1. M’Call Schaefer
Classroom environment
The environment of the classroom should be a warm and inviting place
where the students feel safe and can focus their attention on their learning.
Teachers need to try to create this type of positive environment so their students
can work to the best of their ability and master the lessons. There are several ways
to go about creating a “homey” atmosphere including actions, words, visuals, and
activities.
As a teacher, we need to be prepared to treat our students the way we want
them to treat us. Middle age students are trying to figure out who they are, which
means they are in the difficult, confusing part of their life. Teachers still have
authority and respect in some ways, so we need to treat the students with the same
respect. We can conquer this by listening and inviting questions. Every student has
different strengths and talents, which need to be recognized. It is important to treat
students fairly no matter the culture or disability. We have to stay positive and
encourage the students in everything they do. The dropout rates are the highest
with middle age students so as teachers we need to be the role model and positive
influence on them. Words and actions can make a huge difference in the way
students perform.
Posters, bulletin boards and other visuals can also be seen as an inviting
factor in the classroom. When students are welcomed with fun visuals, they are
more likely to be engaged. In a classroom that focuses on volcanoes, we would put
up a bulletin board that had a big map with major volcanoes labeled on it. We could
also have a vocabulary wall in which we would have the students add words as they
learned them throughout the unit. We would discuss these words as a class and
make sure they understood the material. When covering this unit, we could play a
short video clip from an erupting volcano at the beginning of each day as an
attention grabber. Visuals help students understand at a more in depth level and
help students, especially middle age students, to remember what they are learning.
Activities and materials draw students into the lesson and make them want
to learn. Sustaining student’s attention is an important factor when teaching. By
taking field trips such as to the Lava Flow in New Mexico, visual learners would get
the in depth explanation they need. We could also break the students into groups
and have them build volcanoes of their own by paper macheing on a piece of
cardboard followed by painting their volcano. We could then allow them to mix
baking soda and vinegar so they could see the eruption. This would enhance social
interaction between the students and give them an opportunity to critical think and
express their ideas. One neat thing about doing these kinds of activities is the fact
that teachers can place the student’s work in a socially popular place at the school,
such as the library. Some students drive to be recognized and this would excite
them.
The environment in the classroom determines how well each and every
student will learn and succeed. Teachers create the environment of their classroom
and it needs to be a warm and welcoming place. Bulletin boards, field trips, and
activities are just a few factors that can be focused on in order to make sure students
are comfortable and eager to learn.