OPTIMAL CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT Lori Barker EXC 658 June 2011

What is an optimal classroom environment? Four Key Areas Effectiveness is measured by:  Tasks  Movement in the room  Organization of the room & related materials  Student behavior  Student engagement  Performance Mather & Goldstein p.50

Students are actively engaged in meaningful assignments. Students are following the basic classroom rules and procedures. Communicating effectively with each other, teachers, and parents. An effective & optimal classroom environment exhibits: Mather & Goldstein p.50

A teacher’s effectiveness in managing behavior and choosing instructional strategies needs to match the learning capacities of students. Mather & Goldstein p. 52 Tasks Productive classroom time is a function not only of students’ abilities but also of the teacher’s personality, teaching style, and management of the environment. Mather & Goldstein p. 52 Effective environments are created when teachers are interactive, fast- paced, engaging, and directive in their teaching styles. Mather & Goldstein p. 53

A Structure for Instruction TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY Focus Lesson Guided Instruction Collaborative Work Productive Group Work Independent Work “I do it” “We do it” “You do it together” “You do it alone” Teachers establish the lesson’s purpose and model their own thinking to illustrate for students how to approach the new learning. Teachers strategically use questions and Assessment informed prompts, cues, direct explanations, and modeling to guide students to increasingly complex thinking and facilitate students’ increased responsibility for task completion. Teachers design and supervise tasks that enable students to consolidate their thinking and understanding – and that require student to generate individual products that can provide formative assessment information. Teachers design and supervise tasks that require students to apply information they have been taught to create new and authentic products. Sources: From Better Learning Through Structured Teaching (p.4), by D. Fisher and N. Frey, 2008, Alexandria, VA: ASCD. From Guided Instruction: How to Develop Confident and Successful Learners (p. ix & x), by D. Fisher and N. Frey, 2010, Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Movements in the Room: Classroom Setup Rows – less behavior disruptions, ideal for direct instruction & testing. Cluster – higher noise level, ideal for productive group work, small group instruction, & teamwork. Arrangement of the classroom exerts a powerful influences on teachers’ abilities to praise, monitor students, and supervise effectively. Mather & Goldstein p.51 I like to change the room around every 3-6 weeks!

Movement in the Room: Procedures & Routines Teach the procedures and make sure the routines are consistent. Procedures and Routines should be practiced daily and reviewed after breaks.  Lining up  Walking in a line  Entering the classroom  Leaving the classroom  Small group rotations  Turning in work & homework  Restroom  Student Planners  Classroom jobs

Organization of the Room & Related Materials Classroom Rules & Expectations 1. Respect yourself, others and property. 2. Take responsibility for your choices and actions. 3. Follow directions for the first time. 4. Always use good manners and language. 5. Stay on Task! (Stay focused and complete assignments.) 6. Do NOT disrupt the classroom learning.

Organization of the Room & Related Materials Each student has a clip and starts their day at Super. Depending on their behavior, the clip moves down, but cannot move back up until the next day. Depending on where the student’s clip, a behavior slip will go home to be signed by the parent and returned the next day. Warning Loss of recess Contact parent Time out Loss of recess Behavior Slip Referral

Organization of the Room & Related Materials A cushion added to a chair. Makes a hard plastic chair comfy.

Communication Students Parents  Positive communication with students and parents.  Talk to them, don’t yell!  Establish a good rapport with the parents.  Make 2 positive phone calls home every day.  Make the call to parents, when the student is misbehaving. Don’t take away your authority.