// Getting to Know One Another \\

The first couple of days of being within a classroom it’s important to establish a safe and comfortable environment. Part of doing that is introducing ones self and learning all of the students’ names. The name of students is an essential part of their identity and knowing each individual students’ names creates that comfortable environment for them. This semester I have the opportunity to work with kindergarteners, and I think that their names are even more important because many of them are coming in with little background knowledge besides their name. Today I decided to make a visual map of where each of the students sit in order to better aid my memory in remembering each of the students’ names. Throughout the day, I would look around the room and try to name each of the students within my head.

As the day went on, I noticed that I would address students by their name, and they took notice. One of the students even looked at me and was so surprised that I knew her name. She asked me if I knew how to spell it as well. I never realized how simple of knowing someone’s name could affect someone. Since I am used to older students, they don’t necessarily outwardly display this pleasure, however kindergarteners don’t hold to much back. After seeing that these students were genuinely filled with joy and excitement when I knew their name, it makes me wonder if most children have the same reactions but they just don’t display it. This task within the FEAP reminds me how little actions can make such large impacts on a child, and how powerful words can be. Understanding the learning environment that is existent in your classroom can only be first done with you take time to recognize each student as a unique individual who has a name.

// Beginning Level 3 \\

1. What is your overall philosophy regarding creating the “ideal” learning environment?

I have a strong belief in how a classroom community is reflects the learning environment. That being said, establishing a safe and respectful community among the students and the teacher will set the tone for the learning that will be done in the classroom. Describing the ideal learning environment in my eyes would include the students discussing with one another with excitement and respect for one another and by having meetings with the students that creates a friendly atmosphere. Another thing that would be in my ideal learning environment would be students having the ability to move around the classroom and sit wherever they feel comfortable when doing independent work. Some times students don’t like sitting in their seats when doing work and that’s okay in my eyes. I believe that if the student is recognizing that and is able to understand that they will work better in a different area in the classroom, they are learning independence. Additionally, in relation to seating, I like to move around my classroom and not leave it in one arrangement the entire year. I think that the desks should be arranged differently dependent on what the students are doing. For the majority of the school year, however, I think that having students in groups of 4 is ideal. This allows them to work in either pairs or in their small groups. As far as teacher-student relations, I think that when teachers make it known that they are there for their students and that they care for them and will do whatever they can do help students succeed they will is important to point out. I think that when the teacher is mostly a facilitator rather than the “boss” of the classroom, the students are able to feel more comfortable and are able to think at a higher level because they aren’t so much dependent on the teacher. To me the “ideal” learning environment is much more complex than a plan. It is all dependent on the students in your classroom and the teacher should be flexible in what does and does not work for the students.

2. Thus far in your training as a teacher, what FEAPs have best helped you establish this type of environment? Why–provide evidence? What has not worked in your experience? Why not?

Honestly, every FEAP can play into the type of environment that a classroom has. Throughout my training, I have seen how instructional design (FEAP 1) and the differentiation made in lessons (FEAP 2h), the management plan (FEAP 2d), the respect within the classroom (FEAP 2d), understanding the prior knowledge and the gaps within the students’ learning (FEAP 3c, 3e), and the ethical conduct of the teacher (FEAP 6). Even though I think that every FEAP influences the learning environment, I have personally seen these how these FEAPs can affect the environment. If a teacher is differentiating their teaching for her students, the students will feel much more comfortable because they will feel like the teacher truly cares for them. Without respect in a classroom both from the teacher and the students, can create a negative and unsafe environment that limits a students learning. Students won’t make as many risks because they are afraid of ridicule or error if there isn’t respect within classroom.

When explaining how you have met a FEAP, its important to provide evidence because these FEAPs are directly correlated to what is being done in the classroom and what a teacher is doing for their students. Without evidence it can be much more difficult to try to prove or show. These FEAPs should display the qualities of a teacher and a classroom, and when there are primary sources that back up a claim there is much stronger reliability and validity of the claim.

Last year I didn’t feel confident in my ability to manage a classroom “efficiently”. The class I was in was never terribly behaved, I just didn’t think my management skills was as effective as I would like. For example, when transitioning after a lesson, the students would get distracted and it would take longer then necessary. I think that I had difficulty with management because it was my first time being in a classroom for an extended amount of time, and since the students were in 5th grade I wasn’t sure how to communicate with them without them completely disliking me. Additionally, I was always uncomfortable with being in another person’s classroom. Towards the end of the year my confidence did grow, but I think I grew the most after working this summer with kids.