said it can be very difficult to manage their excessive talking at times and makes it difficult during whole group instruction. However, since students enjoy interacting with each other so much it has been very beneficial in small groups, although they can sometimes get carried away with the noise level. It has been nice for me to able to incorporate extensive time in cooperative groups and centers which is one of my beliefs on creating a positive classroom culture. I have a very social constructivist view and feel it is very important for students to interact and learn from each other. My role as a teacher is to be a facilitator and monitor learning growth. Thus, I do not always have a direct role at times which allows for student center learning and inquiry.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to classroom management, the school I am currently teaching at uses a school wide behavioral system. The system is a color coded system. The very top square is green which means the student is behaving. All students start the day off on green.Blue is a warning and means the student misbehaved in some way. If given a warning the student has to move their clip to the blue square which is the next square below the green. The other squares are yellow which is a teacher consequence then orange which usually warrants a phone call home and a greater consequence and finally red which is a disciplinary write up and automatically goes to the principal's office. This system seems to be very effective as I have not seen any students move below the color yellow. In addition, the school has incorporated character education into this behavioral system. Last month the focus was on respect and this month the emphasis has been on responsibility. Students are given the expectations that highlight the characteristic of the month and are asked to move their clip when they are not fulfilling their duties as outlined. It has been great to see the students understand how these words look and sound and be able to apply it to their daily routines at school. The students have really held each other accountable for their actions and it has created a great sense of community which contributes to a positive classroom environment.
In addition to the school wide system my cooperating teacher has her own classroom management tool. Each day she writes on the board FAMILY with a t-chart depicted below it that has an "S" on one side and a "T" on the other. She calls it teacher vs. students. The students can earn points through a number of ways but mainly it consists of following directions and being on task. If students are not following directions then the teacher earns the point.If the behavior continues to decline or is extremely out of control then the class can lose a letter from FAMILY. If the students lose a letter they are not able to win for the day unless they earn it back before the day is over. At the end of the day the tallies are counted and whoever has the most wins for the day. If it is the students and all of their letters remain then they get 10 marbles in the jar which goes toward a class reward. Just recently the jar was filled and the students voted to have an electronics day. This system has really worked well with her class because they are very competitive and thrive on earning points each day. The other class that I teach is not as competitive so this system has not been as effective. I feel they would probably respond better to an individual reward system.Therefore, it is important to understand and get to know your learners individually as well as a whole class. By implementing effective classroom management strategies for students it will create a positive learning atmosphere where students are motivated to learn.
I like how you mentioned that students are holding each other accountable.
DeleteMoreover, I believe it is important to be flexible and respond to students appropriately. Communication is another key factor in creating a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. It is important to be open and caring. Students will then feel comfortable and willing to discuss things with you when they trust you. Teachers need to openly communicate with families as well. By creating a positive rapport and open communication network with students and families the teacher will be able to better understand the home environment and the needs of the student. This will help to paint a more fuller picture of the student and help the student be a successful learner.
ReplyDeleteIn conclusion, the learning environment is pivotal and can make or break stud nets' learning growth. Thus, I believe a large amount of time and energy should be spent on creating the most beneficial learning environment where students can learn and grow. It is my hope that in the future I can use my experiences to be able to create a community of learners where we can grow and learn together.
I agree with you that communication is a key factor in creating a postive classroom environment. I feel that teachers need to develop a rapport with their students early on in the school year, so that students feel that they can come to their teacher whenever they want or need to talk. I also agree that open and positive communication with families is another key factor. I talked about this a lot at my job fair interviews on Saturday!
DeleteI believe that in order for learning to take place that there needs to be a positive classroom environment. I want to create a classroom environment of belongingness and safety where all students come to school to learn, and not afraid to be their self and participate in daily classroom activities. Personally, I feel that a positive classroom environment needs to be established during the first couple weeks of school. To do this I would set clear expectations, procedures, and routines with my students during the first week of school. I would also let my students know the rewards and consequences if they don’t meet those expectations. I would be consistent with those consequences and rewards throughout the school year and not discriminate which students get those rewards or consequences. I would also meet with each of my students one on one for five to ten minutes during the first week of school to ask them about their interests, expectations from me as their teacher, and what they want to learn this school year. I want to develop a rapport with my students, where they feel that they can tell me anything or come to me whenever they need something.
ReplyDeleteIn my current student teaching placement I believe that my cooperating teacher did a good job of establishing a positive classroom environment early on in the school year. Coming in to her classroom halfway through the school year, I noticed that the students are very willing and feel comfortable coming to my cooperating teacher with anything they need or anything that is bothering them. In my short eight weeks with my students, I believe I have established a positive relationship with all of them. I made sure to spend some one on one time with each of them and incorporated their interests into my daily lessons. I also let them all know that I would be available at the end of every school day during the twenty minute dismissal time to talk or help them with any homework that they wanted to get started. The students now come to me when they have an issue or need to talk about anything, which makes me feel that I definitely formed a positive relationship with my students in the short period of time I had with them.
I also believe that parents and guardians play a huge part in a positive classroom environment. There needs to be a positive relationship and continuous open communication between the students’ parents or guardians and the teacher. This communication can come in the form of emails, personal letters, newsletters, and conferences. Parents or guardians have a huge influence on a child’s life, and if they have a negative relationship with their child’s teacher, then most likely the child’s relationship with the teacher will suffer. My cooperating teacher does an excellent job of making sure she has a positive relationship with all her students’ parents and guardians. During parent/teacher conferences I really saw that positive relationship with all the parents and guardians. My teacher also makes sure that when she is communicating with the parents about an issue or problem that is occurring with their child that she starts the communication off with a positive and ends the conversation with a positive. I have had the opportunity to read all my teacher’s emails that she has sent to parents and she has definitely influenced the way I will be communicating with my future students’ parents and guardians.
On Saturday I attended a job fair in Virginia, and a lot of the schools I interviewed with asked me about how I would establish a positive classroom environment and my classroom management philosophy. I talked about a lot of these same things in my interviews and strongly believe that learning will only truly take place if there is positive classroom environment. I am hoping my views on a positive classroom environment and my management philosophy will help me possibly get another interview with one of the school districts I interviewed with.
Positive learning environment is something that my co-op has worked hard to successfully create.
ReplyDeleteWe have several students in my classroom who struggle acedemically and socially. Most of the time, their fellow students do not treat them any differently. We have a particular boy who is not diagnosed but who clearly has developmental/behavior issues that interfere with everyone in the classroom's ability to learn. The students, as a general rule, have far far more patience for him than my co-op does, which is impressive considering how well my co-op deals with him. This sense of acceptance and community is so important and is something I want in my own classroom one day. It is amazing what an impact a teacher can have on the emotional climate of a room. My co-op taught my students to use the word please every day during lunch count and it is very impressive what a difference that makes. While I find it a waste of time to ask each student individually what they want for lunch, my co-op has redeemed this time by using it to an create environment of manners, respect, and a chance to speak to each child to start the day.
I try to say good morning/hello to as many students as possible in the morning when they enter the room and when the students come for math. When students are working independently, I try to stop at each group and get down at their level to be involved in what they are doing as often as I can. I ask what they are getting for each answer and I often ask students to summarize what they are reading for me.
The first week of school I worked hard to quickly learn each child in our homeroom's name. I have continued to get to know each student personally by talking to students during bus dismissal about things unrelated to school.
In general, an emotionally and physically safe climate is something that is extremely inportant to me.
During my time in fourth grade at Schaeffer Elementary in the Manheim Township School District, I did the best that I could to create a positive learning environment for all of my students in all of my classess (homeroom, math, science, and reading).
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of February my cooperating teacher gave me the opportunity to create my very own classroom seating plan. When I was developing this plan I made sure to keep three important things in mind. The first thing I kept in mind was student behavior. So, when seating my students I made sure to seperate those who need to be seperated as a result of not getting along, as well as those who cannot help but continuously chatting while in the same vicinity of each other. The second thing I made sure to keep in mind was my students and how each one of them learn. What I mean by this is that for some of my students it is important for them to be in specific areas (i.e. front and center) due to behavior, vision, or attention problems. The last thing I made a point to keep in mind was instruction. When developing my seating arrangement I wanted to make sure that I set up the seats in a way that the students could work individually, with partners, and in groups. After rearranging the room following my originally developed floor plan I recieved a lot of positive feed back from both my students and my cooperating teacher. I also feel that the three previous things I had mentioned reflected in a positive fashion through my floor plan.
Besides a great floor plan, I feel a classroom also needs an effective and stong behavior mangagement plan. Amongst the entire fourth grade at my school a checkmark system is carried out. Each week the students have the opportunity to participate in something called Terrific Tuesday as long as they do not recieve three checkmarks. The students recieve checkmarks as a result of not being responsible for their own actions. For example, a student can reice a checkmark for incomplete assignments, not having his/her agenda signed, or displaying negative behaviors throughout the day. Personally, I am a huge fan of this particular behavior plan due to the fact, that like a lot of you have already mentioned, it makes the students take responsibility for themselves. Like Kyra I was a little worried about carring out this behavior management system. In the beginning I was aftraid of giving the students checkmarks because I was ultimately afraid they would think I was mean. However, there was a point in my time at my placement that a student behaved in a way which definitely deserved a checkmark, and which I ended up giving him. After this occurance I became more confident in myself in terms of behavior management.
Lastly, I feel that every classroom aslo needs to consit of a teacher and students with positive attitudes in order to create a positive learning environment. Every morning I made a point to greet every student with a hello and a small conversation until the morning bell rang. I also did my best to maintain a smile on my face throughout the entire day no matter what went on within the classroom that day. I also made a point to give each of my students encourageing comments throughout the day in hopes that they would reflect these very actions and pass them on to their peers. I can honestly say that my students did just this. I was truly blessed to have such a well behaved group of kids!
Because we aren’t in our placement from the beginning of the year, I feel that this question isn’t as straight forward. Creating a positive classroom environment starts with day one. I was very lucky in my placement because my co-op has had a strong and positive environment set in place from the beginning and our students certainly foster that environment with their lack of behavior problems and mild-tempered nature.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of our problems stems from their constant chatter, some of which is fostering their learning. Often times, students will be talking about a book that really interests them to a neighbor, or sharing ideas about a question that has been posed to the class. In order to encourage cooperative learning, I remind students when they can share ideas and knowledge from their reading. I also give students several warning before actually administering a punishment to the class, like silence. I also try to do as much modeling of positive behavior as I can, for example I try to refrain from talking in the hallway. I ask my students if it can wait until we get into the room.
Over all, my main contribution to a positive learning environment is objectivity. When I do tell students that they need to work silently, I make sure that they know it is inhibiting their learning; in other words, they are showing me they can’t handle talking and working at the same time. I am trying to give my 4th grades more independence and showing that their behavior is a choice, and they can choice to help or hurt their learning.
I also objectively tell students what it is they are doing right and wrong by calling the behavior out. I inform the students what they are doing, i.e. being responsible, being disrespectful, disrupting learning, being polite, being diligent, being mature…
By asking students questions, and taking a personal interest in the students I am also contributing to positive classroom climate. I am always asking students what books they are reading and if they are enjoying them. During library time I am up with the students helping they pick out book and suggesting books to them. And later on in the week I inquire about how they are going on to specific students. I have a conversation with them. Along with having conversations about their books, I converse about their achievements in the class. We grade using clip boards and charts a lot of the time; when I see that a student has done consistently well I show them. This seems to really motivate the students to keep it up, and I also think that it motivates the other students because they want that individualized attention.
I took the lead of my co-op with her credit and debit system. She also put into practice a team/unity theme in her room which has proven to be effective for support and respect among students. If I was in 4th or 5th grade I would definitely use this system because it allows students ownership and promotes respect and honesty.
ReplyDeleteI would also try to promote tolerance and acceptance in my class. I would do this by incorporating diversity activities like the puzzle pieces (some of you may know what I am talking about)or with younger students I would have them do ice-breakers or use my artifacts from 272. I also think promoting individuality and acceptance through various activities would also play into a unifying theme.
Overall, I think that creating a classroom environment is key to having a productive and safe classroom. Teaching acceptance, tolerance, teamwork, and ownership truly produce an amazing classroom environment where all can learn and feel safe learning.