1. STANDARD # 3: Learning Environments
1. 3a -The teacher collaborates with learners, families, and colleagues to build a safe, positive learning climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.
2. 3c- The teacher collaborates with learners and colleagues to develop shared values and expectations for respectful interactions, rigorous academic discussions, and individual and group responsibility for quality work.
3. 3k- The teacher knows how to collaborate with learners to establish and monitor elements of a safe and productive learning environment including norms, expectations, routines, and organizational structures.
4. 3o- The teacher values the role of learners in promoting each other's learning and recognizes the importance of peer relationships in establishing a climate of learning.
Activity: Effective Schools: I visited Margaret Chase Smith School in Sanford, Maine to look for evidence of the five factors of effective schools described in the textbook. I observed activities and displays in the hallways and spent some time in a third grade and a kindergarten classroom in search of examples of these factors and their effect on the learning environment.
ARTIFACT: Effective Schools Observation
Learning Environment Examples
Strong leadership: The principal at MCS is highly visible. She participates in lunch duty and is also present in the hallways at the end of the day, assisting groups of children as they line up to board their busses.
Clear School Mission: The Sanford School Department has adopted a district wide vision for the school system, and this is displayed prominently in the hallway at the main entrance of the school. The mission of Sanford Public Schools is “to create educational opportunities in which students are productive, caring, informed, involved citizens, and life long learners.” In addition to this mission statement, the schools also promote the core values of respect, honesty, compassion, courage, and responsibility. These values are displayed in several locations in the hallway, as well as in the cafeteria/gymnasium.
Safe and orderly climate: MCS School is very clear about the student conduct expectations that will lead to a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. Rules of safety and respect are posted in the halls. Kindness is also stressed. One bulletin board that I observed in the hall encourages students to be “bucket fillers” and another is themed “Kindness Counts”. An Anti-Bullying poster occupies a prominent place in the hallway leading to the gym/cafeteria. Both classrooms that I spent time in have posted expectations generated by the students with help from the teacher. The third-grade class's expectations are modeled after the preamble to the Constitution (“We the students of Mrs. Kaye-Schiess's class...”). Students in both classes had signed the agreements before they were posted.
Monitoring of student progress: Students in both classrooms have their own “book box” where they keep books that they have been assigned according to their current level of reading proficiency. The kindergarteners are working their way through lists of “magic words”- high frequency sight words that will aid them in developing reading fluency. The teacher periodically evaluates their mastery of their current list, and students who are ready are given a new one to work on. Students in the third-grade classroom also maintain writing folders where they keep drafts of their writing for revision and editing which is done with help from the teacher. They also have daily homework assignments which are turned in to be graded by the teacher. I observed one bulletin board in the hallway that fits the textbook's description of an effective display especially well since it showcases the work of students who have written out step by step directions for building a snowman.
High expectations: The kindergarten teacher that I observed has a bulletin board in the classroom with examples of “Super Work” on display. The third-grade teacher has posted a list of math skills for the class to work on mastering. Both teachers seemed to be making an effort to involve all of their students in class discussions, not calling more frequently on any particular students and not reacting negatively even when students failed to give the responses they were looking for. Although the display hadn't been set up yet, I was told that there is going to be a school-wide reading challenge to reinforce the school's expectation of twenty minutes of nightly reading. Students who meet the goal for their grade level will have their name added to a bulletin board in the hallway.
Other: Desks in the classrooms are not arranged in rows. Rather, some students sit together at tables and others at desks that are situated so that they can interact easily with their classmates.
REFLECTION:
EXPLANATION OF HOW THIS ACTIVITY MET THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS, AND/OR ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS STANDARD:
3a. In order for students to learn, they need to feel safe, respected, and supported. They need to feel free to explore and to inquire. This should not be left to the individual classroom. It requires a group effort. The school's goals and expectations need to be clearly stated so that families can be involved in the process of reinforcing them. Teachers and other school staff need to collaborate so that everyone is on the same page and is playing a part in encouraging children to meet expectations and strive for excellence. The prominent placement of the core values at MCS play a part in establishing a safe, positive climate in the school.
3c. Expectations for respectful interactions will be the most effective if they are school-wide standards. Collaboration is important so that everyone will be aware of and supportive of what is expected. As I observed at MCS, students can be involved in this process, both by generating suggested rules to be followed and by writing and otherwise depicting what it means to follow these expectations. This standard also addresses academics, which are an important influence on the learning environment. When their surroundings are a reminder of the high standards that have been set, students will feel more motivated to try to meet these standards. If they feel that they are also involved in the evaluation process, perhaps by working together to edit or proofread a project as I observed the third grade class doing, they will feel that they have some control over their education and their ability to succeed.
3k. Any classroom will be more successful when there are clearly stated expectations, rules and procedures. When students are involved in the process of establishing these standards they will be more likely to understand their meaning and importance and, as a result, will be more willing to abide by them. This will lead to a positive environment that allows more focus on learning than on discipline. Students at MCS are included in the process of setting up the standards for their classrooms, and these standards are reinforced by student displays explaining how these standards can be applied.
3o. This standard emphasizes the importance of peer relationships and allowing students to support each other's learning. Learning should not be an individual activity. Enthusiasm is contagious. Students who are allowed and encouraged to collaborate will be more likely to find meaning and joy in the learning experience, leading to greater success. MCS school promotes learner collaboration both by encouraging positive and respectful interaction and by allowing students to work together in groups.
- The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
- 3(k)
The teacher knows how to collaborate with learners to establish and
monitor elements of a safe and productive learning environment
including norms, expectations, routines, and organizational
structures.
I have learned about the importance of organization and routines in a classroom environment, but through observation and class discussion I have also learned that students will be more likely to respect these if they have had an active part in establishing them. Students can be involved in generating class rules. Once they have been agreed upon, they can be posted in the classroom as a reminder for all about what they have agreed upon. Even in areas where students aren't active in formulating expectations, these should be explained so that they understand their importance. Students will be more likely to respect procedures and rules if the reasons for these are made clear to them. (See also RAPS activity) - 3(l)
The teacher understands how learner diversity can affect
communication and knows how to communicate effectively in differing
environments.
Communication takes on many different forms. The most obvious is direct verbal communication. Teachers may find themselves addressing the entire classroom, or just a small group or an individual student. I have learned of the importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication.. A look, a smile, or a simple gesture can say a tremendous amount very quickly. Students may respond to different forms of communication depending on their culture or their personality. Effective teachers learn what their students respond to and adjust their approach accordingly. - Critical
Dispositions (3o, 3r)
- 3(o)
The teacher values the role of learners in promoting each other’s
learning and recognizes the importance of peer relationships in
establishing a climate of learning.
An environment of respect is important in establishing healthy peer relationships and fostering a productive learning climate. Teachers should model this respect, leading to an environment where students are comfortable with themselves and are open to learning. In our readings on teacher effectiveness I have also learned about the importance of cooperative learning. Students bring different abilities and talents to the classroom, and the opportunity to work together helps them to learn to respect each other for their unique contributions. Students may even be able to help one another in ways that the teacher is unable to accomplish alone. Working together can lead to greater enthusiasm and academic success. (See also RAPS activity) - 3(r)
The teacher is a thoughtful and responsive listener and observer.
Students will learn the best if they feel that they are being listened to. This may involve more than simply hearing and responding automatically to what they say. At times it may call for empathizing with them or for discerning something that they are feeling beyond the words that they are using. This leads to a caring environment where students feel safe and valued. Observation is also important. Teachers need to be observant of the entire class, even if they are only working with an individual student or a small group. Observant teachers will be more effective classroom managers. They will be able to maintain an orderly and respectful environment, rather than allowing the class to be off task when their attention is directed elsewhere.
RAPS Activity
1. 3a -The teacher collaborates with learners, families, and colleagues to build a safe, positive learning climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.
2. 3c- The teacher collaborates with learners and colleagues to develop shared values and expectations for respectful interactions, rigorous academic discussions, and individual and group responsibility for quality work.
3. 3k- The teacher knows how to collaborate with learners to establish and monitor elements of a safe and productive learning environment including norms, expectations, routines, and organizational structures.
4. 3o- The teacher values the role of learners in promoting each other's learning and recognizes the importance of peer relationships in establishing a climate of learning.
Activity: Effective Schools: I visited Margaret Chase Smith School in Sanford, Maine to look for evidence of the five factors of effective schools described in the textbook. I observed activities and displays in the hallways and spent some time in a third grade and a kindergarten classroom in search of examples of these factors and their effect on the learning environment.
ARTIFACT: Effective Schools Observation
Learning Environment Examples
Strong leadership: The principal at MCS is highly visible. She participates in lunch duty and is also present in the hallways at the end of the day, assisting groups of children as they line up to board their busses.
Clear School Mission: The Sanford School Department has adopted a district wide vision for the school system, and this is displayed prominently in the hallway at the main entrance of the school. The mission of Sanford Public Schools is “to create educational opportunities in which students are productive, caring, informed, involved citizens, and life long learners.” In addition to this mission statement, the schools also promote the core values of respect, honesty, compassion, courage, and responsibility. These values are displayed in several locations in the hallway, as well as in the cafeteria/gymnasium.
Safe and orderly climate: MCS School is very clear about the student conduct expectations that will lead to a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. Rules of safety and respect are posted in the halls. Kindness is also stressed. One bulletin board that I observed in the hall encourages students to be “bucket fillers” and another is themed “Kindness Counts”. An Anti-Bullying poster occupies a prominent place in the hallway leading to the gym/cafeteria. Both classrooms that I spent time in have posted expectations generated by the students with help from the teacher. The third-grade class's expectations are modeled after the preamble to the Constitution (“We the students of Mrs. Kaye-Schiess's class...”). Students in both classes had signed the agreements before they were posted.
Monitoring of student progress: Students in both classrooms have their own “book box” where they keep books that they have been assigned according to their current level of reading proficiency. The kindergarteners are working their way through lists of “magic words”- high frequency sight words that will aid them in developing reading fluency. The teacher periodically evaluates their mastery of their current list, and students who are ready are given a new one to work on. Students in the third-grade classroom also maintain writing folders where they keep drafts of their writing for revision and editing which is done with help from the teacher. They also have daily homework assignments which are turned in to be graded by the teacher. I observed one bulletin board in the hallway that fits the textbook's description of an effective display especially well since it showcases the work of students who have written out step by step directions for building a snowman.
High expectations: The kindergarten teacher that I observed has a bulletin board in the classroom with examples of “Super Work” on display. The third-grade teacher has posted a list of math skills for the class to work on mastering. Both teachers seemed to be making an effort to involve all of their students in class discussions, not calling more frequently on any particular students and not reacting negatively even when students failed to give the responses they were looking for. Although the display hadn't been set up yet, I was told that there is going to be a school-wide reading challenge to reinforce the school's expectation of twenty minutes of nightly reading. Students who meet the goal for their grade level will have their name added to a bulletin board in the hallway.
Other: Desks in the classrooms are not arranged in rows. Rather, some students sit together at tables and others at desks that are situated so that they can interact easily with their classmates.
REFLECTION:
- Were some of the five factors easier to spot than others? The first three factors were much easier to spot than the last two, especially the evidences of a clear school mission and a safe and orderly environment, since these were displayed on posters all over the school. I expected examples showing monitoring of student progress to be a little more difficult to locate since many of the details of an individual's progress are confidential and would not be posted for everyone to see. I also think that the sense of high expectations is established over time and is the result of a pattern of non-verbal as well as verbal and visual cues and so would be difficult to pinpoint in a limited period of observation.
- Were you able to see examples associated with each of these five factors that influenced students' learning environments? Describe.
1. I think that a principal who is not confined to the office promotes a feeling of collaboration and teamwork in a school. Students and teachers feel that he or she is there to help them, contributing to a higher morale among learners and educators.
2. Although most, if not all, of the elementary schools students at MCS would be unable to understand the wording of the mission statements posted in the halls, a clear school mission still has a positive effect on the learning environment. Parents who enter the school can learn where the school is headed. This fosters a sense of community support. for the school. It also helps to remind teachers what they are working for, encouraging collaboration and a spirit of teamwork and lending a sense of positive thinking to the school.
3. When rules of conduct are clearly posted, children are constantly reminded that safe respectful actions are expected, both from themselves and from their peers. This contributes to an increased sense of safety, which facilitates greater learning. When children are involved in generating the rules for their own classrooms and then signal their agreement with the rules by signing the resulting poster, they feel invested in those standards of conduct and will probably be more likely to try to respect them.
4. When their environment helps students to be aware of the progress they are making, they will feel good about what they have achieved and will have a sense of accomplishment and a drive to do more.
5. When examples of quality work and academic goals are posted on the walls in the classrooms and in the halls, students have a constant gentle reminder of what they should be working for. Some of them may even be able to gauge their own progress and set goals for themselves to meet the expectations. It also helps students to realize why they may be doing a specific activity. Teachers who show that they have high expectations for all of their students and not just an elite few will be more successful in motivating the entire class, resulting in a high energy, learning-centered environment.
6. I think that seating children in groups allows for an environment of collaboration. Students are encouraged to work together, looking to each other for ideas and inspiration rather than turning to the teacher for all of the answers. This encourages independent thinking.
- What did you learn from your school observations? An effective school environment is more than attractive surroundings or a modern school building. It should communicate to the children, helping them to understand what is expected of them academically and socially and motivating them to meet those expectations. It should also help them to feel like they are part of a learning community of educators who care about them and fellow learners who respect them.
- What do you recall of how the learning environment motivated (or did not motivate) you when you were a student? I remember feeling safe and engaged throughout most of my school years, but there were a couple of noticeable differences between the elementary school I attended many years ago and the one I recently observed. One was the arrangement of the desks. When I was in elementary school, I remember spending most of the time sitting in rows, observing the teacher at the front of the classroom. I would sometimes find my mind wandering. More group work under direction from the teacher is one way to keep more students involved. The other difference I noticed was the location of the bulletin boards. In my elementary school, bulletin boards were located in the classrooms, not in the hallways. I think that this made the individual classrooms feel compartmentalized and isolated, rather than a part of a school-wide team.
- What types of learning environments did you envision creating as a teacher? As a teacher, I would want to create an environment where expectations are clearly emphasized so that students feel both safe and motivated. This is most effectively accomplished by giving students a say, both in establishing “the rules” and in directing class activities. I would want to create an environment of openness and inquiry by praising students' accomplishments and efforts and encouraging them to reach further.
EXPLANATION OF HOW THIS ACTIVITY MET THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, CRITICAL DISPOSITIONS, AND/OR ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS STANDARD:
3a. In order for students to learn, they need to feel safe, respected, and supported. They need to feel free to explore and to inquire. This should not be left to the individual classroom. It requires a group effort. The school's goals and expectations need to be clearly stated so that families can be involved in the process of reinforcing them. Teachers and other school staff need to collaborate so that everyone is on the same page and is playing a part in encouraging children to meet expectations and strive for excellence. The prominent placement of the core values at MCS play a part in establishing a safe, positive climate in the school.
3c. Expectations for respectful interactions will be the most effective if they are school-wide standards. Collaboration is important so that everyone will be aware of and supportive of what is expected. As I observed at MCS, students can be involved in this process, both by generating suggested rules to be followed and by writing and otherwise depicting what it means to follow these expectations. This standard also addresses academics, which are an important influence on the learning environment. When their surroundings are a reminder of the high standards that have been set, students will feel more motivated to try to meet these standards. If they feel that they are also involved in the evaluation process, perhaps by working together to edit or proofread a project as I observed the third grade class doing, they will feel that they have some control over their education and their ability to succeed.
3k. Any classroom will be more successful when there are clearly stated expectations, rules and procedures. When students are involved in the process of establishing these standards they will be more likely to understand their meaning and importance and, as a result, will be more willing to abide by them. This will lead to a positive environment that allows more focus on learning than on discipline. Students at MCS are included in the process of setting up the standards for their classrooms, and these standards are reinforced by student displays explaining how these standards can be applied.
3o. This standard emphasizes the importance of peer relationships and allowing students to support each other's learning. Learning should not be an individual activity. Enthusiasm is contagious. Students who are allowed and encouraged to collaborate will be more likely to find meaning and joy in the learning experience, leading to greater success. MCS school promotes learner collaboration both by encouraging positive and respectful interaction and by allowing students to work together in groups.