Tangible Classroom Climate
A large part of having a positive and successful school year will involve how I chose to set up my classroom. I want an area that shows students that we will be Productive, Organized, and Collaborative. Each component of my classroom will give my students ample space to be creative, feel comfortable spatially, and to be able to remain concentrated. Harry and Rosemary Wong say (2009), "A well-organized, attractive room sends a positive message that you respect them enough to provide a pleasant environment, and they will return the respect to you" (p. 91). My goal, through my tangible classroom climate, is to show my students that I care about them and their education enough to put the time and effort into keeping our classroom clean, organized, and comfortable.
Classroom Layout:
Student Areas:
In order for my students to be able to concentrate on the tasks they are performing or to listen effectively while I am teaching a lesson, I have set up the student desks facing the front board and my desk. All students desks will have a name tag taped to the top of it. All other potential distractions, such as the reading nook, pencil station, and storage are to either sides or behind them. I also have placed the desks in groups of four which will allow for easy dismissal by colored groups for centers, stations, or end-of-the-day dismissal. Another important reason I have all students facing the front is so that I can easily monitor each student as they work. There is space around each group of four desks in order to allow for easy movement around desks for myself as the teacher.
Centers Areas:
Center areas are placed around the sides of the classroom and behind student desks. This way, if I am working one-on-one or with a small group and the rest of the class is working at their desks minimal distractions will be made. Two center tables are circle tables which will be used for student-led centers and one is a kidney table which will be used for the teacher-directed center. The last center will either be held at the reading nook or computer stations.
Work Area:
Storage is extremely important for my classroom. We will be using many materials that I do not wish to have laying around the classroom constantly. There is one storage cabinet behind my desk for my personal items and items I do not want the students to access without permission. It is located near my desk for monitoring reasons. All other cabinets and bookshelves are placed around the walls for easy and non-distracting access at any point. The back bookshelf will hold the subject-area seat work bins as well as the highlighters and pencil station. These items are address on my procedures page. Student mailboxes are located directly beside the door in order for easy access when they enter the room in the morning. This is where their student folders will be held until their arrival and before their departure every day. Directly beside the door there will be storage for student backpacks, coats, boots, and lunch boxes.
Reading Nook:
The reading nook is a quiet and comfortable area where read-alouds, independent reading, mini-lessons, or the "Breathe Box" procedure can take place. This area contains two bean bag chairs, a circle carpet, and a plush chair in order for students to be comfortable while reading. There are book shelves surround two sides of this area to store books for students to read or other quiet educational games. The plush chair will be used by the teacher any time instruction or read-alouds are taking place. The reading nook overall is meant to be a place where students can relax and enjoy reading.
Teacher Area:
In retrospect, my teacher space will include every area of the classroom. I intend to use every space with my students in order to be engaged and involved. Harry and Rosemary Wong state (2009), "When the teacher is physically close to the students and can get to them quickly, their on-task behavior increases" and that as a teacher I need to "Maximize my proximity to minimize my problems" (p. 97). For times when I need to grade papers or access materials from my desk, I will be directly facing the students to be able to monitor student behavior and work at the same time. As for organizational matters, I will have files with-in and on the sides of my desk to keep papers cleared from my desk area and easily accessible Student files will remain inside my desk to keep track of any information I may want to use in my parent-teacher conferences.
Wall Space:
I love Harry and Rosemary Wong's statement regarding the use of bulletin boards. They state (2009), "The purpose of the bulletin board is to display student work, not to be decorated by a teacher to look like a department store show window" (p. 96). On the front wall beside or above the bulletin board Miss Gascho's Rules and our Class Promise will be displayed for students to easily access and refer to throughout the year. The daily schedule and any homework assignments will be written or posted on the white board at the front of the classroom. Throughout the walls will be motivational posters to give students reminders to work hard and work together. One bulletin board will be used specifically to showcase students personal works or papers. The students need to see their work in order to become self-confident individuals. Below, I also describe the I CAN board (located in the reading nook) in which students will place up a task they have accomplished or something they have learned during the week that they feel proud of. This is explained further below under my intangible climate. Another will be used specifically to show examples of assignments or projects being done that day or week. No wall or bulletin board in my classroom will be used for the sole purpose of being decorated, but rather to show how proud I am of my students work and attitudes.
Intangible Classroom Climate
Although tangible classroom climate is a vital part of the classroom, it would do nothing without the accompaniment of intangible actions, characteristics, behaviors, and expectations. I will be implementing the use of Linda Alberts "3 C's" in order to make sure my students are feeling capable, connected, and contributing factors in my classroom (Charels & Senter, 2005, p. 204-208). Below are the characteristics that my classroom will display in order to make sure my students are successful throughout the school year.
My Classroom Will Show...
A. Responsibility (Contributing)
Contributing will be included in my classroom through the form of student jobs which I will be calling Helping Hands ("Helping hands," Helping hands). Students names will be placed on paper cut-outs of hands. Their hand will be placed next to the job on the Helping Hands chart. The Helping Hands job include the following:
1.Office Messenger
This student takes messages to other teachers or the office for me when needed.
2.White Board
This student, upon my request, erases or writes on the white board.
3.Lights
This student turns off lights when leaving the room for recess, lunch, or specials and is the last in line.
4.Trash Can
This student notifies me when the trash bins are full.
5.Paper Collector
This student collects papers upon my request.
6.Reading Nook
This student keeps the Reading Nook organized and clean.
7.Desk Area Monitor
This student checks for trash on the ground or loose papers and pencils around the student desk area.
8.Morning Announcements
This student reads the morning announcements.
1.Office Messenger
This student takes messages to other teachers or the office for me when needed.
2.White Board
This student, upon my request, erases or writes on the white board.
3.Lights
This student turns off lights when leaving the room for recess, lunch, or specials and is the last in line.
4.Trash Can
This student notifies me when the trash bins are full.
5.Paper Collector
This student collects papers upon my request.
6.Reading Nook
This student keeps the Reading Nook organized and clean.
7.Desk Area Monitor
This student checks for trash on the ground or loose papers and pencils around the student desk area.
8.Morning Announcements
This student reads the morning announcements.
B. Safety & Comfort (Connected)
A large part of this characteristic will be the maintaining of positive relationships between peers and the teacher with each student. Linda Albert makes the point that appreciation is one way to make students feel connected. (Charels & Senter, 2005, p. 206). In this way I will have Appreciation Cards that will be a weekly (every Wednesday) activity in my classroom. As the teacher, I intend to write one appreciation card to one student each week. The student will receive the appreciation card within their student folder so that it will be more discrete then handing it to them in front of the entire class. I will make sure that every student is aware that I will be doing this at the beginning of the school year.
C. Self-Confidence (Capable)
There are multiple factors within my classroom that will show and display my student's self-confidence. The bulletin board dedicated to displaying students work and projects is one of the most important showcases of this quality in my classroom. I want my students to be confident and proud of their hard work and accomplishments throughout the year. I also believe that this will help students with self-confidence outside of the classroom, which is highly important. As Albert puts it (2005), this is the "I-Can" level of success (p. 204). In order to implement this idea throughout the entire year there will be a "I Can" Activity that will be done every week. The activity goes as follows:
"I-Can" Meeting
Every Friday, the students and the teacher will commence in an "I-Can" meeting. The students will gather around the reading nook and find a comfortable spot to sit in. The teacher will have each student fill our an "I CAN" paper and place it on the "I-Can" bulletin board. The teacher will give students the opportunity to share their successes and what it means to them. This gives students a chance to see at least one accomplishment they have made during the week, thus boosting their self-confidence and personal motivation. The "I CAN" sheet can be located by clicking HERE.
"I-Can" Meeting
Every Friday, the students and the teacher will commence in an "I-Can" meeting. The students will gather around the reading nook and find a comfortable spot to sit in. The teacher will have each student fill our an "I CAN" paper and place it on the "I-Can" bulletin board. The teacher will give students the opportunity to share their successes and what it means to them. This gives students a chance to see at least one accomplishment they have made during the week, thus boosting their self-confidence and personal motivation. The "I CAN" sheet can be located by clicking HERE.