In most cases, students and teachers interact in a classroom, so it seems natural that it would have its own domain. To what classroom environment refers, however, is being able to establish a space in which students can learn. The classroom itself, the desks, the bulletin boards, and the posters merely envelop a place, but students need space. This can refer to a space for emotional expression, encouragement, confidence, and engagement. The following sub-domains will outline how to keep a classroom functional for instruction, but consider how we can use these sub-domains to make the classroom into a space.
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Explore some examples:
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2A: Creating an environment of respect and rapport
This sub-domain focuses on interactions in the classroom, both between the students and with the teacher. If teachers expect to reach their students, they need to be respected, and the best way to do that is to respect students first. We need to check ourselves to make sure we do not talk down to them or assume the worst from them. We should clearly define our expectations, so students understand how and why to show respect. Rapport refers to those positive interactions; it can be encouraged in the following ways:
- Physical proximity to students
- Respectful language and communication
- Indication of teacher interest in the students
- Encouragement
- Fairness
- Inclusion and diversity
2b: establishing a culture for learning
The defining aspect of this sub-domain (although this word appears everywhere) is engagement! A culture for learning is a visible, tangible concept that any observer can evaluate. The students understand the educational value of the content and the class and are motivated to do their best. The teacher can accomplish this by encouraging growth mindset and emphasizing critical thinking. A culture for learning encourages and empowers students to take pride in their work. The teacher can facilitate this by commending and sharing student work with the class, with other teachers, and with the greater educational community. The students understand that the teacher is their helper and their advocate, so they will respect the class expectations. Finally, students working in a culture for learning will take responsibility for themselves and for their peers. This may be difficult to instill in a traditional, straightforward classroom, but it is a great way to support the learning environment. Teachers can do this by creating classroom roles, even for small jobs such as erasing the board. An excellent teacher in this sub-domain indicates clear expectations for quality, effort, and participation, recognizes stellar work and contribution, and has confidence in the students and their abilities.
2c: managing classroom procedures
The ultimate goal for classroom procedures is that eventually the students will be able to maintain themselves independently and keep each other on task. This may seem out of reach, but some strategies prove helpful to approaching this goal. First, best behavior cannot occur without clear and coherent expectations, supplemented with clear consequences that are enacted consistently. Of course, no school should enact zero-tolerance policies because there may always be an issue of perspective or context, but faithful and respectful behavior only comes from clear expectations. Secondly, the structure of discussion and transitions in lessons are executed smoothly and routinely. Cooperative group structures should be well-prepared (in Domain 1), well-executed, and semi-automatic. Materials should be set up and ready, and housekeeping items should be quick but important. As a big picture, the classroom should run like a well-oiled machine, and this can be accomplished by expectations and routines. An excellent teacher in this sub-domain loses little instructional time and allows students to have important roles in the classroom's functioning.
2D: Managing student behavior
The most common errors made in managing behavior are usually made in misunderstandings of perspective and context. The best way to keep students' respect is to be flexible and fair in managing behavior. One thing teachers can do is show students that we are on their side, and we can do this by encouraging them in our classroom always. As before, it is crucial to set clear expectations, though, so students understand when their behavior deserves discipline. Something else teachers can do is identify teacher-owned problems. Only misbehavior that is detrimental to the environment and function of the class should be brought up, so when we are irritated, we need to recognize whether the problem is a concern or if it is teacher-owned, in which case we should ignore it. Lastly, teachers can use educational psychology techniques to manage the classroom's behavior. These may include subtle cues and directions to keep the class in line. An excellent teacher in this sub-domain is aware of behavior in the class, fair in discipline, diligent in reinforcing good behavior, and usually has a well-behaved class as a result.
2E: organizing physical space
This sub-domain is crucial for allowing students to feel safe and comfortable in school, and excellence should alleviate the school-to-prison pipeline (along with appropriate use of 2D). The classroom needs to be a space for students to be excited about learning. Sometimes the layout of furniture and decoration of the walls can amp students up as they walk in the room. It should feel fun - not boring but not distracting. A teacher first needs to be someone the students can trust - to keep them safe in their classroom and safe with their feelings. The layout of the room should also be conducive to learning; that is, access to boards and materials should be unobstructed and practical. Finally, the students should feel like they own their learning in the classroom, so teachers can encourage them by displaying their work or letting them contribute to the decoration and layout. An excellent teacher in this sub-domain has an inviting classroom that is thoughtfully organized for optimal learning engagement and accessibility.