Download to read offline
![References
Mansor, A. N., Eng, W. K., Rasul, M. S., Hamzah, M. I. M., & Hamid, A. H. A.
(2012). Effective classroom management. International Education
Studies, 5(5), 35-42. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1039277964?accountid=35812
Ronevich & Scherrer. (2015). Measures of effective teaching: Student feedback
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/improve-teaching-with-student-
feedback
Santos & Knight. (2015). Pace and structure in lesson planning [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/lesson-pace-
structure](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mte-523week4teambclassroomenvironmentfinal-150330223651-conversion-gate01/85/Mte-523-week4teamb-classroomenvironmentfinal-26-320.jpg)
![References
Van Dyck, B. (n.d.). Adding color to the classroom [Video file].
Retrieved from Teaching Channel website:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/color-in-the-classroom
Van Dyck, B. (n.d.). Building relationships: sharing passion with
students [Video file]. Retrieved from Teaching Channel
website: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teacher-
student-relationship
Van Dyck, B. (n.d.). Creating a "comfortable" classroom environment
[Video file]. Retrieved from Teaching Channel website:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/building-a-comfortable-
classroom](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mte-523week4teambclassroomenvironmentfinal-150330223651-conversion-gate01/85/Mte-523-week4teamb-classroomenvironmentfinal-27-320.jpg)
More Related Content
Similar to Mte 523 week4teamb-classroomenvironmentfinal
Mte 523 week4teamb-classroomenvironmentfinal
- 1. Creating A ClassroomEnvironment Linda Bister, Jennifer Cole, Dee Montano, and Matthew Wilkie MTE523 March 30, 2015 Kimberly Stilwell
- 2.
- 3. Characteristics of anEffective Classroom Essential aspects of classroom management involves • Implementing instructional methods that meet students’ needs • Actively engaging students’ in meaningful learning • Assisting students’ in understanding the learning process • Developing a sense of being a competent learner
- 4.
- 5. Characteristics of anEffective Classroom Student academic needs when met, enhance student motivation and achievement to • Understand the learning goals • Understand the learning process • Be actively involved in the learning process • Have learning goals related to their own interests and choices An Interview with Roger Weissberg
- 6.
- 7. Characteristics of anEffective Classroom • Receive instruction responsive to their learning styles and strengths • See learning modeled by adults as an exciting and rewarding activity • Experience success • Have time to integrate learning Multiple Intelligences Video
- 8.
- 9. Characteristics of anEffective Classroom • Receive realistic and immediate feedback that enhances self-efficacy • Be involved in self-evaluating their learning and effort • Receive appropriate rewards for performance gains • Experience a safe, well-organized learning environment
- 10.
- 11. Characteristics that Makea Classroom Ineffective • Not accounting for diversity – (i.e. unique learning styles, culture, and special needs) • Not having empathy – Recognizing the students as people (Mansur, Eng, Rasul, Hamzah, & Hamid, 2012, pp. 36-38) • A lack of caring and support Poor classroom management can truly hinder student progress because proper management optimizes conditions to facilitate learning
- 12. Characteristics that Makea Classroom Ineffective • Poor use of resources (or lack of resources) • Lack of communication • No organization – The room has poor accessibility – The teacher has not done their homework (i.e. proper planning) – Routines are not established and transitions are not smooth (Jones & Jones, 2013, p. 194) Poor classroom management can truly hinder student progress because proper management optimizes conditions to facilitate learning
- 13.
- 14. Characteristics that Makea Classroom Ineffective • Warm-up activity too long – Engagement its minimal (no inspired energy or enthusiasm in students) – Content is too extensive for this transition – Wait time is too lengthy (i.e. dwelling on answers) Aisha Santos-Pace and Structure in Lesson Planning View From: 0:00 – 4:20 Momentum and time management are key components for the teacher to master, as a crucial part of the classroom management plan
- 15.
- 16. Characteristics that Makea Classroom Ineffective • Teachers need to understand student perspectives – Students need a review activity for retention – Students do not immediately meet expectations automatically • Displaying frustration affects the learning climate – The teacher loses being an “ally” and becomes and “adversary” (Ronevich & Scherrer, 2015). – Students can feel uncomfortable with the shift in climate – The teacher does not resolve the issue with a display of anger Paul Ronevich-Measure of Effective Teaching: Student Feedback View From: 1:08 – 6:06 Avoiding frustration and not providing regular cumulative review are also important factors to consider when averting poor classroom management pitfalls
- 17.
- 18. Strategies for Improvingthe Classroom Environment Characteristics of a safe, supportive learning environment – Proper lighting – Well ventilated – Aesthetically pleasing – Supportive – Safe
- 19.
- 20. Strategies for Improvingthe Classroom Environment • When teachers show interest – In their students and in learning • The classroom environment – Supports the students’ academic potential Building Relationships
- 21.
- 22. Strategies for Improvingthe Classroom Environment • When teachers create a – Comfortable – Fun – Inclusive environment for the students • The classroom environment supports – Students’ feelings of belonging in the classroom community Building a Comfortable Classroom
- 23.
- 24. Strategies for Improvingthe Classroom Environment • When teachers use enhancements in their classrooms – Color – Music – Pleasant smells • The classroom environment is – Aesthetically pleasing to the students – Which can enhance the students’ learning potential Color In the Classroom
- 25. References Edutopia.org. (2015, January).EQ Meets IQ: An Interview with Roger Weissberg. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/roger- weissberg-casel-video Edutopia.org. (2015, Spring). Multiple Intelligences Thrive in Smartville. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/multiple- intelligences-immersion-enota-video Edutopia. (Spring, 2015). Six Tips for Brain-Based Learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/brain-based-learning-strategies-resource- guide Jones, V., & Jones, L. (2013). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
- 26. References Mansor, A. N.,Eng, W. K., Rasul, M. S., Hamzah, M. I. M., & Hamid, A. H. A. (2012). Effective classroom management. International Education Studies, 5(5), 35-42. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1039277964?accountid=35812 Ronevich & Scherrer. (2015). Measures of effective teaching: Student feedback [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/improve-teaching-with-student- feedback Santos & Knight. (2015). Pace and structure in lesson planning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/lesson-pace- structure
- 27. References Van Dyck, B.(n.d.). Adding color to the classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from Teaching Channel website: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/color-in-the-classroom Van Dyck, B. (n.d.). Building relationships: sharing passion with students [Video file]. Retrieved from Teaching Channel website: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teacher- student-relationship Van Dyck, B. (n.d.). Creating a "comfortable" classroom environment [Video file]. Retrieved from Teaching Channel website: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/building-a-comfortable- classroom
Editor's Notes
- #4 According to Jones & Jones (2013) effectively planned, well-paced, relevant, and interesting instruction is a key aspect of effective classroom management.
- #6 Understanding the Learning Goals - The quality of the time students spend engaged in academic work depends on the tasks they are expected to accomplish and the extent to which students understand what they are doing. It is essential, therefore, that direct instruction include explicit attention to meaning and not simply focus on engagement as an end in itself. Fortunately, research suggests that teachers can quite rapidly learn to give students specific explanations concerning the purpose of instructional activities. Results indicate that students taught by these teachers demonstrate significantly greater understanding of and appreciation for the purpose of the instruction. (Jones & Jones, 2013) Understand the learning process - In order to help students better understand the learning process, we have found it helpful to assist students in developing several key concepts related to learning. Some key concepts are: Looks Like -eyes focused on speaker, concentrates on their work, well organized cooperates with others, Follows classroom rules and procedures, sets goals, and stays calm when having a problem. Sounds Like - gives encouragement, uses appropriate voice level, asks questions, asks for help when needed, shares their ideas with others, comments are on-task, and courteous to others. Be actively involved in the learning process - Research show that when students are engaged in interactive activities about which they feel both capable and challenged, their engagement rates are 73 percent as compared to only 42 percent when engaged in activities that are less stimulating. Have learning goals related to their own interests and choices - Research suggest that students prefer instructional methods supportive of their special interests and needs (Davidson, 1999), and that when these are implemented, students who have a history of somewhat low achievement can be very successful. Without lessons that are interactive, personally relevant, or experiential and without opportunities for critical thinking and creative problem solving, students lose out, not only on authentic learning and the construction of long-term memory, but they also do not have experiences that promote development of the prefrontal cortex executive functions such as judgment, analysis, resilience, tolerance, flexibility, and effective communication of their ideas. These are the qualities today’s students will need to succeed in the 21st century. (Willis, 2010, p. 49 )
- #8 Receive instruction responsive to their learning styles and strengths -Teachers can increase students’ motivation and success by responding sensitively to students’ learning styles related to (1) the classroom learning environment, (2) students’ special abilities, and (3) various levels of abstraction. Students differ in their approaches to learning. Every student has a cognitive or learning style that represents the general approach the student takes to learning and organizing material. See learning modeled by adults as an exciting and rewarding activity - According to Jones & Jones (2013), teachers possess many characteristics that make their behavior likely to be modeled. Teachers who are more effective in enhancing students’ motivation to learn show an interest in and excitement about learning and model task-related thinking and problem solving. Additionally, when students observe teachers in the classroom, are they seeing someone who appears sincerely and enthusiastically interested in what they are doing and teaching? Experience success - Success experiences are instrumental in developing feelings of self-worth and confidence in attempting new activities. Students need to know that teachers will modify instruction and assessment so they can experience success. Have time to integrate learning - Students need time during the school day to slow down and integrate what they have learned. All too often, students are rushed from one activity to another with no time allotted for summarizing the learning that has taken place in each activity. When this rush occurs, students begin to feel confused and often experience a sense of failure because they frequently have not understood what it was they were supposed to have learned from the preceding activity. Furthermore, effective teachers develop specific instructional activities designed to help students summarize new learning and relate this new knowledge to previous and future learning and the students’ own lives. Jones, V., & Jones, L. (2013). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
- #10 Receive realistic and immediate feedback that enhances self-efficacy - Closely associated with the need for success experiences is the need to receive immediate and specific feedback. Because students’ sense of academic identity and motivation to learn is dramatically impacted by being successful, it is important that they receive feedback clearly designating the extent to which they have succeeded at a task. Studies suggest that students’ achievements are enhanced by providing them with information about their current level of performance followed by specific learning tasks aimed at mastering the material. Students who received comments more frequently stated that they (1) found the task more interesting, (2) worked on the task because they were interested in the material, and (3) attributed their success on the task to their interest and effort. (Jones & Jones, 2013) Be involved in self-evaluating their learning and effort - Jones & Jones (2013) states that involving students in self-evaluation provides students with opportunities to understand their academic performance better and to experience a sense of personal responsibility. When students evaluate and record their own work, they are more likely to develop an internal locus of control and view their progress as based on their own efforts. Similarly, self-evaluation enables students to acknowledge areas that need improvement. The benefits associated with monitoring progress may be particularly great for students who are progressing slowly. Providing these students with specific data that demonstrate their progress is perhaps the most effective and honest motivational strategy. Receive appropriate rewards for performance gains - Rewards are more effective for increasing effort than improving quality of performance, so it is better to use them when there is a clear goal and a clear strategy to follow such as arithmetic computation, musical scales, typing, spelling, as well as when students have the prerequisite skills for completing the task but are not doing so. Rewards are less effective when goals are more ambiguous or students must discover or invent new knowledge or strategies rather than merely activate existing skills. Rewards can act as motivators only for those students who believe that they have a good chance to obtain the rewards if they put forth reasonable effort. If, however, the individual has little motivation for engaging in an activity, providing a reward especially if the reward is related to a student’s goals, was negotiated with the student, or otherwise enhances the student’s sense of efficacy and personal control can be used to enhance motivation to learn. One way for rewards to be effectively integrated into your school or classroom is to view rewards as one aspect of a celebration. Experience a safe, well-organized learning environment - research suggests the creation of a safe learning environment is a prerequisite to helping students meet their academic potential. A classroom must be properly lit, well ventilated, aesthetically pleasing, personally supportive including being respectful of one’s cultural heritage and feel physically and emotionally safe. Some writers also report that brain-based research suggests students’ learning can be enhanced by the use of soft music; reducing the use of fluorescent lights; having classrooms painted in soft colors such as light yellow, beige, and off-white; and reducing sound through the use of carpets, tennis balls on chair legs, and even pleasant smells. (Jones & Jones, 2013.
- #12 Poor classroom management can truly hinder student progress because it does not optimize the learning environment for success. If teachers do not account for student diversity, for instance, they will neglect the fact that students are unique and have particular learning needs. This essentially means that the teacher has to accommodate for their success through any modification to the lesson as well as make sure that the classroom itself has the capability of providing for these diverse needs. Teachers must also practice empathy in their teaching philosophy because the students respond best to teachers that display that they care for their progress as scholars (Jacobsen, Eggen, & Kauchak, 2009, pp. 43-46). This same point is emphasized in a case study by Mansor, Rasul, Hamzah, & Hamid when they state that teachers should acknowledge the human element of teaching and also “communicate their enthusiasm” with students which, in turn, increases student engagement in the lessons (2012, pp. 36-38). Essentially, this means that students appreciate their teachers’ ability to be considerate of their needs as learners, and along with empathy they require communication with their teacher in order to understand expectations as well as further understanding of the lessons. A lack of communication can also undermine classroom management because teachers can only discover student needs through assessment and communication. In the textbook Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems, the authors enforce this point by stating the following: “As teacher, we need to be aware of the importance of communicating positive expectations to all students. Periodically, we need (1) collect data about how we interact with students in our classes, (2) analyze the data to see if we are using primarily supportive or critical statements, (3) determine whether we are responding differently (more critically or less often) to some students, and (4) ensure that we systematically and intentionally communicate high expectation to all students” (Jones & Jones, 2013, pp. 78-79). Without any enthusiasm by the teacher to learn about the students, it will be difficult to learn what each student needs out of their experiences in class. Ensuring that communication is present in the class ensures the need to learn about the students, and frequently checking up on the students will keep the teacher informed of any changes in attitude or enthusiasm the students currently have about the lessons. Genuinely greeting the students helps create a welcoming environment, and students need to feel that they can share their ideas properly during class discussions. Finally, an overall lack of organization can truly undermine efficiency in a classroom management plan. Teachers need to make sure that the classroom is organized with the needs of the lesson as well as the needs of the students. This could mean that the desks need to be arranged according to the learning activity and that the board needs to be visible from any position in the room. In Comprehensive Classroom Management again, the authors point out that teachers that are well organize can “anticipate students’ needs” and transition well between activities in the lessons (p. 194). This is important for overall classroom management’s functionality because the average day in school can be very hectic and there needs to be a sense of routine in place for effective learning. Being disorganized could likely cause the teacher to forget to include aspects of the lesson that are crucial for understanding, and everyone generally benefits form a properly planned school day.
- #13 Poor classroom management can truly hinder student progress because it does not optimize the learning environment for success. If teachers do not account for student diversity, for instance, they will neglect the fact that students are unique and have particular learning needs. This essentially means that the teacher has to accommodate for their success through any modification to the lesson as well as make sure that the classroom itself has the capability of providing for these diverse needs. Teachers must also practice empathy in their teaching philosophy because the students respond best to teachers that display that they care for their progress as scholars (Jacobsen, Eggen, & Kauchak, 2009, pp. 43-46). This same point is emphasized in a case study by Mansor, Rasul, Hamzah, & Hamid when they state that teachers should acknowledge the human element of teaching and also “communicate their enthusiasm” with students which, in turn, increases student engagement in the lessons (2012, pp. 36-38). Essentially, this means that students appreciate their teachers’ ability to be considerate of their needs as learners, and along with empathy they require communication with their teacher in order to understand expectations as well as further understanding of the lessons. A lack of communication can also undermine classroom management because teachers can only discover student needs through assessment and communication. In the textbook Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems, the authors enforce this point by stating the following: “As teacher, we need to be aware of the importance of communicating positive expectations to all students. Periodically, we need (1) collect data about how we interact with students in our classes, (2) analyze the data to see if we are using primarily supportive or critical statements, (3) determine whether we are responding differently (more critically or less often) to some students, and (4) ensure that we systematically and intentionally communicate high expectation to all students” (Jones & Jones, 2013, pp. 78-79). Without any enthusiasm by the teacher to learn about the students, it will be difficult to learn what each student needs out of their experiences in class. Ensuring that communication is present in the class ensures the need to learn about the students, and frequently checking up on the students will keep the teacher informed of any changes in attitude or enthusiasm the students currently have about the lessons. Genuinely greeting the students helps create a welcoming environment, and students need to feel that they can share their ideas properly during class discussions. Finally, an overall lack of organization can truly undermine efficiency in a classroom management plan. Teachers need to make sure that the classroom is organized with the needs of the lesson as well as the needs of the students. This could mean that the desks need to be arranged according to the learning activity and that the board needs to be visible from any position in the room. In Comprehensive Classroom Management again, the authors point out that teachers that are well organize can “anticipate students’ needs” and transition well between activities in the lessons (p. 194). This is important for overall classroom management’s functionality because the average day in school can be very hectic and there needs to be a sense of routine in place for effective learning. Being disorganized could likely cause the teacher to forget to include aspects of the lesson that are crucial for understanding, and everyone generally benefits form a properly planned school day.
- #15 In a video from The Teaching Channel, a middle school teacher by the name of Aisha Santos allows an observer, Jim Knight, to observe her class a way for her receive constructive criticism of her teaching style and use of classroom management. In this video, it is revealed that she struggles with pacing of warm-up activities which should only require a small amount of time allotted for students to transition into the actual lesson. In this case study, Santos admits that she is fully aware that her lack of strategy is proving to be detrimental to the true transitional purposes of warm-ups. The potential harm to momentum is very evident while watching this video. The first noticeable result of this lengthy activity is that student engagement is minimal and only a few participate actively during the warm-up’s process. With regards to this process, the steps for revealing the correct answers are too multifaceted (i.e. there is too much transition of students having to get up, figure out the correct answer, and provide the correct answer for the class to observe). Since this process requires a lot of wait time, students can potentially disengage and begin to lose focus while they are waiting for participating students to complete the various aspects of the warm-up. This process, therefore, requires more planning to ensure student engagement, and it was suggested by Jim Knight that Aisha Santos needs to “rethink” the warm-up activity in terms of having the teacher make the corrections coupled with student responses to divergent questioning (Santos & Knight, 2015). For the sake of time management, teachers need to plan and be mindful of tasks that embody multiple steps towards a goal. In the case of a warm-up activity, the learning required during this time should be a reminder of the previous day’s lesson, or a segue into the new lesson. In the case of Santo’s warm-up, she found her activity to be cumbersome with too many learning objectives for a single amount of time. Her ambition to get students moving up to the overhead to correct the mistakes themselves is admirable, but unnecessary for this particular transition. In an ideal sense, teachers need to decide when to implement certain strategies (e.g. walking up to the board to write an answer) within the time restrictions and needs of the lesson itself. Student engagement needs to be maintained by the teacher, and if too much strategy is implemented then the lesson or activity could buckle under its own weight.
- #16 Studies consistently show that the optimum time for student learning and retention is 20-30 minutes. After that information begins to run together and is not properly absorbed or retrieved by students. By breaking up optimal learning periods into 20-30 minute chunks with 5-10 minute review/discussion/off task assignments between student learning is greatly enhanced (Edutopia, 2015)
- #17 In this next video from The Teaching Channel, Paul Ronevich, another middle school teacher, confides in his principal Dr. Robert Scherrer that through student feedback he has learned that he has two major areas to consider while perfecting his classroom management. In the video, Ronevich reveals that his past instances of displaying his frustration with behavior has failed the students because they lose him as an “ally” and in turn he becomes more of an “adversary” (Ronevich & Scherrer, 2015). This realization reveals that students have to process a dramatic shift in the learning climate, and while they see that their teacher is angry they may feel that he is no longer accessible for assistance during class. This also does not resolve the underlying issue of the source of the poor behavior itself and only harms the comfort of the learning climate. Students learn in this type of instance that the teacher can get angry with poor behavior, but it does not get expressed why the behavior is harmful to learning—which also shows the teacher’s lack of control over the classroom. Ronevich also learns why it is important for him to truly understand student perspectives for better management. Aside from being empathetic to avoid frustration in the classroom, it is also important to realize that students cannot always meet the expectation of retaining all of the knowledge from the previous lesson. In order to compensate for this student learning need, Ronevich comes to realize that making cumulative reviews, or lesson summaries, for each day can help students retain knowledge for continued application (Ronevich & Scherrer, 2015). This routine can help students remember the important topics of the lessons each day and it also ensures that the students understand the relevance of each lesson as well. If the students do not have this review element they may lose understanding of the lesson’s importance and may simply feel that they day’s activities were arbitrary and without any revelation of purpose. Teacher’s need to avoid displaying frustration and implement classroom policies that are consistent with the building’s overall policies. This will alleviate stress associated with handling behavior issues and it will also clearly show students what the teacher expects from them regarding their actions in class. Having a review is also crucial to student retention of knowledge, and when this practice is implemented regularly the students will be able to anticipate explanations of relevance in the lesson along with any particular knowledge that needs further emphasis.
- #19 Brain-based research indicates that a safe, nurturing, positive classroom is a prerequisite for student learning. The physical environment which best promotes student learning is well lit, well ventilated, aesthetically pleasing, personally supportive, and safe (Jones & Jones, 2013, p. 259).
- #21 Passion for learning and showing interest in the students is a way for teachers to make the student feel personally supported (Van Dyck, n.d.).
- #23 Research supports the benefits of helping students to understand and accept classroom behavior standards to improve student learning (Jones & Jones, 2013, p. 168).
- #25 Brain-based research indicates that the learning environment can be enhanced by using music, color, reducing the use of florescent lighting, carpeting in the classroom, or the use of pleasant smells (Jones & Jones, 2013, p. 259). Van Dyck insists that his use of color in the classroom creates a sense of “play” for the students, which further encourages learning in a safe, fun environment (Van Dyck, n.d.).