classroom environment

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Classroom Environment: Creating a Safe and Nurturing Place for Learning

August 29, 2007Agenda

1. Anticipation Guide- What are thoughts?2. Class meetings- Ways to use them to save you time & energy3. Video: “Doing Morning Meetings”4. Classroom Environment- Make your space into your saving grace.5. Wrap-up and Evaluation

Presented by your Area 5 ALTs:Michael Smith & Angela Whitehead

For more great resources on this topic & many more visit our Area 5 blog at…

http://professionallearning.typepad.com/alt5/

http://professionallearning.typepad.com/alt5/

Classroom Environment:

Creating a safe and nurturing place for learning


Essential Question

How does classroom environment impact student performance?

• Goals: 1. Understand the role of classroom

meetings.2. Foster proactive and reactive ways to

structure classroom management and relationships.


Anticipation Guide


Classroom Environment TipsCreating an environment of respect and rapport

Greet students in the morning - stand at the door, walk around to indiv desk, make rounds when students are doing morning procedures

Talk in a calm voice Be aware of your body language Never argue. It takes two people to argue – don’t be the second person. State your

request, clarify understanding, give an if then statement and end the conversation.

• Establishing a culture of learning Communicate high expectations for all students Lighting – lamps can provide softer lighting and be calming - flourescent lamps can be

harsh Music – use it to change the mood in the room – classical, jazz etc for calming

activities – up tempo music for active activities Temperature- keep the room at a comfortable temperature and be sensitive to the fact

that some students are more sensitive to temperature change than others – be flexible – allow jackets, sweaters etc.


• Managing classroom procedures Post schedules. Let students know in advance when there will be a change. Model, and practice classroom procedures (lining up, walking in the hall, entering the

room, center procedures, transitions) – this will save valuable instructional time later! Gives cues and prompts

• Managing student behavior Use a system that is easy to manage and understand – keep it simple. State your rules clearly and positively Set consequences you can enforce and always follow through Be consistent.

• Organizing physical space Make materials easy for students to access on their own Teach them to organize their materials Give them adequate space to move around and store things. Students should have a place to work quietly and a place for group work

• If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it!


Why Have Classroom Meetings?

• To purposely teach students how to:– Be a part of a group– Problem solve effectively– Cooperate with others– See how their actions impact the class and

vice versa


Class Meeting Procedures

• Create Ground Rules Together• Have an Agenda• Time: 20-30 minutes• Focused/On Task• Record Ideas• Student Led • Takes Practice


Class Meetings can be:

Proactive- ways to structure the learning environment to prevent problem behaviors

OR

Reactive- attempt to decrease inappropriate and increase appropriate school behavior.


Proactive Suggestions

Engagement• Drawing the kids to the

learning

Instructional Strategies• Multiple intelligences &

learning styles• Cooperative learning• Real world application

Organization• Visual

organizer/agenda/flow charts

• Materials• Class jobs• Procedures

• Whole Class Self-Monitoring

Conferencing

• Action Plans

• Contracts

• Behavior Management Charts/Plans

• Rewards & Consequences

Reactive Suggestions


• Graphic Organizers

• Role-Play• Discussion• Decision-

making/Class Consensus

• Review norms/Procedures/Rules

Problem-Solving in Class Meetings


Meeting Topics:

• Issue Bin:• Kids can post academic or social concerns

to be added to be discussed. • No names are used. • Teacher has right to say that a topic

should be handled privately.


Video Clip

• “Doing Morning Meetings”


Ways to Foster a Positive Classroom Environment


Post class procedures in a positive manner.

Taken from Joanna Vaughn at Frey Ele.


Give Students Ownership in Class Community

Class Jobs

Essential Questions & Goal Setting for

Behavior

Continually Create Class

Norms/Procedures/Rules Together


Give kids a place to

offfer compliment

s and

other positive classroom reflections.

Taken from Lisa Miller’s classroom at Frey

Elementary.


Give Students Opportunities to Reflect and Problem-Solve

Plus (+)/Delta(-) Journal Entry Re: Sub Behavior

Plan-Do-Study-Act for “too much noise during literacy”


Create & Review Class Procedures Continually

• Be Flexible: Your Plans Can Change

• Set High Expectations by Creating Procedures for Everything

• Model Procedures


Keeping things ship shape


Intervention Strategies

Ignore SignalEye contact CueProximity HumorPause PraiseThe “look” GestureTouch


When considering reactions/interventions, consider

reasons for behavior.

Is the student…1. Seeking attention

2. Seeking power

3. Seeking revenge

4. Seeking to avoid repeated failure


ResourcesBooks:Tribes: A New Way of Learning and

Being Together

The Teacher’s Guide to Behavioral Interventions

The Pre-referral Intervention Manual

The Teacher’s Encyclopedia of Behavior Management

The First Day of School

**The Morning Meeting Book

Websites:Area 5 BlogIntervention CentralLifeskills and Lifelong Guidelines


Wrap Up Think about your classroom

environment/behavior.

On separate Post-Its, write down a…

KudoQuestionSuggestionConcern

…about your experiences so far this year.

Evaluation

Thanks for coming!

classroom environment

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