The Learning Environment standard ensures a teacher is creating an inclusive and collaborative classroom atmosphere. Effective classrooms support a positive learning environment for all learners, consistent daily routines, and hold each student to their best potential. A classroom should foster a safe and open-minded community atmosphere. The classroom expectations are age-appropriate and help guide students to make positive choices both in and out of school. Collaboration with peers is highly encouraged, and respect for people’s identities, cultures, and orientations are imperative.
Creating a classroom foundation starts with a statement of purpose, classroom rules, and a solid behavioral management plan. The statement of purpose sets the tone of the classroom expectations and how students should conduct themselves. The classroom rules provide students with appropriate guidelines and boundaries. Finally, the behavioral management plan should encourage positive behavior and monitor student success academically and socially.
Classroom Statement of Purpose- Student Pledge
The statement of purpose should be short and grade-level appropriate, much like the classroom rules. For example, the following is my classroom statement, “We create a safe learning space for everyone. We respect each other and learn from each other. We listen with a purpose and do the best we can. We learn so we can help ourselves and our community.” My statement focuses on creating a community atmosphere and meeting my students where they are both academically and mentally. During the first week of school, we will go over the meaning of the statement of purpose and break down each aspect of the pledge. It is necessary for the students to comprehend the pledge’s meaning and how the meaning leads to expectations.
Classroom Rules
Classroom rules should be age-appropriate, comprehensive and short, consistently enforced, and practiced. The rules should be explicit statements of what behavior is acceptable and expected in the classroom. These rules should be displayed at all times for the student to reference. For English Learners, display a copy of the rules in their native language beside the English version. Adding illustrations with each rule will help aid diverse learners.
Behavior Management
A behavior management plan should always be age-appropriate and have comprehensive guidelines. The management plan supports desired behaviors and deters unwanted behaviors, such as peer bullying. Modeling after a popular video game, I have created a passport behavior system. Each student will receive a passport notebook they can customize the cover. In addition, they will receive task cards with a goal and objective for each academic subject. Students will also have task cards for social-emotional skills such as “random acts of kindness” and “sense of community.” Students will receive stamps as rewards. Once a task card is completed, the student will have the option of tangible rewards such as a prize box or a non-tangible reward such as free time.