Promoting Academic Success via Classroom Structure
In this article, Kathy Ruhl discusses how having a safe classroom environment is important for students. She talks about how students should be able to "...commit errors that are seen only as mistakes of learning and not really big issues." This type of classroom encourages students to learn through their mistakes and that it is a natural part of learning. Ruhl goes on to talk about how it is important for teachers to convey what it takes for them to be successful in their classroom. This gives the students clear and obtainable goals to work towards. According to Ruhl to establish and communicate structure you need to: identify the major instructional and behavioral goals you want to accomplish (long range goals), highlight the ways students can be successful in your classroom (success principles), spell out the rules, distinguish among varying expectations, work out key procedures or routines, convey all of this to students through directly teaching them, and by arranging the
physical space and schedule of activities in ways that support behaviors that meet expectations.
physical space and schedule of activities in ways that support behaviors that meet expectations.
The Classroom Environment Can Largely Affect Student's Productivity and
Mood
This website discusses different ways the classroom environment can affect students. The article recognizes that lesson planning is an important part of teaching, but the classroom environment cannot be overlooked. When students walk into your classroom you want it to be welcoming for the students. In additon, you can have your personality shine through in how you decorate and arrange your classroom. It is important to think about how your room looks, how your tone is when you speak and the overall feel of your classroom. You can have music playing softly while students work and maybe a special location for students to turn their work in. These are all ways to create a classroom enviroment that would be benefical for students.
Creating A Positive Classroom Environment
The environment of a classroom can help students “influence the nature of the activities they undertake, engage seriously in their study, regulate their behavior, and know of the explicit criteria and high expectations of what they are to achieve” (Queensland Department of Education, 2005).
What I really like about this website is how it is written from a student teachers perspective after she had completed her internships. She talks about her failures and successes within the classroom. Even though she is teaching secondary education, many of her techniques can be used at all grade levels. She talks about setting rules and its importance. She also talked about the benefits of cooperative learning. She supplies documents for student evaluation forms and a "my goals" document that can be modified and made grade appropriate. There are many valuable lessons that can be taken from reading her synopsis of her year of teaching and also useful documents and ideas to use in your own classroom.
What I really like about this website is how it is written from a student teachers perspective after she had completed her internships. She talks about her failures and successes within the classroom. Even though she is teaching secondary education, many of her techniques can be used at all grade levels. She talks about setting rules and its importance. She also talked about the benefits of cooperative learning. She supplies documents for student evaluation forms and a "my goals" document that can be modified and made grade appropriate. There are many valuable lessons that can be taken from reading her synopsis of her year of teaching and also useful documents and ideas to use in your own classroom.
Managing Your Classroom
To have a healthy classroom environment, you need to have systems in which you do things so that students know what to expect. Creating a stable and friendly environment will benefit both the students, and you the teacher. This website has an abundant amount of tricks and ideas for organizing and helping your classroom run more efficently and peacefully. In addition, there are links to videos which have teachers sharing classroom systems that they are using.This wiki is an absolute keeper!