Unit 3: Plan for Improvement in the Learning Environment
Activity 1: Transitions
Jami, Tingting & James - Module 4 Unit 3 Activity 1
The following is our transition list for grade 3-5 students.
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
A class captain can be in charge of organising students and making sure they line up correctly. Rotate the class captain to ensure everyone has a turn. It can often be beneficial to choose a disruptive student to be class captain too.
Students can sing a song or chant when they are in the line in order to keep their attention.
Also let students take pride in lining up. Tell them how other classes/teachers see them and take note of their great lining up ability.
Finally, children of this age have a short attention span, so it’s important not to make them line up for longer than necessary. As the teacher it is your duty to keep the flow of the class moving at the right pace. Don’t make students wait on you.
When lining up, students should all be eyes forward, lip sealed.
When leaving the classroom, students make sure to put their seats back and clean up the desk.
Due to the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, we have to make sure that the space for children when lining up is large enough. We also have to allow more time to wash their hands when we leave or come back to the classroom.
There are always some children who wouldn’t stop talking or move in and out of the line. One thing I learned over the years is that positive reminders get their attention more than negative ones. Calling on the students who are doing a good job usually helps them correct their behaviors.
Students do not need to line up for online learning, however they should be present ready to join breakout rooms ASAP so others are not waiting on them. Make sure that all students have their cameras turned on and use a TPR such as ‘put your hands on your heads to ensure everyone is listening and ready to join the breakout rooms.
Students log in the online classroom, and make sure their mics are muted and are shown in the camera.
When leaving, students should turn off the camera, and log out.
I think consistency is the key to reinforcing the expectations. Let the students know that we keep taps (a checklist ) of their punctuality and online behaviors. I told my students that I was collecting data so I could share it with their parents during the parent conferences. I’m afraid sometimes I have to use the “parent card”. However, it is used positively because when asked by parents how their children performed, I could share they did well based on my data.
For students with physical special needs, lining up may not be physically possible, so other options can be used in order to be inclusive. Make sure that a chair is available to such students.
It’s important to have a strengths-based attitude towards learners with special needs. For students with attention issues, the teacher needs to realise that they can’t stand in line too long. Allow them to be a class leader, that way they can move around and not be forced to sit still. This promotes equity over equality.
It may be a good idea to make the students with special needs to become a line leader when entering and leaving the classroom. Students would have a greater sense of responsibility to set a good example for others.
One thing I did for the students with attention or executive functioning issues (mostly working memory or organization issues), I shared a daily virtual learning plan, which is like a schedule with lesson objectives. Students with those issues need a heads up on the day’s schedule and a visual reminder of what assignments are due each day.
Bathroom breaks
At this age students do not usually have bathroom breaks as a class, so the transitions need to be managed independently. One idea is for students to raise their hands with different finger signals for different meanings; eg raising their hand with 3 fingers = bathroom break
Students could raise their hands or show the finger signal for the bathroom.
Hand signals can be more effective than asking for verbal permissions. My students and I talked about appropriate hand signals for the bathroom breaks and we decided a “time-out” signal would be good.
We brainstormed for a few hand signals and discussed the possible cultural “appropriateness” for each of them. It was an interesting discussion.
Students should still ask for permission to go to the bathroom during online learning. Students can still hold up their hand, or send a direct message to the teacher in order not to waste time.
Students could raise their hands or show the finger signal for the bathroom, and the teacher nods their head to show if it is okay.
Asking to go to the bathroom when zooming is quite challenging. Hand gestures won’t work as often teachers screen-sharing and they don’t have a full view of their students. A quick verbal request works better for online learning. Also, building a regular bathroom and water breaks is needed after an hour of zooming so students can stretch their legs and have some movement before they resume the lessons.
Some students with special needs will not be able to wait and will need to go to the bathroom as soon as possible without altering the teacher. Have them seated in an appropriate seat, such as near the door, and allow them to leave when necessary. They should still verbally tell the teacher they are going to the bathroom so the teacher is aware.
Students with special needs would sit near the door, and could go to the bathroom without permission.
During the online teaching, students could go to the bathroom without permission.
One modification that I came up with for students with needs was applied to everyone. We have a timer that they have to place on their desks so they can keep track of how long they were in the bathroom. I communicate my expectations clearly that it is to keep the track of the transition time not to stress them when they have to go to the bathroom for tummy aches. It is also a way for me to keep track of if a student is out of my classroom to use the bathroom by simply how many timers are missing on the whiteboard.
Returning to class after recess
Students may be hot and tired after recess and need some time to cool down and focus before class starts. A good idea is to play some calming music and have students come in silently, drink some water, and get their materials ready for the next class before the song ends. If they are early, they should sit down quietly and relax. They may wish to close their eyes and rest.
Students could enjoy the music, so that they could relax and be ready for their class.
Music transition is an easy way to provide students to keep track of the time they have for each transition. And it’s fun and sets a positive classroom environment.
For online learning, playing a short interesting video to grab students attention is a good idea. If students know that they are regularly shown a video, they will more likely come to class on time (or early!).
Students could watch a game which is relative to the subject.
I liked the idea of the ‘square breathing student meditation’ idea from one of the videos we watched. Students need time to calm down after each recess. I’m planning to use it if I have to do other online lessons.
Allow more time for students with special needs. Not all students might be able to get ready by the end of the song, so make sure to give them the time they need.
Students with special needs could have extra time to prepare themselves.
I learned that having a visual direction on the whiteboard helps the quieter transition. This also allows me to go around the classroom to chat with the students.
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
Assign students points and give students who clean up fast and well more points.
Have a countdown or timer and challenge students to finish cleaning up before the time runs out.
The team which finishes the cleaning up is the winner.
Longer transition music can allow students to clean up and move to the next lesson. Again, acknowledging the students who did a good job of cleaning their areas would work better than reminding the students what they missed.
It is important for students to clean up their own room at home too. Students should be given time to clean up. Students who finish cleaning up early can join in short discussions with the teacher.
After all the students finish cleaning up, we could play a game. I believe all the students could try their best to do that.
I think this is the hard part of online learning as we can’t see their desks. We can only give them enough time to clean up and putting things away.
Some students with special needs will need to be allotted more time for cleaning. They may also require assistance.
Some students with ADHD may require a cleaning buddy to keep them on track and make sure they are helping to clean the classroom.
Students could have somebody assist them and also they could have extra time to clean up.
Clear directions with picture or photos of they need to prepare and extra time to clean up will help them with the transition.
Moving desks into different formations
Have a class leader to act as the director to help manage the moving of desks. Students who finish moving their desk early should have another small task to move on to if they will need to wait a while. If they only need to wait a short time, assign them classroom points to encourage students to move as quickly as possible.
Before moving, make sure all the students know exactly where they should go. Then the teacher could monitor and assist them when they are moving.
Sometimes giving students a choice of choosing the desk formation allows an open discussion on their learning styles and also a sense of ownership in the classroom.
Some students with physical disabilities will need help with moving desks. The teacher also needs to keep in mind that some students need to be sat with certain conditions in mind (close to a helper, close to the door, away from the windows etc).
The students would have assistance when moving the desk. And the desk would be near the door
My students and I talked about different learning styles and accommodating different needs. Some students need space to move around when learning so they sit at the back of the classroom or need something such a fidgety ty in their hands to pay attention to the lesson better.
*Note that the modifications are for students with special needs, learning difficulties, physical impairments, and language barriers.
The following is our transition list for grade 3-5 students.
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
A class captain can be in charge of organising students and making sure they line up correctly. Rotate the class captain to ensure everyone has a turn. It can often be beneficial to choose a disruptive student to be class captain too.
Students can sing a song or chant when they are in the line in order to keep their attention.
Also let students take pride in lining up. Tell them how other classes/teachers see them and take note of their great lining up ability.
Finally, children of this age have a short attention span, so it’s important not to make them line up for longer than necessary. As the teacher it is your duty to keep the flow of the class moving at the right pace. Don’t make students wait on you.
When lining up, students should all be eyes forward, lip sealed.
When leaving the classroom, students make sure to put their seats back and clean up the desk.
Due to the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, we have to make sure that the space for children when lining up is large enough. We also have to allow more time to wash their hands when we leave or come back to the classroom.
There are always some children who wouldn’t stop talking or move in and out of the line. One thing I learned over the years is that positive reminders get their attention more than negative ones. Calling on the students who are doing a good job usually helps them correct their behaviors.
Students do not need to line up for online learning, however they should be present ready to join breakout rooms ASAP so others are not waiting on them. Make sure that all students have their cameras turned on and use a TPR such as ‘put your hands on your heads to ensure everyone is listening and ready to join the breakout rooms.
Students log in the online classroom, and make sure their mics are muted and are shown in the camera.
When leaving, students should turn off the camera, and log out.
I think consistency is the key to reinforcing the expectations. Let the students know that we keep taps (a checklist ) of their punctuality and online behaviors. I told my students that I was collecting data so I could share it with their parents during the parent conferences. I’m afraid sometimes I have to use the “parent card”. However, it is used positively because when asked by parents how their children performed, I could share they did well based on my data.
For students with physical special needs, lining up may not be physically possible, so other options can be used in order to be inclusive. Make sure that a chair is available to such students.
It’s important to have a strengths-based attitude towards learners with special needs. For students with attention issues, the teacher needs to realise that they can’t stand in line too long. Allow them to be a class leader, that way they can move around and not be forced to sit still. This promotes equity over equality.
It may be a good idea to make the students with special needs to become a line leader when entering and leaving the classroom. Students would have a greater sense of responsibility to set a good example for others.
One thing I did for the students with attention or executive functioning issues (mostly working memory or organization issues), I shared a daily virtual learning plan, which is like a schedule with lesson objectives. Students with those issues need a heads up on the day’s schedule and a visual reminder of what assignments are due each day.
Bathroom breaks
At this age students do not usually have bathroom breaks as a class, so the transitions need to be managed independently. One idea is for students to raise their hands with different finger signals for different meanings; eg raising their hand with 3 fingers = bathroom break
Students could raise their hands or show the finger signal for the bathroom.
Hand signals can be more effective than asking for verbal permissions. My students and I talked about appropriate hand signals for the bathroom breaks and we decided a “time-out” signal would be good.
We brainstormed for a few hand signals and discussed the possible cultural “appropriateness” for each of them. It was an interesting discussion.
Students should still ask for permission to go to the bathroom during online learning. Students can still hold up their hand, or send a direct message to the teacher in order not to waste time.
Students could raise their hands or show the finger signal for the bathroom, and the teacher nods their head to show if it is okay.
Asking to go to the bathroom when zooming is quite challenging. Hand gestures won’t work as often teachers screen-sharing and they don’t have a full view of their students. A quick verbal request works better for online learning. Also, building a regular bathroom and water breaks is needed after an hour of zooming so students can stretch their legs and have some movement before they resume the lessons.
Some students with special needs will not be able to wait and will need to go to the bathroom as soon as possible without altering the teacher. Have them seated in an appropriate seat, such as near the door, and allow them to leave when necessary. They should still verbally tell the teacher they are going to the bathroom so the teacher is aware.
Students with special needs would sit near the door, and could go to the bathroom without permission.
During the online teaching, students could go to the bathroom without permission.
One modification that I came up with for students with needs was applied to everyone. We have a timer that they have to place on their desks so they can keep track of how long they were in the bathroom. I communicate my expectations clearly that it is to keep the track of the transition time not to stress them when they have to go to the bathroom for tummy aches. It is also a way for me to keep track of if a student is out of my classroom to use the bathroom by simply how many timers are missing on the whiteboard.
Returning to class after recess
Students may be hot and tired after recess and need some time to cool down and focus before class starts. A good idea is to play some calming music and have students come in silently, drink some water, and get their materials ready for the next class before the song ends. If they are early, they should sit down quietly and relax. They may wish to close their eyes and rest.
Students could enjoy the music, so that they could relax and be ready for their class.
Music transition is an easy way to provide students to keep track of the time they have for each transition. And it’s fun and sets a positive classroom environment.
For online learning, playing a short interesting video to grab students attention is a good idea. If students know that they are regularly shown a video, they will more likely come to class on time (or early!).
Students could watch a game which is relative to the subject.
I liked the idea of the ‘square breathing student meditation’ idea from one of the videos we watched. Students need time to calm down after each recess. I’m planning to use it if I have to do other online lessons.
Allow more time for students with special needs. Not all students might be able to get ready by the end of the song, so make sure to give them the time they need.
Students with special needs could have extra time to prepare themselves.
I learned that having a visual direction on the whiteboard helps the quieter transition. This also allows me to go around the classroom to chat with the students.
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
Assign students points and give students who clean up fast and well more points.
Have a countdown or timer and challenge students to finish cleaning up before the time runs out.
The team which finishes the cleaning up is the winner.
Longer transition music can allow students to clean up and move to the next lesson. Again, acknowledging the students who did a good job of cleaning their areas would work better than reminding the students what they missed.
It is important for students to clean up their own room at home too. Students should be given time to clean up. Students who finish cleaning up early can join in short discussions with the teacher.
After all the students finish cleaning up, we could play a game. I believe all the students could try their best to do that.
I think this is the hard part of online learning as we can’t see their desks. We can only give them enough time to clean up and putting things away.
Some students with special needs will need to be allotted more time for cleaning. They may also require assistance.
Some students with ADHD may require a cleaning buddy to keep them on track and make sure they are helping to clean the classroom.
Students could have somebody assist them and also they could have extra time to clean up.
Clear directions with picture or photos of they need to prepare and extra time to clean up will help them with the transition.
Moving desks into different formations
Have a class leader to act as the director to help manage the moving of desks. Students who finish moving their desk early should have another small task to move on to if they will need to wait a while. If they only need to wait a short time, assign them classroom points to encourage students to move as quickly as possible.
Before moving, make sure all the students know exactly where they should go. Then the teacher could monitor and assist them when they are moving.
Sometimes giving students a choice of choosing the desk formation allows an open discussion on their learning styles and also a sense of ownership in the classroom.
Some students with physical disabilities will need help with moving desks. The teacher also needs to keep in mind that some students need to be sat with certain conditions in mind (close to a helper, close to the door, away from the windows etc).
The students would have assistance when moving the desk. And the desk would be near the door
My students and I talked about different learning styles and accommodating different needs. Some students need space to move around when learning so they sit at the back of the classroom or need something such a fidgety ty in their hands to pay attention to the lesson better.
*Note that the modifications are for students with special needs, learning difficulties, physical impairments, and language barriers.
This is my individual plan:
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
Bathroom breaks
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
Moving desks into different formations
Transitions for the Online Classroom:
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
Bathroom breaks
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
Moving desks into different formations
N/A for online learning
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
- Students line up in the same location (inside the door when we’re in class and outside the door when we’re about to enter class).
- Have a class captain make sure the students are lined up well.
- Make sure the area is neat and tidy before lining up.
- Make sure you are prepared before joining the line (eg hat for outside play, pencils ready to enter the classroom).
- Students who line up poorly will be asked to leave the line and rejoin it (at the back) when they feel ready.
- The class gains a reward when all students are lined up well. This encourages students to help each other line up well. Note to make sure that students are positively helping each other.
- Assign a buddy to students who need it. They will stand next to the student who needs help.
- Stand students either at the front or back of the line, depending which is closest to the teacher.
- Give students more time for those who need it.
- Position a chair at the front of the line for those who need it, or allow them to enter first without lining up.
Bathroom breaks
- Students quietly raise their hand with three fingers to indicate they need to go to the bathroom.
- The student waits for the teacher. The teacher will let the student know in a timely fashion, but not necessarily immedaitely.
- Students must return to the classroom directly and quietly. They should knock on the door and ask to enter.
- Make sure to catch up with students if they missed anything during the bathroom break.
- The consequences for students who don’t follow the procedure will be as follows: Teacher will talk to the student straight after class and check to see if there was a misunderstanding, or emergency. If not, the teacher will remind the student of the rule and give them a warning. If the problem persists, the teacher will need to have a meeting with the student and their parents or guardians to find a solution.
- Students should go to the bathroom immediately for those who can’t wait. They should notify the teacher and leave, rather than asking and waiting for permission.
- ELL students should have important sentences such as ‘May I go to the bathroom please?” written in their notebook.
- I will learn the word ‘bathroom’ in students’ native language for ELL just in case they don’t know or forget the word for bathroom.
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
- Remind students when there is 5, 3 and 1 minutes before cleaning up time.
- Ring the bell twice and call on students to clean up their area and the classroom.
- Praise students who are cleaning up well during the cleaning.
- After the whole class is tidy, ask other students to make people who they noticed cleaning up well. Give them rewards such as class points.
- For individual students who don’t clean up well, talk to them afterwards and find out why. Give them a specific task next time when cleaning such as sweeping, cleaning one area or supervising.
- If the whole class doesn’t clean well, talk to them and remind them it is their responsibility and if they can’t look after their things, they won’t be afforded arts and crafts time in the future.
- Assign suitable roles for any students with disabilities.
- Assign a cleaning buddy to students who need help.
Moving desks into different formations
- Have a class leader to act as the director.
- Students quickly and quietly move their desks into formation.
- Students sit quietly at their desks
- Fast finishers can choose to help others, or do something productive at their desk (spelling, vocab, reading etc)
- Students who don’t follow the procedures will be asked to put their desk back to the original position and move it again in the correct way.
- Assign a buddy to help students who need physical assistance or can’t move their desk.
- Seat students with special needs in a suitable place in the new group arrangement.
Transitions for the Online Classroom:
Lining up when entering and leaving the classroom (ie. to the library, PE class)
- Students should be on time to their lesson. THeir camera should be turned on.
- I will greet each student individually when admitting them to the virtual classroom.
- Students should greet their teacher and other students as a whole, then mute their microphone, but keep their cameras turned on.
- Students should stay in the class the entire time and not leave until the teacher has clearly told them it is OK to do so.
- The teacher will remember to thank all of the students who follow the procedures and remind those who don’t to do so in the next lesson. The teacher will try not to single out any one particular student in a negative way and remind the class as a whole.
- Turn on closed captions for those who need it. Speak slowly and make sure to repeat important instructions.
Bathroom breaks
- Raise their hand with three fingers up. As I can’t always see all students, they may send me a direct message also.
- Students are to wait for a reply before going to the bathroom.
- Re-join the class quickly and quietly and send a direct message to the teacher letting them know when they have returned.
- The time of the first and second messages allows me to know how long and when the student wasn’t in the lesson. The student will stay behind after the lesson and I will help them to catch up.
- The teacher will also ask students who went to the bathroom without asking permission to stay behind after class. The teacher will work out if it was an emergency or nt and review the correct procedures with the student.
- Students should go to the bathroom immediately for those who can’t wait. They should notify the teacher and leave, rather than asking and waiting for permission.
Cleaning up after arts & crafts
- This isn’t as much as an issue with online learning, however some parts still pertain.
- Students will be given a certain amount of time to clear their area. DUring this time their cameras should remain on and microphones off.
- Students should be seated, ready to learn at the end of the countdown, even if they haven’t finished tidying.
- Fast finishers can sit quietly and work on another task such as practicing spelling, or reading.
- The teacher will make sure to praise the students who cleaned up well and were proactive after cleaning.
- Students with special needs who can’t tisy their area due to physical limitations will be given other tasks to do during this time.
- Make sure to explain the procedure slowly so that ELLs can understand too. Use of CCQs where necessary.
Moving desks into different formations
N/A for online learning
Activity 2: Giving and Receiving Feedback
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uyaDx0uY5T86W8hYpfy6hdHoSyw49SY5/view?usp=sharing
James
James
James
- The classroom is decorated well and the learning environment looks clean and safe.
- Students are sitting comfortably on the floor and not only in rows in a traditional style.
- The teacher greets the students kindly and explains to them the goal of not just this lesson, but the next two lessons too.
- The teacher gets children excited for the lesson and builds their confidence.
- The teacher elicits answers for what students think ‘child friendly search engine’ means rather than just telling them. This gets students involved in the learning process and also acts as a kind of formative assessment.
- Students are raising their hands and waiting patiently. The teacher waits a couple of seconds before selecting and doesn’t just choose the first students to raise their hand.
- There are translations provided to help ELLs.
- The teacher politely reminds students to raise their hand rather than calling out the answer, however they need to be more consistent with this as the next few questions she allows students to call out answers.
- I’d like to see the teacher use more CCQs to ensure understanding.
- The teacher moves around and makes sure to check on each group of students and sees how they are going.
- The teacher calls students by their names and makes sure to speak to them respectfully.
- Lots of collaboration happening in the classroom. Each task involved students working in their teams. I think that it would be even better if each student was assigned a different role within their groups.
- The teacher promotes higher order thinking rather than just allowing the students to copy down answers.
- I’d like to see the teachers praise students more. Some students came up with really good answers and ideas and the teacher didn’t seem to either praise them enough or push them to extend their answer. Towards the second half of the lesson, the teacher praised students, but was not consistent the whole lesson.
- The students shared their answers for the teacher to write in a document. I would like to see learners take more of the lead here and input the data themselves and stand up to present to the class. I think the teacher should act as the facilitator here.
- The teacher made sure to address things at a class level and not call out one or two particular students. For example when some students were not collaborating well or following school rules, the teacher reminded the class as a whole in a positive and respectful way.
- The teacher reacted to changing circumstances very well and was able to transition a digital activity to a paper-based one on the fly. I think she must have had a plan-B while planning the lesson, which you should always have when dealing with technology.
- Students were really well behaved and attentive during the presentation part of the lesson. However, I think some pictures would have been really helpful during the presentation. It would have been really hard for the audience to follow without images.
- Students clap after their classmates present their work. This is a positive classroom norm.
- There didn’t seem to be a good review at the end of the lesson or enough formative assessment. Also there wasn’t a thankyou or goodbye at the end of the lesson.
James
- I don’t think the idea in place for students to talk at the start of the lesson had become a norm yet as students seemed like they didn’t know that they could talk.
- I don’t think the teacher started the class in a positive way. By saying they were ‘taking away’ their pens, and then acting like it was a sad thing, it started the lesson in a negative way.
- I like the use of closed captions to help ELLs understand.
- The teacher called out a student for being late and made a negative comment about it in front of the student’s peers. Again, I don’t think that this is helpful for building a positive classroom atmosphere.
- I like how the teacher reviews the students' names.
- I don’t like how the teacher kind of yells at the students in a friendly way. She called ‘MICHAEL!’ to ask him to answer. It didn’t seem respectful and I doubt the teacher would be happy if the student talked to them in that way.
- I like that the student lets students ask someone to help them when they need help.
- The teacher allows students to choose the activity they want to do. I like that this gives students a level of autonomy over their learning. However I dislike that the teacher allowed students to just call out which game they wanted to play. It doesn’t benefit shy students and doesn’t show good manners.
- The teacher actively tries to have students be kind and helpful to each other.
- The teacher makes a really silly and inappropriate noise to stop a student speaking too much. Again, I doubt the teacher would be happy if students did that to each other or to the teacher.
- The teacher praises students well during the second half of the lesson.
- I like that the teacher has a kind of secret word challenge for fast finishers. This seems like it would be a really good idea to have in each lesson.
- Students are shouting out answers and speaking out over each other rather than raising their hands. This should be more of a norm within the classroom and students should be conditioned to raise their hands to answer.
- I like how the teacher uses students’ examples of the machines they talked about and praises their work.
- I don’t think there was enough of a goodbye and thank you at the end of the lesson, or a preview of what students would learn in the next class. The procedure for the lesson ending seemed a little unclear.
Activity 3: Personal Reflection and Next Steps
Reflection
James Sharp
1 Review the learning management strategies you have created thus far for your own classroom in your Learning Environment Plan
I have learned several classroom management strategies thus far, including creating a positive classroom climate and culture, strategies for implementing norms and expectations, routines and procedures, and also transition times. I have also learned how to adapt these for students with special needs and for online learning. This has been a challenge for me, but I think I have done well at it. During the past three weeks in this course, I have put together a Learning Environment Plan for my own class which takes the above into consideration. I have learned that it isn’t enough to just know about these theories; a teacher also needs to have a solid plan in place to deal with what happens in the classroom (and plans for modifications).
2 How will these strategies impact student learning and your own overall professional effectiveness as a teacher?
I truly believe that the strategies that I have learned over the past three weeks in the course will greatly impact my students’ learning by making the classroom environment a more positive one for learning to take place. Studies have shown that learning is more likely to take place when students feel safe, valued and cared for. Of course, I have always tried to do this for my students, but I never had a strict plan. Or when I did have a plan, it was several disjointed ones rather than one cohesive, well-thought out plan. I think that my Learning Environment Plan will benefit me as a teacher greatly. It will not only allow me to help my students to feel safer and happier at school, but also to become the best learners that they can be.
3 What are the challenges you have faced or anticipate in managing the learning environment and student behavior?
As Mike Tyson eloquently stated, “Everyone has a plan until they’re punched in the face.” I think one of the large challenges will be to follow this plan during lessons when I am under stress (metaphorically ‘getting punched in the face’). Sometimes it is really difficult to stay consistent with norms and procedures in the classroom, especially as you often do not get immediate feedback on success. I have had to remind myself to follow through with the plan and not take the easy way out at times. It is a long process, and one which is beneficial in the long run. I need to make sure that I know the plan inside-out and that my students not only know the norms, but also follow them (after all, they are the ones who helped to shape them).
I also anticipate that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the modifications I will need to add to the Learning Environment Plan. I think there must be so many expectations that I haven’t taken into account yet, and I will only recognise them when I meet them in the future. In such cases, I aim to remain calm, deal with the situation as best as I can, and reflect upon it afterwards to think of an ideal solution or modification. I will also confer with colleagues about their experiences in similar situations and see what modifications that suggest that I add to the plan.
James Sharp
1 Review the learning management strategies you have created thus far for your own classroom in your Learning Environment Plan
I have learned several classroom management strategies thus far, including creating a positive classroom climate and culture, strategies for implementing norms and expectations, routines and procedures, and also transition times. I have also learned how to adapt these for students with special needs and for online learning. This has been a challenge for me, but I think I have done well at it. During the past three weeks in this course, I have put together a Learning Environment Plan for my own class which takes the above into consideration. I have learned that it isn’t enough to just know about these theories; a teacher also needs to have a solid plan in place to deal with what happens in the classroom (and plans for modifications).
2 How will these strategies impact student learning and your own overall professional effectiveness as a teacher?
I truly believe that the strategies that I have learned over the past three weeks in the course will greatly impact my students’ learning by making the classroom environment a more positive one for learning to take place. Studies have shown that learning is more likely to take place when students feel safe, valued and cared for. Of course, I have always tried to do this for my students, but I never had a strict plan. Or when I did have a plan, it was several disjointed ones rather than one cohesive, well-thought out plan. I think that my Learning Environment Plan will benefit me as a teacher greatly. It will not only allow me to help my students to feel safer and happier at school, but also to become the best learners that they can be.
3 What are the challenges you have faced or anticipate in managing the learning environment and student behavior?
As Mike Tyson eloquently stated, “Everyone has a plan until they’re punched in the face.” I think one of the large challenges will be to follow this plan during lessons when I am under stress (metaphorically ‘getting punched in the face’). Sometimes it is really difficult to stay consistent with norms and procedures in the classroom, especially as you often do not get immediate feedback on success. I have had to remind myself to follow through with the plan and not take the easy way out at times. It is a long process, and one which is beneficial in the long run. I need to make sure that I know the plan inside-out and that my students not only know the norms, but also follow them (after all, they are the ones who helped to shape them).
I also anticipate that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the modifications I will need to add to the Learning Environment Plan. I think there must be so many expectations that I haven’t taken into account yet, and I will only recognise them when I meet them in the future. In such cases, I aim to remain calm, deal with the situation as best as I can, and reflect upon it afterwards to think of an ideal solution or modification. I will also confer with colleagues about their experiences in similar situations and see what modifications that suggest that I add to the plan.