Setting Classroom Climate
Room Arrangement
Setting the classroom climate starts with the room arrangement. Grouping students together promotes collaborative conversation and allows for easy access for "turn and talk" buddies. It also creates a sense of unity in the classroom where everyone is important and no one student feels left out or ignored. There is an art to grouping students together, especially if the class is chatty. Pairing students together who can support each other offers a collaboration of ideas.
In a classroom, there are a lot of areas that should be available for students. There should be a secondary area for whole group instruction (not just at their desks). Getting the students up and moving will keep them engaged; even if it means they move from their desks, to the floor and back to their desks. Having a library and a read aloud area is also important in the classroom. Students need spaces to read individually and to be read to. Keeping the room organized is also important. Having separate spaces for books, manipulatives, tools and desk areas teaches organization. This role-model behavior is a life skill that will show the importance of organization and how to keep things neat and clean.
In a classroom, there are a lot of areas that should be available for students. There should be a secondary area for whole group instruction (not just at their desks). Getting the students up and moving will keep them engaged; even if it means they move from their desks, to the floor and back to their desks. Having a library and a read aloud area is also important in the classroom. Students need spaces to read individually and to be read to. Keeping the room organized is also important. Having separate spaces for books, manipulatives, tools and desk areas teaches organization. This role-model behavior is a life skill that will show the importance of organization and how to keep things neat and clean.
Managing Student Work
Managing student work requires organization and time. Having areas assigned for turning in assignments, extra papers, extension work, "what do I do next?" information, absent student folders, and upcoming assignments is necessary for a well-run classroom. Just as it is important for the students to DO the work, it is just as important for the teacher to correct it and hand it back to the student. Managing several lessons a day for multiple weeks takes a lot of organization and effort, but it provides the teacher with the ability to run and efficient, effective learning environment.
Procedures and Routines
Teaching procedures and routines is important for an safe and efficient classroom. My goal is to teach students the classroom routines during the first 6 weeks of school. One thing to remember is to take time teaching each routine and give the students a lot of practice. The overall goal for the students is to be able to follows the rules and the routine every time with minimal reminders from the teacher. This allows for a smoothly run classroom that uses time wisely in academics and fun activities. Routines that need to be taught include how to come and go in and throughout the classroom, managing materials, student communication like attention getters, and potential "dead" time. Once a classroom has these procedures set, the students will be successful in learning and the staff in teaching.
Rules and Consequences
Children need boundaries and rules to feel safe and to be productive students. Its important for students to be a part of the rule making process. It moves the responsibility of learning from the teacher to the student. In early years, students want to please their teachers and are worried they will not be liked if they don't. As students get older, they tend to follow the rules because their peers do. This is when they realize they need rules and appreciate their teachers for setting guidelines and restrictions. children also learn form opportunities and experiences that are offered to them like peer tutoring, community service and class meetings. Role playing, modeling and listening skills are a few ways to teach rules. Giving students enough practice and remember expectations is also important.
Logical consequences are the necessary means to teach students to follow the rules. If a student threw papers on the floor, they would be responsible for picking them up. If they knocked someone over, they would help them back up and apologize. These are natural consequences that are effective in respecting the student and teaching them to be good citizens. Loss of a privilege is another consequence that is effective in teaching students to follow the rules. If a student is not following the correct procedure to paint, then the student loses the privilege to paint and may use crayons or colors instead. If the student is able to follow the rules within the allotted time-frame and has chosen to follow the rules, then they may paint. Otherwise, they will have an opportunity to paint and follow the rules the next time the activity is offered. Time-outs are necessary when a student needs time to calm down or needs to reconsider their behavior before joining back in the activity. One they have control and are able to follow the rules, they may join back in. Showing empathy for those who break the rules is important. It shows the student that the teacher knows they have the ability to follow the rules, given another chance. It also offers the opportunity for forgiveness in the classroom, which is an important feature in a warm and friendly classroom community.
Logical consequences are the necessary means to teach students to follow the rules. If a student threw papers on the floor, they would be responsible for picking them up. If they knocked someone over, they would help them back up and apologize. These are natural consequences that are effective in respecting the student and teaching them to be good citizens. Loss of a privilege is another consequence that is effective in teaching students to follow the rules. If a student is not following the correct procedure to paint, then the student loses the privilege to paint and may use crayons or colors instead. If the student is able to follow the rules within the allotted time-frame and has chosen to follow the rules, then they may paint. Otherwise, they will have an opportunity to paint and follow the rules the next time the activity is offered. Time-outs are necessary when a student needs time to calm down or needs to reconsider their behavior before joining back in the activity. One they have control and are able to follow the rules, they may join back in. Showing empathy for those who break the rules is important. It shows the student that the teacher knows they have the ability to follow the rules, given another chance. It also offers the opportunity for forgiveness in the classroom, which is an important feature in a warm and friendly classroom community.