Module 4: Unit 1: Activity 4: Reflection on Classroom Climate

There is a real difference between an expert in a field and being able to teach it. Probably the most important task for a teacher is developing a positive classroom climate in order for the student to absorb the material from the class. Being an educator means you are only able to pass along knowledge but create an environment that the student is receptive to learning. This mean developing a relationship with your students and making sure the students have healthy relationships with each other.


There are many strategies that are available to teachers to help provide this environment to the students. First and foremost it starts with the teacher. The teacher should provide the students with guidance and should control the behavior and subject matter of the class. While collaboration with the students in the classroom is important it should be noted that too much leeway can lead to chaos.  Successful teacher should be somewhat unemotional and have a matter-of-fact attitude about teaching. Too much emotional investment or having a too romanticized view of the class can lead to trouble.



This is not to say that teachers should be robotic, teachers should develop a relationship with each student. By knowing something about each student and providing lessons and content that is personalized for the students in their class it will create added interest in learning. Humor and friendly physical behavior (i.e. a pat on the back, high five, etc.) can also be effective.

A classroom needs consistency from the teacher when dealing with behavior, this goes for both positive and negative consequences. The impact of consequences are negated if they are not used consistency. For this reason, I think its important for teachers to keep their emotions and personal biases in check when dealing with students. In my teaching experience this has definitely been a struggle at time and i find it a good exercise to consistently try and look at the situation from the perspective of the student and try and determine why they are acting in the way they are.

A major factor that plays a huge role in how smoothly a class is run is how students treat each other and the level of respect they show one another. One of the ideas I found fascinating in this unit was the idea of facilitating emotional intelligence as a teacher. While having students develop this skills will make for a more enjoyable classroom  experience for everyone these are also qualities that make for better human beings. Sherri Gordon's article lists a lot great strategies that, aside from improving the classroom climate, also have the added benefit of increasing academic success and preventing bullying.

Finally, I thought the idea of using group work as a way to promote positive student-to-student interaction, improve academic performance, and even as a reduce bullying was enlightening. It is something i'm going to try and implement in some of my classes a little more. I have a few classes where there is a huge gap in the level of participation and it has caused some problems. I think this will be a great method to try to build some classroom comradely.  


Sources:

Marzano, Robert J. (2007) The Art and Science of Teaching. Alexandria, Virginia USA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Curtis, Diane (2003, March 13) Raise Your Students' Emotional-Intelligence Quotient. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/10-tips-creating-caring-school

Gordon, Sherri (2013, December 31) 8 Strategies for Increasing the Emotional Intelligence of Students. Retrieved from: http://bullying.about.com/od/Educators/fl/8-Strategies-for-Increasing-the-Emotional-Intelligence-of-Students.htm

Johnson, Roger T. and Johnson, David W. (2014) Encouraging Student/Student Interaction. Retrieved from: https://www.narst.org/publications/research/encourage2.cfm