Tips For Setting Up A Conducive Learning Environment In The Classroom

Importance of the Classroom Environment

The setup in a classroom will automatically affect the students’ attitude towards learning as well as their learning habits. A teacher must evaluate and identify the existing classroom structure before he/ she decides to implement a broader approach to classroom behavioral support (Sayeski, & Brown 2011). An exciting class set up will raise the morale of the students and bring more excitement and interest in the learning process. A comfortable and humble classroom setting is all that the students need to achieve academic excellence. The environment is a significant determinant of the success of the students.

An organized, comfortable and stimulating environment will assist students to learn effectively. The classroom can be exciting regarding the furniture, the learning aids like the drawings, and also the ability to have a conducive environment which provides mind-blowing experiences. In an attempt to come up with such a situation, there entails a practical physical layout arrangement, supply of diversified material and offering encouragement to students to have a sense of belonging and ownership (Simonsen et al. 2014).

In the process of setting up a classroom, several tips will assist and includes:

Ask the students to define which learning behavior should be for which learning center.

Assist students in learning how to behave appropriately through role-playing by practicing with them. Encourage equitable participation from all the students and encourage the slow learners for them to be able to catch up with the rest.

Provide with post procedures for the learning centers; the students will refer to them. These post procedures will act as reference materials in the future, which will, in turn, provide a better remembrance of anything learned.

Let the students propose where they think different learning centers should differ regarding location and materials, the student’s ideas will enhance the feeling of belonging and ownership.

When planning, always consider the physical features of the classroom. A class needs will evolve as the year progresses and for this reason, you can add different kinds of learning centers at different times (MacSuga et al. 2012). Here are different common arrangements; Use bookshelves. Keep the computers screens facing away from windows, Ensure there is comfortable seating, ensure there is enough ventilation in the classroom and enough power backup for the computers in case of emergency. Use walls for posters to save space. Come up with a loft to save space which will, in turn, create a private spot for reading independently. High activity learning centers must be distinct from areas where the students require silence. Always have an area set aside for small group meeting with the teacher. The following strategies discuss how students can have a collective group area. All students MUST have a bright field of vision of the chalkboard. Always determine the activities involving the whole group, how they will take place to ascertain how the student’s desks will be arranged (Remember that when counters are in small circles; it promotes discussions whereas small clusters of desks it will end up as group meeting areas.) DuFour & Eaker, 1998). The teacher’s desk must be in an area where he/ she can view the entire classroom and should not block the way, and the teacher should be visible from all the corners of the class to enhance proper coordination of the class even when they are seated or standing. The records and supplies area should be out of reach of the students; there should be better security for the records and supplies region to discourage students from accessing this region (Sayeski, & Brown 2011).

Creating a Conducive Learning Environment

What Is Tier 1?

Tier 1 instruction is available in the general education classroom. In this tier, the teachers have to deliver ineffective and more engaging instruction in writing, reading, and mathematics. In this plan and the text below it, there is a consistent framework which has the results of research on professional learning communities (DuFour & Eaker, 1998) this will have an impact in assisting schools in making most of these decisions. There are several sources of information which will support schools to determine the constituents of active instructional practice at Tier 1.

The suggested constituents of an active instructional practice of tier 1 in schools.

1.    Initiatives from federal policy
2.    Research from relevant academic sources.
3.    The process will require acquiring some literature on research on effective school teaching.
4.    Getting a valid Tier 1 instruction, and ensuring these sources are to be used alongside the existing state frameworks to inform, evaluate and develop instructional delivery and the following students’ outcomes (Mayer, 1995).

Plan for Tier 1

Component	Goals	Steps, strategies, timeline, resources and communication	Who is responsible	Evaluation
common philosophy and purpose	Establish a school policy applicable overboard	Enforcement of the policies in all the schools	Crucial parents and teachers support	Teachers evaluation
Leadership	Inculcating the spirit of leadership in young students	A step by step process since school going age	Teachers support in school and also parents support in home	Both teachers and parents are responsible for bringing up a responsible leader.
Clarifying expected behaviour	Often reminding students on the appropriate behaviours	Making students understand what is right and what is wrong	Providing guidelines to students on how leaders are expected to behave	Teachers
Teaching expected behaviours	Teachers to teach and guide students on the expected behaviours	Making sure students behave as per the policies.	Teachers	Teachers
Encouraging expected behaviours	Observing students and their successes	Enforcing accepted policies	Use Classroom Responsive Assessment	Teachers evaluation
Discouraging inappropriate behaviour	Responding to misbehaviour in a redirection of teacher’s language	Enforcing following of the accepted policies	Using Morning Meetings	Teachers evaluation
Ongoing monitoring	Continuous evaluation from teachers	Continuous policy enforcement	Use Classroom Responsive Assessment	Teachers
Effective classroom practices	Using classroom responsive assessment	Continuous policy enforcement	Using Morning Meetings	Teachers

Goal setting is a process which takes quite some time. Below are some of the tips that will assist a general teacher in achieving the process. It is a specific process of making sure that the set objectives of the school are collectively achieved either through the help of the students, teachers, non-teaching staff, and the parents.

A significant step is to look at and meet the individual student and have a look at the most recent classroom assignments and activities. Single student concentration to check at their work is an effective method of collecting information about the progress of the students in each class and each specific subjects. Create awareness in them on how to compare their results to the average student or where they ought to be at that particular juncture of the year. To some students it may come as a shocking revelation this is because most have no idea where they stand. This part is essential because the students need to be challenged by where they are to create personal goals (Simonsen et al. 2014). Student challenging models will encourage healthy competition amongst the students and will, in turn, bring better results by the end of the day.

Guide the student, let them set the goals for themselves. Give the student the freedom of thinking and expression of their interests in life and whatever they may want to achieve. For better learning ensure the students first propose their goals. In most cases, however, you will prompt the students while guiding them (MacSuga et al. 2012). The teacher’s services more so are very critical in guiding the students and maybe correct them in areas they may be wrong and also in areas they may need additional information and knowledge. Let the students come up with one or two goals each time. All in all, it mostly depends on the students’ wants and needs, but fewer goals are achievable without overwhelming pressure.

Tier 1 Instruction

Students have a mandate of setting specific goals that will be easy to accomplish. The teacher should encourage the students at all times to set realistic and achievable goals. For instance, a 5th-grade student can set a goal to read 130 words in a minute and put in two weeks; this is quite an unreasonable task. Guide them to determining how many weeks they may need to adequately fulfill their function (Sayeski, & Brown 2011). Setting unrealistic goals may have adverse effects on the performance and even self-esteem of the students because they may feel they are not able to achieve any academic goals.

In conclusion, students should have the chance to set their goals depending on their needs and wants. The classroom should be a conducive environment where learning is fun and exciting for the students. Teachers have a duty of helping students improve morals and academic wise as it forms the most basic standards of living and appreciation in the society. The parents should not forget their role in building the students life for the times they stay with. 

References

Clegg, J., & Sheard, C. (2002). Challenging behaviour and insecure attachment.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46(6), 503-506.

Emerson, E. (2001). Challenging behaviour: Analysis and intervention in people with severe     intellectual disabilities. Cambridge University Press.

De Jong, T., & Griffiths, C. (2006). The role of alternative education programs in meeting the needs of adolescent students with challenging behaviour:

Characteristics of best practice. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 16(1), 29-40.

MacSuga-Gage, A. S., Simonsen, B., & Briere, D. E. (2012). Effective Teaching Practices. Effective Teaching Practices that Promote a Positive Classroom Environment.

Beyond Behavior,

Mayer, G. R. (1995). Preventing anti-social behavior in the schools.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Michail, S. (2011). Understanding school responses to students’ challenging behaviour:

A review of literature. Improving Schools, 14(2), 156-171.

Sayeski, K. L., & Brown, M. R. (2011).Developing a classroom management plan using a tiered approach. Teaching Exceptional Children.

Simonsen, B., MacSuga-Gage, A. S., Briere III, D. E., Freeman, J., Myers, D., Scott, T. M., & Sugai, G. (2014). Multitiered support framework for teachers’ classroom-management practices.

Overview and case study of building the triangle for teachers. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions,

Orsati, F. T., & Causton-Theoharis, J. (2013). Challenging control:

Inclusive teachers’ and teaching assistants’ discourse on students with challenging behaviour. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 17(5), 507-525.

O’Neill, S., & Stephenson, J. (2009). Teacher involvement in the development of function-based behaviour intervention plans for students with challenging behaviour.

Australasian Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 6-25.