The Classroom Environment
Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
Establishing a classroom environment of respect and rapport creates a dynamic that is essential for student learning. In our classroom, I make every effort to make sure students are treated with respect from both students and teachers. In a classroom environment of respect and rapport, students feel as if the classroom is their second home. When students feel comfortable in the classroom, they are more willing to take risks with their learning. In our classroom, we stress the importance of taking risks in our learning, and accepting our failures and learning opportunities.
The "ms. Bertsch" Mailbox
In our classroom, I have chosen to use a "Ms. Bertsch" mailbox as a way to build rapport with my students. Whenever students have an issue they would like to discuss with me, they may use the "Ms. Bertsch" mailbox to communicate open and freely with me. Often times, in our busy schedule, I do not have the time to sit down and work through each and every issue students may have... no matter how much I would like to. By using the "Ms. Bertsch" mailbox, students can use their writing skills to communicate their needs to me, and I can address it when our schedule permits it.
Establishing a culture for learning
Establishing a culture for learning within a classroom requires students to take pride in the work that they do. By setting clear and high expectations for students, they are able to challenge themselves to be the best students they can be. I encourage students to take pride in the work they do and things they accomplish. I also encourage students to take risks in their learning and challenge themselves as learners. In our classroom, we celebrate both the successes and the failures.
Posting student work
In order for students to take pride in their work, I need to show them that their work is worth taking pride in. One way I do this is by posting student work around the room. When students look up and see something they did their best on, it gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride and essentially encourages them to continue to work hard and do their best on future classroom projects.
Class mission statement
During the first week of school, our class worked together to create a class mission statement. The purpose of the class mission statement was to answer the following questions: "who are we?" and "why are we here?". Creating this mission statement allowed my students to establish a sense of togetherness and a purpose for coming to school each day and trying their best.
managing classroom procedures
Having consistent classroom procedures is essential for maintaining a culture for learning. With smooth classroom procedures, students are able to transition from one lesson or situation to another with as little wasted time and stress as possible. It is my goal each and every day to squeeze in as many learning opportunities as possible. Having quick and manageable classroom routines increases time for students to learn.
Student request Hand Signals
One classroom procedure that gets used frequently are our "bathroom" and "drink" signals. Instead of interrupting other students' learning, a student may simply show me a hand signal for either "drink" or "bathroom". I am able to respond with either a verbal "yes" or "not right now" if I am not teaching. If I am in the middle of teaching a lesson, I am able to respond to students' requests by nodding or shaking my head.
With this procedure in place, the culture for learning in our classroom is consistent with a productive learning environment.
With this procedure in place, the culture for learning in our classroom is consistent with a productive learning environment.
Bathroom passes
As a teacher, you are responsible for the safety and well-being of each and every child in your classroom.. including knowing where they are at all times. In our classroom, we use bathroom passes to let the teacher and other students know where each child is at any given time. When students need to use the restroom, they either ask an adult in the room (verbally or using a hand sign). If they are given permission, the students then take on of the passes and put it on their desk. That way, any adult in the room can look around and see which students are out of the classroom using the restroom. When students return from the restroom, they use 1 squirt of hand sanitizer (in addition to washing their hands) and return the pass to its designated area for the next student to use.
managing student behavior
Managing student behavior can have a significant impact on the success or failure of a lesson. In my classroom, I have chosen to implement both individual and collective classroom behavior management routines. Having a behavior management system that is compartmentalized into individual and collective rewards allows students to manage their own behavior, and encourage others to be on their best behavior. Both systems are designed to hold equal weight with students.
Behavior clip chart
As a way to manage student behavior in the classroom, I have chosen to use a behavior clip chart to manage individual student behavior as well as for students to monitor their own behavior. In our classroom, each student has a clothes pin with their name on it clipped to the behavior clip chart. Every morning, all students in our class begin with their "clip" in the "ready to learn" position. When students demonstrate positive behavior, they are rewarded by being asked to "clip up". The more positive behaviors a student has, the more times their clip moves up. When students reach the "awesome" position at the top of the chart, they are rewarded with a positive phone call home and a Bamber Valley Positive Ticket.
On the opposite end of the behavior spectrum, our classroom behavior clip chart allows students to monitor their inappropriate behavior. When a student is displaying inappropriate behavior in the classroom, they are given a verbal warning and are re-taught the expectation. If the student continues to disregard the expectations, they will be asked to "clip down". If a student's behavior does not improve, they will be asked to "take a break", and eventually be asked to leave the regular classroom for the "buddy room". By using the behavior clip chart, students are able to visually see the consequences that will follow if the expectations are disregarded.
Class Marble jar
Our classroom marble jar is a behavior management tool that is designed to encourage students to hold each other responsible for using only positive behaviors in the classroom. When the class is demonstrating positive behaviors (ex: staying focused during work time, walking quietly in the hallway, showing respect to a guest teacher, etc.) they earn a marble in the jar. The red ribbon tied around the jar indicates the students' goal. When the jar is filled up to the red ribbon with marbles, the class earns a reward. The reward for this behavior goal is a movie and popcorn in class!
organizing physical space
Organizing the physical space of a classroom is essential for creating an environment of respect and rapport. By organizing supplies and spaces within the room, students are able to become more responsible for thier learning. In an organized classroom, when a student needs something, they do not need to ask an adult or peer to help them get it, they know where it is and can independently get what they need in order to be successrul.
Desk arrangement
I have gone through many different desk arrangements throughout the first few weeks of school, and I have finally settled on 2 neat columns of 3 desks each, with a row of 5 students in the back. This allows students to not have the responsibility of remembering to face forward during lessons. I have put the columns of desks into groups of 3 so students are able to collaborate with a small group of students during "group work" opportunities. Later on during the school year, I plan to arrange the desks into pods of 4 or 5 students to encourage more collaborative learning.