Literature Review: Domain E 1

Literature Review: Domain E

By: Rachael Hubbard

National University
Literature Review: Domain E 2

Literature Review: Domain E

The article, “Teacher-Student Interactions: the Key to Quality Classrooms”

The article, “Teacher-Student Interactions: the Key to Quality Classrooms” explains

common guidelines for teachers to establish an effective learning environment which

relates to Domain E of the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs). It says, “the

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), developed at the University of

Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, helps educators view

classrooms through a common lens and discuss them using a common language,

providing support for improving the quality of teacher-student interactions and,

ultimately, student learning” (Muntner, p. 1). It also says that “The CLASS describes ten

dimensions of teaching that are linked to student achievement and social development.

Each of the ten dimensions falls into one of three broad categories: emotional support,

classroom organization, and instructional support”. In choosing artifacts that represent

establishing an effective learning environment, I chose artifacts that showed emotional

support of students and classroom organization.

The first artifact I chose was a student success survey I gave to all students at

the beginning of the school year. This gave me an idea of their thoughts about school

and themselves in relation to school. I included this because in order to have an

effective learning environment, a student should feel comfortable and supported in the

classroom. The survey is a way to get an understanding about each student and to

start building the classroom family or team feeling in the class. This comes through an

emotional connection me as a teacher and the other students in the classroom.

Literature Review: Domain E 3

The second artifact I chose were photos of my classroom desk arrangement.

I’ve learned a lot from the placement of desks and students this past year of teaching. I

have also changed them a few times too to see what seemed to work for the class. I

could see seating arrangement changing from year to year depending on the needs of

the students. I started with a six student per group format but found that to be too

distracting. I then moved to four groups of four students in the middle which made it

great for work rotations and an outer layer of desks in fours. This then changed to

keeping the four in the middle but making the outer layers pair and single desks. I

found some student work best in pairs or individually but still were included as a whole

group with one of the sets of four that were in the middle. I think this allowed students

to feel connected to others but also allowed them to get what they needed in the

classroom. In teaching a combo class, I also tried to first separate by grade level and

then mix grade levels in groups, and finally separated into grade level again. I think

classroom arrangement is a big factor in an effective learning environment because it

can encourage more discussion and movement in the classroom depending on how it is

setup.

Overall, I think creating a positive classroom environment can be done in many

ways and begins in the first days of school. Establishing rules and routines, getting to

know the students, and the setup of the classroom environment are important. The

third area the article suggests is important in encouraging an effective learning

environment is instructional support. This is true but I didn’t include it my artifacts

because I feel like if you have the other two in place, it naturally progresses to finding

out who needs support. Students that need instructional support are identified through
Literature Review: Domain E 4

assessments and observations and ultimately, as a teacher, I am always looking for

ways to differentiate instruction for all students. We should always be looking for ways

to improve in creating and maintaining effective learning environment so that we can

improve student learning.

Literature Review: Domain E 5

Resource

Muntner, M. (2008). Teacher-Student Interactions: The Key to Quality Classrooms. The

University of Virginia Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL).

Retrieved June 28, 2019 from: https://www.readingrockets.org/article/teacher-student-

interactions-key-quality-classrooms