"The Classroom Environment" article focuses on creating a sociocultural environment that promotes learning and language rich opportunities. The classroom environment is important, because it sets the tone of the classroom and allows students to be productive, energized, and informed.
There were 4 main considerations listed in the article for an ideal classroom setting.
1. Classrooms that have flexible space that allow for areas of whole group, small groups, partner work, etc. provide students with comfortable work areas for productive learning.
2. Organized materials that are accessible, available, and appropriate should be at hand-eye levels for intention and motivation.
3. Walls that teach show what students know, are learning, and what will be learned next should be appealing to the eye, uncluttered, readable, and can be used as a resource (word walls, student work, message board, anchor charts, etc.)
4. Encouraging participation and allowing students to work in groups, pairs, ask each other questions, along with acknowledging individual skills of students to help others will help build a community and increase motivation levels.
Other factors that are important to keep in mind when considering classroom environments is the air quality, light sources used, and noise control. Noise can be controlled by using panels, or shelves to create nooks and small spaces to limit background noises. Air temperature should also be considered as warm temperatures encourage quiet time and cool temperatures for physical activities. "Greening" the classroom in these areas encourages environmental quality. You can do this in your classroom by providing more natural exposure to light with utilizing windows and allowing for natural light, or even using a mix of artificial and natural lighting. Are you currently supporting the 4 main ideas of an enriching classroom environment in your classroom? What are some ways you can improve your classroom environment considering these factors?
"Print in the Environment to Promote Early Writing" provides suggestions on how to develop a literacy rich environment in preschool settings, but has key ideas that should be considered for all classrooms. Environmental print is text that children can see, create, and interact with. This includes text on walls as well as available books in the classroom. When using print in the environment, teachers must be careful to include meaningful print that will be used. Some examples suggested in the text to create meaningful print are appealing to the children's interests (including their names around the room), correlate the print with the current curriculum theme, co-constructed work (interactive writing pieces), and referring frequently to the print around the room and explaining its purpose.
Engaging children's attention to the environmental print can be done by pointing and reading the words, verbalizing your thought process by doing Think Alouds, relating the print to family cultures, and providing opportunities to engage in writing and using the print on a daily basis. How do you provide environmental print in your classrooms? How do you support learning from environmental print? What aspect of the print rich environment would you like to focus on and implement further in your classroom and why?
In reference to the 4 main considerations for classroom environment:
ReplyDeleteI have so many different grade levels and actually share a room with a teacher for my younger reading group. So, logistically, it's a bit crazy. The authors stated that effective teachers use "walls as text". While I believe this true, I also have to be aware of potential distractions for some of my students. I tend to be "less is more" in my main classroom. I have a prefix/suffix wall as well as one for Greek and Latin roots. I have an anchor chart for science vocabulary and a different pocket chart for current and previous weeks key phonics ideas. I do have a center chart that is used for my younger group and they are able to move their name to what center they would like to complete.
Karen,
DeleteI agree with you that classrooms can get too overwhelming if there are way too many unneeded things on the walls. The article talked about supplying resources that the students will make use of and I think you're doing a great job at that by providing anchor charts, vocabulary words, and phonics resources.
In your SPED classroom, do your students engage in partner work and small groups, like the author suggested?
Teresa, I agree with you and Karen about the overwhelming unneeded things on the walls. The overstimulation for students with special need is a major distraction! This school year I used a dozen of the suggestions in the article to display print in the environment. I also used chart paper and pocket charts which were stored until we needed to refer back at a later time.
DeleteI agree with you guys in regards to the whole too much of something can turn into a bad thing. We really do have to be purposeful with our space as teachers. I feel as if I try to achieve those four main ideas, and each year I’ve gotten a little bit better at each one, but I’m still not a 100% where I would like to be. I will admit that the two years I taught in a portable was a struggle for me to provide enough flexible space for my 30 kids, teaching assistant, student intern and one of my students who was visually impaired. In that situation I definitely had limited room and wall space, so it taught me to be very purposeful in what I put on my walls and how to organize a small space to maximize its potential. This article also made me think of how much time we spend getting our rooms ready in the summer to make sure they are just perfect for our students. Like the author said, designing the classroom is truly an art and science! I try to make my room as comfortable, organized, and welcoming as possible. When my students’ Chinese teacher walked in the room today, she told me that the way our kids are able to interact and even sit is completely different from China. She said where she’s from the students sit at desks and look like statues most of the day. My students were simply just working together at the carpet, and sitting on my beanbags while working on creating their math word problems. The kids like to work and be comfortable. I think allowing students with those areas where they can work in collaboration is definitely preparing them for how our society and real world work. When the authors mention that the materials in the room need to motivate the kids, I couldn’t help but think of how much my students love sitting in those beanbags and how that alone has motivated them to want to go and read more. I think I need to do a better job of having out writing supplies that motivates my kids to want to write though. Over the years, I have acquired a lot of books and my kids love looking through them. I even think I may have more than the number that this article suggested, LOL! My goal for next year though is definitely going to be to create a writer’s workshop area with lots of materials that motivate writing.
DeleteTheresa,
DeleteIn response to your question about partner work/pairs--I don't have my students work in pairs without the guidance of myself or a TA.
The article points out research highlighted a valuable missed opportunity for teachers because young children do not look at print unless their attention is intentionally drawn to it. In n the example we can point to draw attention and give the reason why when we sign our name which will create meaningful print, engaging children with print and promote children's writing. I think that is powerful in the teaching and learning of using print in the environment to promote writing. What are some other ways to interest children to write?
ReplyDeleteTheresa,
ReplyDeleteLike Karen, I have students in all different grade levels and with a wide range of abilities and sensitivities. I avoid crazy color schemes and tend to be minimalistic. My natural tendency would be to take advantage of all the wall space and fill it with helpful information for students. I know when I was a student, my eyes would often wander around the room when I got done with an assignment early and had nothing to do. However, my students (many of whom are on the autism spectrum) are very easily distracted and can often fixate on what is on the walls. I would like to do more research on environmental print in special education classrooms and try to better equip my classroom with a print rich environment. As far as classroom environment, I do have flexible space and I just this year I hung student materials on the wall by the main table that students can grab when they come into my room. They know what they are working on and can start practicing whatever skill they are working on while everyone is getting settled and before the session gets going full swing. I do always make sure that the room remains uncluttered. Although all of my sessions are small group, I could do better about encouraging student interaction by working in pairs and communicating directly to a peer instead of me.
Melinda,
DeleteJust like you, I have a few students that need redirecting when it comes to focusing their attention. A few of my little ones have ADHD and have wandering eyes and minds, so keeping the classroom decor to being very intentional is my goal too. Like the article, I try my best to have walls that teach and only hang up useful resources and avoid the cutesy, pinteresty decorations.
I would highly suggest you to incorporate partner work into your lessons. It really gives a chance for the littles ones that don't usually speak up have a chance to say something! Just like the article stated, you can definitely see an increase in motivation and ownership of work in each student.