The Classroom The Classroom EnvironmentEnvironment

The Classroom The Classroom EnvironmentEnvironment

Amy EattsAmy Eatts

Times are Changing

The Adelaide Advertiser 27th October 2010

The classroom environment will have a big impact on the way students and teachers feel.

If we are feeling good about the environment this will influence our teaching.

An un-engaging environment can contribute to un-engaged students which leads to behavioural problems and challenges.

There is so much more to a classroom then what you see. A classroom has certain student needs to fulfill and to become a successful learning environment.

Natural Light

Collaborative work stations

Keep it tidy

Keep it Organised

Clarify different areas

Make it fun and colourful

Create an engaging atmosphere

Personalize the space

Think carefully about the layout

The Physical Classroom

• Advanced organisation of the physical classroom environment is of fundamental importance.

• Physical settings have powerful influences on behaviour, attitudes and expectations.

• Choice of seating needs to be established and can be made by students and/or teacher.

• Student seating choice is advisable for older students as they will then need to deal with consequences if appropriate behaviour is not demonstrated.

• Students losing (temporarily) their seating choice wouldn’t be satisfied on a freedom, social interaction and belonging level.

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Challenging projects allowing innovate, creative learningfrom the children.

Important projects, recognition as a class throughout the school. Create class identity.

Belonging within the classroom, identificationOf an important classroom member.

Safety from bullying, security of friendsand classroom environment or even Classroom corner.

Essentials needed before the above things are met. Breakfast club or secret food stash may be needed.

William Glasser's Choice theory

•Survival•Love and Belonging•Power•Freedom•Fun

These 5 basic needs can transform your classroom into a place where students want to learn, take pride in their work and behave respectively.

Recreating the Circle of Wellbeing, DECS (2007)

Look at the physical environment

“Educational institutions are notoriously insensitive to the impact that the physical settingcan have on the human spirit.” Palmer, 1999

Learning within the Environment

“Classroom climate whether positive or not is largely under the teacher’s control.”Mongon and Hart in Greenhalgh, 1994.

Behaviour and the Environment

•Research suggests that behaviour responds to and can be shaped by the physical environment.

•Moving through a cluttered classroom can be frustrating and possibly cause conflict.

•Colour, light form and space can be used positively to induce mood change and pro-social actions.

Ideas for a positive impacting environment

Create a quite place

• Based on an holistic intervention program for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in the UK.

“When we set up the quiet room for a boy with oppositional defiance disorder it was just fantastic. He had a place to go to cool down, regain his composure. The only problem was, all the children in the class wanted to use the room!” Educator comment, 2003

• This idea can be recreated on a small scale within the classroom using an corner with low lighting, soft furnishings, cushions, plants, relaxing music, books, tent like hiding spot and natural objects making a “mini” environment.

“Stillness, darkness, coolness and patience may provide the cave in which to hide until the night is over.” Hillman, 1967

More ideas for a positive impacting environment

Creating circles of trust

• Develop relationships with parents.• Invite parents to be involved in classroom activities like

decoration or projects of interest. Invite them to volunteer regularly.

• Invite the children to help create classroom rules, decorations, subjects of interest for curriculum pathways, consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

• Label things around the classroom to help quietly aid literacy issues.

• Create a Team Concept• Understand Parental Development• Choose words that Avoids judgement• Use support services• Problem solve with parents

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory

Image: smu.edu/education/CCCD/MultipleSystems.gif

Interaction between factors in the child’s maturing biology

“Layers” of environment, each having an effect on a child’s development

Child’s own biology is a primary environment fueling her development

Changes or conflict in any one layer will ripple throughout other layers

We must look not only at the child and her immediate environment, but also at the interaction of the larger environment as well

In Summary

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs• Fulfilling essential needs of children like hunger, warmth,

security and a sense of belonging will allow you to be able to teach them.

William Glasser's Choice theory• creating a classroom where the students have a sense of

belonging, responsibility and therefore recognition and enjoyment. Giving them the choice of classroom rules, activities and layout can aid in good behavioural choices aswell.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory• Every child has a system of factors affecting the way they are,

behave and learn within each classroom.

References

• Cowley (2006). Getting the Buggers to Behave. Continuum International Publishing Group, London. pp 153-178

• DECS (2007). Recreating the circle of Well-being. Hindmarsh, SA: DECS publishing

• Erwin, J (2003). Giving Students what they need. Educational Leadership. September. 19-21

• Gartrell,D (1998). A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom, 2nd Ed, Delmar Publishes, NY.

• Paquette, D. and Ryan, R. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. http://pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf

• The Adelaide advertiser 27th October 2010.

• Thomas, A (2005). Strategies to Probe Deeply into the Text: Learning "More When We Work Together" http://ohiorc.org/adlit/InPerspective/Issue/2005-11/Article/vignette.aspx