Domain 2- The Classroom Environment

As Danielson’s Doman 2 emphasizes the great importance of a positive classroom environment,

I also believe that it is critical for us teacher and for every students’ learnings. Out of all, I value

safety and think of it as most important aspect we need to always consider first. Not just for the

student but for their families who sends their precious child to the school-as teachers we need to

provide a place where they feel their child can be comfortable but also explore and be

challenged. To build this kind of learning environment, I imagine it requires a forever ongoing

tasks for teachers. Like I have mentioned in my previous reflections, all students are all different

in many ways. Therefore, in order to create a safe and positive environment for these students,

teachers need to figure out a way to make modification, adapt or even take risks. There is no

right or one single answer for what is the best positive learning environment is. As teacher, all

we can do is reflect on our experiences, failures and learn from the mistake as well as make

positive changes within the classrooms to improve. Before our official teaching career to start, it

is essential to plan how I will implement a system of classroom management in my classroom so

that I can achieve a positive classroom environment. Throughout this paper, I will discuss about

what I have learned about what makes a positive classroom environment, how this positive

classroom environment is achieved and also bring in insights from my observations in my own

classroom during student teaching.

First aspect of positive classroom environment that I want to discuss about is safety. In order to

provide safety for the students, we as teachers have the need to implement routines, rules and

expected responses-not just to maximize learning and minimize distractions or waste of time but

to keep them safe. The rules in the classroom will make the students behave in a manner where
they will not hurt themselves or get in some kind of trouble. The implementation of rules,

routines and procedures also helps with teachers to have control over students’ behaviors in the

classroom. Teachers need to establish rules and procedures for classroom behaviors for

beginning of the day, end of the day, group work, desk work, transitions, interruptions and usage

of materials and equipment. I believe it is always beneficial to discuss and establish these rules

and routines together as a class at the beginning of the term so that everyone agrees and

understand clearly what is expected. Student’s behaviors can also be controlled or taught by

reinforcing acceptable behavior with positive incentives and negative consequences for

unacceptable behaviors. In my classroom currently, we praise those who do well or for some

kind of positive behavior they receive a sticker. This can be general classroom behavior or

showing kindness to others or improvement in social interactions. The individual will receive a

sticker for their good doing and once their sticker chart is filled up, then he or she will receive a

little gift from the gift box. As Marzano’s mentioned in their article about the key to classroom

management, “it is important to balance between teacher actions that provide clear

consequences for unacceptable behavior and teacher actions that recognize and reward

acceptable behavior” (2003).

Furthermore, one of the things I plan and like to work on for my classroom is to expand the

variety of verbal and physical reactions to students’ behaviors I use. I do use verbal reactions for

disruptions or interferences during lesson or use body gestures and cues to point out

inappropriate behaviors like being noisy-I put my finger to my lips for cuing silence! However, I

feel I can improve to be able to increase the variety different ways I have, for example-creating

personal cues for individuals. Prearranged signals for the whole class is something I want to try
in my classrooms. I have experienced as a student for group contingency policies where one or

few fails resulted for the entire group to take responsibilities or consequences. This is a good

policy to implement to have students understand good behavior in groups and or understand the

concept of teamwork. With family cooperation, it is a good tactic to employ home contingency

techniques with rewards at home as well.

After reading “A “Good” Class Gone “Bad” …and Back to “Good” Again” article by Larry

Ferlazzo it came clear to me how teachers can make these terrible choices especially when

running into chaotic situation or when the classroom deteriorates. In the article, the teacher turns

to threatening and punishing approach towards his students when he could not control their

misbehaviors. No one was benefiting from this approach-the teacher felt stressed and did not

enjoy giving punishments, the students didn’t enjoy the lessons or have good learning

experience. This teacher’s comeback and his ten key actions that soon took place really changed

his class back into a good community of learning. I plan to use some of these tactics in my class

to create a good environment for learning as well as address problems and manage student

behaviors. Out of all strategies mentioned, I liked and plan to incorporate daily evaluations,

changing the seating chart, staring over with an A strategy, establishing secret “stop” signs,

permission to leave the room, more smiles with more patience and finally talking to students on

my free time into my classrooms. Evaluating on the elements of what makes a good classroom

on a daily base by a checklist that is created by teachers and students seems like good way to

teach students what is expected and a good way to assign weekly goals for the class. I like how

the student will have individualized checklist for themselves a well for evaluating themselves on

the entire day. Having a way for them to reflect on themselves, as well as for me to give them a
grade with any further comment on the sheet returned at the beginning of the next class will give

them something to work on and improve. I liked the fact that the teacher in the article tries to

give a higher grade then what the students gives themselves. Changing the seating chart every

day in my case will not be necessary but weekly or monthly change will be beneficial for

minimizing problem behaviors but also to give a refresher for the students and more opportunity

to work with others. Another one that stood out that I want to talk about was the tactics to start

over the grade with A from a second semester giving student a fresh start, forgetting what had

happened up to then. No matter how bad or good they have done in the last term, all students will

get a new start, a brand-new goal and challenges. This will allow students for a second chance as

well as motivation to do better in the new semester.

Out of all aspects of Domain 2, I personally feel that building an effective and positive teacher-

students relationship is the hardest task. In Marzano’s article it discusses about appropriate

dominance in the classroom. In order for the students to respect and listen to the teacher, some

dominance needs to take place. The teacher must demonstrate that they are in control. If

student’s see that their teacher is lost or not in control then they will lose focus, motivation and

lack respect for the teacher therefore will not work hard to please the teacher or to be praised

creating a good environment of respect and rapport. The teacher needs to have the “ability to

provide clear purpose and strong guidance regarding both academics and student behavior”

(Marzano, 2003). In order to do this, we need to exhibit appropriate level of dominance with

clear behavior expectations and learning goals with assertive behaviors. No student would want

to learn from a teacher who is not confident with their knowledge or lessons. One of the

challenges I will have for showing dominance and establishing respect with students is how I
present an assertive behavior. From practice at the field placement I’ve discovered that this was

harder than expected. Using assertive behavior-not being passive or aggressive to the students

were something that required practice and used to. Offending students for their unacceptable

behavior but at the same time not appear to be threatening with body language was a challenge.

Even in my personal life, when I talk to my four-year-old daughter about her misbehavior-I have

a tendency to overreact or say things inappropriate at the moment without really thinking it

through. Of course, I don’t do this with students but usage of appropriate tone of voice, clearly

getting my point through, emphasizing my speech as well as avoiding any display of emotions in

the voice is difficult to master. Additionally, persisting and not ignoring all inappropriate

behavior was also something I need to plan to improve. When things happen in the classroom or

when I get preoccupied with somethings already occurring in the classroom with another

student-unconsciously I feel that I ignore other inappropriate behaviors or slip my mind to point

it out. Also, I should not divert from the problem in front of me just because the student argues,

denies or blames-having the skill to make the student listen and discuss about the misbehavior is

very important.

I also learned that not just dominance but cooperation between teacher and students are needed

in the classroom. I thought giving students the opportunity to set their own learning goals or

objectives at the beginning of unit or term would be ideal. Giving the students the chance to

think and make a choice is better than complete dominance by the teacher. The students will see

that the teacher cares for them and can accommodate for student’s needs and interest. This also

helps with the bond of the inter-relationship between the student and teacher. All students want

to be noticed and loves attentions. All students appreciate personal attention from teachers, good
or bad. This is very important for all grades but especially for the younger students. I believe

teacher’s job is to take interest in the students not just in school or classroom but also in a

personal level. I enjoy talking informally with students before and after school about their

hobbies, weekends, family or even about their favorite character figure. When I see students

outside of the school, I make sure to greet them with care. Currently, at the school I am student

teaching-I make sure to sit with different student for lunch every day so that I can chat and get to

know them on a personal level. As much as they crave for attentions, students love to be praised

or complimented on their successes. Showing them that I care and that I see them individually is

critical and need emphasis.

Next, I would like to point out to an article I read by Mary Sullivan “Transforming Teacher

Talk”. This article made me realize some problems I need to work on with my own behaviors in

the classroom. On some occasions, I have a tendency of looking for what was wrong with

students and their behaviors and lack looking for what was right and what good behaviors they

were showing in class. In this article, the mentor mentioned how we wouldn’t feel too good

about someone critiquing our classroom with everything that is wrong with the classroom with

no compliments at all. This is definitely true. If a teacher only points out and make corrections to

all the negatives, then the students will not really feel too great about themselves or about the

class. If it’s just telling the students what not to do all the time, then the students will really not

know what to actually do. Students, especially the younger children need to be told what is

expected and what to exactly do in a specific manner. They need affirmation that what they are

doing or have done is the correct one. We teachers need to give them feedback, not just the

negatives but more with the positives because in the long run that results in correcting their
negative habits, doing or misbehavior receiving our attention and reassuring them that we teacher

care for them. Changing these negative behaviors of mine will definitely take practice and

experience. Planning to develop this kind of positive environment is essential for my future

classroom. I plan to build up of my experience and practice so that I can be more patient and less

aggravated with my students in the future creating a better culture for learning in the classroom.

I believe it is also important also to think about the actual effects of the classroom and its

physical arrangements. I see the importance of how the classroom is arranged that will promote

effective learning environment. Arranging the classroom so that the student clearly can see what

the areas of the classrooms represent, what is expected at the area and their purpose will be very

helpful. Additionally, I plan to improve in the management of the classroom, by my actions in

the classroom. For an example, during any lessons-I want to make eye contact as much as I can

with all students. Especially in Japan, it is our culture to not look into the eye when talking to

that person. Universally, this is not a good behavior. I want to make sure I let the students

understand that looking into the eyes and paying attention to the speaker is the correct behavior

when talking to others. Also, I always circulate the classroom and monitor the students during

the lessons and activities. Deliberately moving towards and standing close to students will keep

them on task with chances for me to redirect the students who are misbehaving. In order for this

to work, the layout of the classroom also needs to be considered so that I can smoothly circulate

the classroom monitoring every student. I also need to keep in mind about the influence of

seating arrangements it can have on each students’ learnings. I plan for the seating arrangements

to be monitored and changed consistently to create variety and opportunity for the students to

work with different students. Another important factors to keep in mind during lessons is
participations of the students. I need to make sure to allow and encourage all students to

participate and interact. Calling on all students equally by keeping track is a technique that I need

to more practice. Organizing the students for learning as such will definitely come around with

further experience and practice.

All of these methods I plan to incorporate into my class will definitely enhance the teaching and

learning process for the students. Creating a good community of learners and good environment

for learning to take place should always be the number one goal and challenge for every teacher.

I can’t imagine a class without respect or relationship between teacher and students or some kind

of management system to deal with misbehavior or problems. With a specific and good plan for

these, it will not benefit but more so hurt the teacher experience and more importantly the

student experience. All students are learning, they want to learn, explore, grow and make

accomplishments but without a place for this to happen or guidance by us-teachers students will

definitely struggle and more chances for error which will lead to failures which will make them

into people who stops trying. This is something we want to avoid. Teachers need to be able to

help students become a well-rounded and developed person who can live in the real world where

they would soon need to stand up on their own. We have big influence on their lives, their

identity and way of thinking-so why not be prepared and be ready to manage and give them the

best environment for this growth and learning to occur!