CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

I've been dreaming of the day where I will get to decorate my own classroom.  I'm sure my family is sick of me saying, "Can we just save that??  It might work good in my classroom one day..."  I say that about every piece of furniture that anyone is getting rid of.  I can't wait to make my classroom an exciting inviting learning environment for my students!  The book says, "Environment will support or deter the student's quest for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge in the classroom." It also says, "It will often be the first messenger of how learning will be in this place."  and that is what I would like this blog post to be focused on.  

Don't these kids in this class look happy to be there?  My goal is to make all of my students happy in my classroom.  Here are a few things to consider about CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

• BULLETIN BOARDS
• FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT
• GROUP WORK 
• CULTURES
• POSTERS

Here are some great examples of inviting classroom environment.

Some strategies that the book lists and I agree with are:

• Study students' cultures
• Commend Creativity
• Make room for all kinds of learners
• Help students know about one another
• Celebrate Success

I would like to end this post that will lead into my next post about communication.  As teachers we need to teach our students to respect all students in our class.  From one of the scenarios in the book it says, "...She teaches her middle schoolers how to listen respectfully to the ideas of peers, how to make suggestions that are positive in tone, how to build on one another's ideas, and how to debate ideas in ways that are respectful of both the ideas and the people who hold them."

I saw a video clip where students were having a classroom discussion, every time a student disagreed with another student they wouldn't just say, "No! You are Wrong!" Or "No! thats not right!"  They would say, "________ I respectfully disagree because___________."  I think that is a good way to set the tone for your classroom environment.  Classroom environment consists of the physical appearance in the classroom as well as the emotional parts in the classroom.