As a classroom teacher, my first objective is setting up the classroom. I arrange desks to suit my teaching style and to address the needs of my students. The desks are arranged in groups of 4-5 to accommodate cooperative learning activities. Students with disabilities are to accommodate to address their disabilities. Students are provided with personal space for individual work. The teacher≠s desk is usually in the center, which provides easy access for students. Individual conferences are managed at a special location in the classroom designated for teacher-student conferences. The classroom should have four learning centers, two small-group meeting areas for lower level students who need basic skills practice and for higher-level students who need enrichment activities, and five computer stations. Incorporating technology is an important component of the 21st century classroom. My classroom bulletin boards are used to display classroom rituals and routines, daily schedule, vocabulary, units of study, student works and instructional materials.
My second objective for a productive learning environment is establishing classroom rituals and routines. In order to ensure that every day starts right at the beginning of the school year I introduce and discuss rituals and routines. Students would practice these rituals and routines throughout the school year to ensure transitions are without little disruption. The rituals and routines discuss the policy for headings, dealing with late, incomplete or missing homework, use of bathroom, use of electric pencil sharpener, procedure for coming into the classroom, standards for group activities, and test/quiz policy.
It is essential that teachers establish norms and expectations at the beginning of the school year (Jones and Jones 195). I have learned that spending a few weeks at the beginning of the school year with ritual and routines and enforcing the standards helps reduce serious behavioral problems later. I try to be very stern at the beginning of the school year. I let up towards the middle and the end. The sternness allows me some control over disruptive students. It also gives me a sense of who are the responsible students. If I do not have to constantly supervisor these students then I can spend more time with disruptive students who are academically challenged. I strongly agree with Jones and Jones that students who struggle with disruptive behavior need teachers who continue to show caring. Moreover, schools that are succeeding have been restructured so teachers work with fewer students (78-79).
My third objective for a productive learning environment is managing and planning instructional time. My first concern is developing daily lessons, which address standards and pace the school curriculum. My daily lessons allocate time for do now activities, mini-lessons, group activities and share time discussions. In addition, an effective lesson guarantees that students have adequate time for completion of task. An effective lesson manages instructional time. Moreover, the lesson provides a time for closure or share of learned skills or knowledge. My argument is that teachers who spend time on managing instructional planning and establishing the classroom environment have productive learning environment. In their book, McLeod, Fisher, and Hoover argue that the way the teacher sets up the classroom determines the experiences the teacher and the student will share (5).
My fourth objective for a productive learning environment is to bring parents into the educational process. I strongly believe that involving parents will help me accomplish my goals in the classroom. Moreover, making parents part of the classroom and their children≠s education will promote academic growth and success.
The thing that I do to involve parents is hold a parent meeting or event such as back to school meeting. During this event, I tell parents my expectations for student achievement and behavior. I like to reinforce classroom learning at home. My suggestion for parents is that they read to their children. I tell them that they can teach mathematical concept such as fractions with cooking. I encourage them to take their children on trips. In addition, I leave time for parent questions and concerns. I like to send home monthly newsletters, which provide parents with information about units of study, projects, test, trips and special activities and events. I like to keep parents updated on student progress by sending home a progress report. The progress report indicates whether the student is in jeopardy of failing a course and it details missing assignments that need to be completed.
Lastly, I like to invite parents to my classroom. This gives parents the opportunity to see what takes place in the classroom through out the day. Many parents enjoy being back in a classroom. Some of them even learn something new.
There is no doubt that parental involvement is a key element of a successful classroom. Many studies show that parental involvement results in academic success. In her book, Mierzwik argues that parental involvement is going beyond the traditional parent-teacher conference. Parents need to be involved in daily management of schoolwork and activities outside of school (60). As a teacher, I look to parents to show support for learning at school and at home, to help in the classroom, to support fair standards, see that children do their homework, to talk to me directly about a problem and be proactive in education.
