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Rules and procedures to create a positive learning environment
Creating Positive Classroom Environments (EDUC 5240)
University of the People
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Rules and procedures to create a positive learning environment
Anonymous Master Education University of People EDUC 5240: Creating Positive Classroom Environments Professor Stephen King September 22, 2021
Rules and procedures to create a positive learning environment In a classroom, there can often be the misconception that rules and procedures mean the same thing. Classroom rules are put in place by the teacher that the students must follow. Classroom rules are designed to help the teacher with behavior management and make sure that there is a positive learning environment where all students feel comfortable and safe. Classroom procedures are the routines in the classroom that occur daily. They are used to manage a classroom so that teaching and learning can take place. Classroom procedures will help communicate expectations with students and make the classroom run smoothly. Procedures should be first explained to the students. Then the students have to practice and rehearse the procedures. Lastly, teachers have to review and reteach when needed until the procedures become a routine for the students (H. K. Wong, 2014). When a student doesn’t follow a procedure the teacher must re-teach the procedure, but a student should not be punished.
“Probably the most obvious aspect of effective classroom management involves the design and implementation of classroom rules and procedures (Marzano et al., 2003, p. 13).” Rules and procedures can be different in classrooms depending on the philosophy of the teacher, but they are present in each effectively managed classroom. They show how students should behave and what to do, which limits disruptive behavior during the class. It is up to the teacher to follow through with the rules and procedures they have set up. It is important to enforce the consequences if a student breaks the rules. If the teacher sometimes doesn’t do this, students start thinking that the rules are more procedures and they won't be punished for example when being late.
control. They give the messages to children that they are not allowed to yell, hit, or treat others with disrespect. Teachers are allowed to do all those things, by being older and bigger, for the purpose of being in charge. So actually what the students learn and what will stick by them is that "When you are big, this is how you get to act." It is a dangerous message to send our young people. While such techniques are being applied as immediate solutions to behavioral problems, none of them employ any educational process that would help students manage their behaviors into adulthood.
The classroom rules and procedures should be clear and democratic, and of course, the vague or undemocratic ones must be removed
Teacher assessment whether or not he/she has created a positive classroom environment by implementing rules and procedures
“Teachers tend to define appropriates behaviors according to their family backgrounds and values.” (McEwen, 1997, p. 71). Therefore, defining criteria and processes to assess the effectiveness of the implemented rules and procedures will help teachers have directions to improve classroom management tools.
There are three important areas to assess the effect of the implemented rules and procedures:
The first one is the quality of learning. The goal of class management is to increase the academic learning of the students, so measuring the learning effectiveness is important. "When a classroom has been managed well with procedures, there is little downtime and learning is productive, the school year runs smoothly for teachers and students who are successful" (Wong et al., 2012). Teachers must analyze the learning outcomes, whether in the short term or the long term, to demonstrate the consistency of the rules and procedures.
The second one is the students' behavior. Wong et al. (2012) stated that classroom procedures will help students to know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it in a classroom. The students in a well-managed classroom will show these manners, they are responsible for their time, they know and follow the procedures, they are engaged and working and they are learning, achieving, and producing visible results.
The third one is the teacher's behavior. According to Wong et al. (2012) “Kounin observed that two of the behaviors effective teachers exhibit are "with-it-ness" and "momentum." With-it-ness is seen in those classrooms that are so well organized that the teacher always knows what is going on. As a result, the lessons flow smoothly and a learning momentum is maintained.”
Another way teachers can assess the effectiveness of the rules and procedures is by doing reflections. Through self-reflection, teachers find their areas for growth. When doing reflections teachers can find areas where they need to make adjustments that will make the classroom more effective for all students (Wink, 2019). It can also be useful to get students’ reflections, feedback. So the students can reflect on the effectiveness, they can do this through individual interaction, student survey, or an open group discussion (Kamb, 2012). When observing a positive classroom reveals that an active classroom engages children working independently or in groups, children pay attention to their tasks and learning is visible (Wong et al., 2012).
Rules and procedures to create a positive learning environment
Course: Creating Positive Classroom Environments (EDUC 5240)
University: University of the People
