Standard #5- Manage classrooms structured in a variety of ways to promote a safe learning environment
English teachers must be able to create a classroom environment that is safe, comfortable, and structured in such a way that is conducive for learning. Students are diverse, and therefore have a range of diverse needs. This requires teachers to apply a variety of classroom management strategies to support each student.
Classrooms should be student-centered to promote intrinsic motivation for students to direct their own learning. The idea of teachers being all knowing, dispensing their knowledge to students from the front of the class is no longer beneficial. The universe is expanding and knowledge is infinite, so instead, teachers should be right alongside of their students, learning with them and from them. According to William Ayers, author of To Teach, educators should think of themselves “as an explorer on a journey with [their] students, a voyage of discovery and surprise (2).” These discoveries can be affected by classroom configurations.
Certain classroom configurations simply work better for certain lessons. Vertical rows may work well for test-taking and independent work, but when there is a lesson that can utilize group work or class discussion the desks should be configured to foster positive social interaction. For a couple weeks of my student teaching experience at Whitney Point Middle School, the classroom was set up in six groups of four students. I had written the students names on notecards and every day they came into class, they had to find their notecard in order to find their seat. These groups were not random, however. The groups were strategically chosen based on ability, as well as who worked well together. For example, I would pair a weaker student with a stronger student. This way, the stronger student was able to enrich their knowledge of the content by assisting another student who may not understand as well.
English classrooms should also be more eccentric and unique, conducive for passionate readers and writers. The atmosphere should be cozy and inviting, including not only ELA and inspirational posters, but also a classroom library. The students should identify their instructor as a passionate reader who explores a variety of topics. It is also important for the teacher to include items in their classroom that they are zealous about. For example, as an avid New York Yankee fan, there are posters all over the room that portray this obsession. For other Yankee fans, it develops a common ground between us, while for others and can act as a jokingly competitive topic. Either way, it allows the students to feel more comfortable around me and shows them that it’s okay to have a passion and follow it mercilessly.
To Teach - Willam Ayers
Pictures of classroom
English teachers must be able to create a classroom environment that is safe, comfortable, and structured in such a way that is conducive for learning. Students are diverse, and therefore have a range of diverse needs. This requires teachers to apply a variety of classroom management strategies to support each student.
Classrooms should be student-centered to promote intrinsic motivation for students to direct their own learning. The idea of teachers being all knowing, dispensing their knowledge to students from the front of the class is no longer beneficial. The universe is expanding and knowledge is infinite, so instead, teachers should be right alongside of their students, learning with them and from them. According to William Ayers, author of To Teach, educators should think of themselves “as an explorer on a journey with [their] students, a voyage of discovery and surprise (2).” These discoveries can be affected by classroom configurations.
Certain classroom configurations simply work better for certain lessons. Vertical rows may work well for test-taking and independent work, but when there is a lesson that can utilize group work or class discussion the desks should be configured to foster positive social interaction. For a couple weeks of my student teaching experience at Whitney Point Middle School, the classroom was set up in six groups of four students. I had written the students names on notecards and every day they came into class, they had to find their notecard in order to find their seat. These groups were not random, however. The groups were strategically chosen based on ability, as well as who worked well together. For example, I would pair a weaker student with a stronger student. This way, the stronger student was able to enrich their knowledge of the content by assisting another student who may not understand as well.
English classrooms should also be more eccentric and unique, conducive for passionate readers and writers. The atmosphere should be cozy and inviting, including not only ELA and inspirational posters, but also a classroom library. The students should identify their instructor as a passionate reader who explores a variety of topics. It is also important for the teacher to include items in their classroom that they are zealous about. For example, as an avid New York Yankee fan, there are posters all over the room that portray this obsession. For other Yankee fans, it develops a common ground between us, while for others and can act as a jokingly competitive topic. Either way, it allows the students to feel more comfortable around me and shows them that it’s okay to have a passion and follow it mercilessly.
To Teach - Willam Ayers
Pictures of classroom