Mr. Eksy: Creating A Positive Classroom Community

Interestingly, other studies support the perceived barrier of the lack of face-to-face interaction noted above in social theory of learning. Daniel, Schwier, and McCalla (2003), noted that the concept of community as a learning organism provides the framework for investigating learning concepts as it relates to individuals and groups and serves as the basis in analyzing and understanding learning as a social process (Masika, R. & Jones, J., 2015). Tinto (2003) goes on to support this by concluding that students learn better together and build support groups that go beyond the classroom when they

Students are going into classrooms without being motivated to learn. Many students don’t have a reason or don’t know of any reason to be motivated. Throughout my years at school I never had a reason to do good in school or even want to do good. I never thought I would need school or even what I wanted to do after school. College hasn’t helped my motivation in the slightest I don’t feel I have many reasons if any to be motivated. Low motivation in school brings me to not care how I do or what I learn. Not knowing what I want to do and “just getting through school” unmotivated students to do well. While having friends that push you to do your work they it’s up to you to make sure your work is done and completed to the best of your effort. Motivation

A classroom should be one of inquiry and open-mindedness. In order to foster a classroom of students who feel comfortable asking questions and are open to other students’ ideas it is imperative to create a positive, safe environment and learning community. I believe that students should feel like their classroom has high expectations, in how everyone treated each other, and in how learning took place. Creating a classroom environment where all students feel emotionally and physically safe enough to take risks is a real challenge and one that is worthy of the time it requires. The key to an inquiry-based curriculum is a safe, positive learning environment, therefore, it is foundational that the

The development of the learning community serves a dual purpose to benefit both the student and the teacher. Establishing learning communities takes forethought and planning on the part of the teacher. Planning a community consists of knowing the learners, their strengths and deficiencies, and the strategies that will maximize the learning and growth potential of each. Teachers when planning must maintain the integrity of state and national standards to ensure the learning objectives have been clearly relayed to students; additionally it is their role to initially engage students so they become eager and active participants in the process. The “Web of Connections” learning activity relies heavily on student interaction and collaboration. Throughout each phase of the lesson students interact, share, and collaborate to build a composite of a food web while building relationships that sustain the class community. Moreover, the assignment provides leeway for

Positive relationships are cultivated in the classroom, so that's where we will begin! One method I have read about that has especially piqued my interest in building positive relationships is collaborative learning. This is perhaps one of the easiest ways teachers can promote effective relationships. In differentiating learning, collaborative learning is one option in instruction. Implementing group learning as a way to promote positive peer interaction requires some understanding of how a group develops. Our textbook discusses these stages and what happens in each of them: in the dependency stage, students look to the teacher to provide clarity and explain the expectations for group learning; in the inclusion stage, peers are still getting their feet wet and learning how they fit into the group, this is where getting to know you activities are useful as they show the value and competence of students; next, the control stage is where the groups members

Because certain needs must be fulfilled before teaching and pedagogical strategies become effective, lower level needs should be satisfied before higher level needs can be functional and operative. Not only can the satisfaction and motivation of students be affected by the very nature of learning and the outcomes they expect to gain, but also by the learning environment they situate and their relationships with peers, and most specifically, their feelings and perceptions about me. Therefore, constructing an optimal social and learning community is absolutely indispensable to my class and the formation of emotional bonds between my students and me. A learning community serves as a reminder for educators that students come to class to acquire enriching and empowering dispositions, knowledge, skills, and values, which go beyond merely performing tasks and

The first major age group is the primary-grade students, which consist of students in elementary school, Kindergarten through fifth grade. Motivation for this age group can be achieved in a positive physical environment and a psychological atmosphere. Creating a positive physical environment for the students could involve having the classroom decorated with brightly colored signs and posters (Doyle, 1986). This environment would create a friendly atmosphere that would inspire students to be interested in what they are doing in the classroom. In Lumsden’s article on students’ motivation to learn, she states, “Young children appear to be propelled by curiosity, driven by an intense need to explore, interact with, and make sense of their environment” (1994). This again proves that a primary-grade student’s motivation can be created through a positive physical environment. An effective way to create a positive psychological atmosphere, according to Raffini, is that when students give incorrect or incomplete answers, the teacher communicates to them that mistakes are a normal. They are a natural part of the

Motivation and classroom climate. Classroom atmosphere can play a critical role in giving students a place where they feel a sense of ownership. The classroom is a student’s second home as they spend a considerable amount of time with their teacher. From the time students walk into the school they are affected by the school s physical appearance (Butterworth & Weinstein, 1996). In addition to Butterworth and Weinstein (1996), Hadre and

A thorough literature review offers May an opportunity to learn from other teacher-researchers in similar school settings. The tips and tactics gained will prove invaluable to her in her own action research. The knowledge gained from the readings expose May to more unorthodox strategies that she may not have previously considered, and provide a better understanding of fresh approaches that veer more towards psychology and other disciplines. She can develop a deeper understanding of who students are how they survive in their unique community/family/social environments and how they apply those same behaviors and coping strategies to their school environment. May also learned that there are a number of ways to engage students and which students to begin with to impact the overall atmosphere in the class. Finally, May's readings illustrated that she could use an analysis of improved relationships (teacher-student and student-student), a measure of incidents and interventions needed in class, overall class participation, and grades and academic performance as data points for her action research. The key is to decide which evidence will best answer the question being posed.

Paramount to my teaching philosophy is building strong relationships with students. By illustrating that I care for their needs and desires, I hope to become approachable and produce a sense of belonging. In my opinion, students possess an innate need to belong to social groups, and the development of positive relationships is imperative to students’ satisfaction of this need. According to Dreikurs, ‘students can often appear to be complicated and confusing to their teachers, most of them simply want their teachers to take the time to ask questions, tell stories, and be genuinely interested in who they are beyond the classroom’ (Daniels, 2011). It is essential that I build positive relationships with students, through a supportive,

In order for students to succeed in the classroom and in school they must have a sense of connectedness or a sense of belonging with the classroom environment, teachers and other students. Students must feel that they are part of the classroom, that they are accepted, respected and that we genuinely care for their learning and care for them as individuals. The more I think about it; in order to gain a sense of connectedness with anyone I must be genuine, meaning that I must be myself and not pretend to be something I am not. There must also be trust, respect and acceptance of cultural differences. This acceptance and respect of cultural differences is an important and crucial

Classroom management often called classroom discipline has been a priority for teachers. According to Evertson and Weinstein (2006), “classroom management has two purposes: It not only seeks to establish and sustain an orderly environment so students can engage in meaningful academic learning; it also aims to enhance student social and moral growth” (p 4). A study conducted by Weiner (2003) to understand why classroom management is such a problem in the urban schools, revealed that “so much in the school environment undercuts the social norm required for high academics functioning in urban classrooms, successful urban teachers must deeply embed classroom management in every aspect of classroom life, making the teaching of social skills a reflexive part of instruction” (p. 309). Arranging the physical environment of the classroom is one way to improve the learning environment and to prevent problem behaviours before they occur. Research on the classroom environment has shown that the physical arrangement can affect the behaviour of both students and teachers and that a well-structured classroom tends to improve student academic and behavioural outcomes (Walker, Colvin, & Ramsey, 1995; Savage, 1999).

So it is necessary to apply care and relationship education in a classroom is by creating a classroom community. This will create an environment where students feel valued and connected to their teacher and to one another. Some of the benefits of a school community include the growth of students social, emotional, and academic competence, improvement in collaborative learning, positive relationships with others, and inclusion. When students are involved with a community, their behavior can change and allow students to be more concerned about others, improved skills in resolving conflict, and an anti-bullying environment. In a community environment, student 's motivation is improved and their attendance is also improved.

Clark admires too. He understands that the social environment can sometimes lead to a distracted chatter, but it also provides something more. Clark is proud of the fact that his students chat about the material within the classroom. Clark understands that through discussion within the classroom, the students obtain a deeper understanding of what he is trying to teach. Through this community enabled by cooperative learning, both friendships and trust are built among the diverse set of students.

Quality peer interaction is important for all human beings, cannot imagine life without any interaction. Classroom can be good place to meet a new people from diverse backgrounds, even from a different culture. Meeting people we can share common interest, learn about new culture