This document provides guidance on designing an engaging learning environment for students. It emphasizes the importance of relationships between teachers and students, as well as creating a caring, supportive environment where learning is interactive and brain-compatible. Several experts are quoted stressing that all students are at risk if the environment is not properly designed to meet their needs through engaging instructional strategies and a focus on character development over discipline.

1. Topic #9: Build it
and they will learn
How will you design an environment so
that learning takes place?
Let’s Review

2. Don‟t Laugh at Me
“The first stage of curriculum development,
is creating a curriculum of care”
…Harold Brathwaite

3. Design an environment
that supports character
education
Review: TeRRiFiCC

5. Design an anti-bullying
environment
What can you do?
What can your students do?

6. WHY?

7. Who or What is to Blame?
Go to
http://todaysmeet.com/BullyingMatters
And join the conversation

8. 10 Warning Signs:
1.
Lack of Interest in School. Self isolation from
family and/or friends.
2. Seeing self as always the victim.
3. Persistent disregard for rules.
4. Cruelty to pets or other animals.
5. Artwork or writing that is bleak, violent or that
depicts isolation or anger.
6. Talking constantly about weapons or violence.
Talk about bringing weapons to school. Bringing a
weapon to school.
7. Obsession with violent games/television
8. Depression or mood swings. Misplaced or
unwarranted jealousy.
9. History of bullying.
10. Involvement/interest in gangs.

9. 10 Things a Teacher Can Do
1.
2.
Learn about bullying and violence
Democratic classroom. Zero tolerance for
name-calling, put-downs and taunting.
3. Know the warning signs.
4. Anti-violence student activities.
5. Have a school emergency plan.
6. Firm, fair and consistent school rules.
7. Report to principal ALL violent incidences (physical and
verbal)
8. Teach conflict resolution/anger management skills.
9. Incorporate prevention of violence into your lessons.
10. Encourage students to report suspicious activities/
behavior.
Bullying is a “Learned Behavior”,
which means it can be “unlearned”

10. 10 Things Students Can Do
1. No weapons at school.
2. Report crimes to authorities.
3. Report suspicious or worrisome
behavior.
4. Learn how to manage anger.
5. Settle disputes peaceably.
6. Teen advisory council.
7. Be a peer counselor.
8. Mentor new students
9. Participate in a watch patrol.
10. Have a school peace pledge/rally
Remember:
A Misbehaving Child is a Discouraged Child

11. Design an environment where both
YOU and YOUR students are
emotionally and physcially healthy
Review: Brain Foods

12. The Top 10 Best Brain
Foods
Top 10 Brain Foods:
Blueberries (tapping on head)
Nuts nuts nuts (tapping on shoulders)
Fish (for the flesh)
Brocolli (in the belly)
Yogurt (for the waist)
Banana banana banana (rotating hips)
Olive oil (on your thighs)
Brown Bread (tapping the knees)
Spinach on the shin
Squishy tomatoes (with our feet)

14. Work Hard
Play Harder!
ATTITUDE is 100%

15. Design an environment
that meets the needs of
young adolescents
Review: Myth or Reality

16. Design an environment
that honors how the
brain learns best
Review: The Brain....

18. Design an environment
centered on the
best ways to learn
Review: The Learning Pyramid

19. Design an environment
where students have
voice and choice
Review: Cracking the Code

20. Design an environment
where learning is
engaging
Review: Acronyms

21. 20 Instructional Strategies
To Engage the Learner
Graphic Organizers
Problem Based Learning
Writing and Reflection
Role play/Drama/Charades
Brainstorming
Summarizing and Notemaking
Field Trips
Technology
Debates
Visualization
Visuals
Games
Movement
Storytelling
Humor and Celebration
Manipulatives/Models
Music, Rhythm, Rhyme & Rap Mnemonic Devices/Acronyms
Cooperative Learning
Drawing and Artwork
By Marcia Tate

22. • CALM
• Consider, Act, Lessen, Manage
• SIDES
• Strategic instructional design to
engage students
• Together Achieves More Success
• TEAMS
• WinWin
• TeRRiFiCC
• BRAIN
• Working interactively, winning
independently
• Trust, respect, responsibility,
fairness, caring, and citizenship
• BRAIN: Building safe environments, Recognizing
and honoring diversity, Assessment, Instructional
strategies, Numerous curriculum approaches
• CASE
• CASE: Copy & Steal Everything

25. Design an environment
where RELATIONSHIPS
are key to learning
Review:Classroom Management Role Plays

27. “Kids don‟t care
how much you
know, until they
know how much
you care”
Charles Sposato

28. The Rest of the Story:
One more trip to the Galloway Vault
• Forgiveness: Aboriginal Culture (The Talking Circle, The Healing Center,
Sweatlodge)
• Revisit: Itinerant Case
• Revisit: Classroom Management Role-plays
• Housekeeping:
-Hand in Course Participation/Hand back blogs
-Hand out: Take home “synthesis paper”
-Review: 40 Generic Principles of Classroom Management/Classroom
Management Resources (Google Site /Shelfari Book Reviews)/Classroom
Management Mantras/Course Learning Outcomes
-Final Exam (Wednesday, Nov. 6th, 10:00 to 12:00 p.m.), Room 2301
• Brent‟s Best Practices: 3 Best “In Class” Practices/3 Best “Whole
School” Practices
• The Final Word: Believe in yourself and your power to teach/Jordan
• Seeing: Dalton Sherman “Do you believe in me?”
• Wise Words

29. Make a choice
• #1. I was hired to teach, not to make kids behave
• #2. You can be friendly with kids, but you can‟t be friends
•
#3. Minimize student misbehavior by maximizing student
learning
•
#4. Manage your class, don‟t discipline it
•
#5. Don‟t let them see you smile until Christmas
•
#6. Catch „em being good

32. Build it and they will learn
“If we want to have engaged brains in the
classroom, we have to have an interactive
environment”
… Spencer Kagan
“We have school-induced ADHD because
schools aren‟t brain compatible with the
brains of today‟s children”
…Dr. David Sousa
“Artful teaching is a love triangle between
the students, the teacher, and the content
…Carol Ann Tomlinson
“Fairness is everyone getting what
they need in school”
…Martha Kaufeldt
There are no „bad‟ kids, just
kids with „bad‟ problems”
…Harold Brathwaite
“All kids in our society are at risk
…Dr. Martin Brokenleg
“What is best for the best
should be best for the rest”
…Dr. Roger Taylor
“Kids learn by what they do, not by
what they are told”
…Pat Wolfe
“‟At risk‟ students are those who leave
school before or after graduation with
little possibility of continuing learning”
…Roland Barth
“Are we training kids to write tests for life,
or are we training kids for the tests of life”
….Art Costa