Learning Environments (Post 3)

Q: Based on our readings and class discussion, how will you create a learning environment that is conducive to learning?

I like to think that every teacher strives to create and maintain an environment- physical and psychological- in their classroom that promotes learning. That is what we're there for, right? When I think about my library and the classes it serves, my own methodology, and how I want to serve my students best my head spins with possibilities, practices I know I'm doing wrong, and successes I have had this last year. Below are some strategies I use from Behaviorist and Social Cognitive Theories to create a learning environment that is conducive to learning:

Use feedback to improve learning and behavior with Instructional Conditioning (295)

 - Praise students for appropriate behavior

 - Be optimistic reinforcing that you believe students can improve

 - Teach students how to seek feedback (raise hand, wait patiently, ask questions, )

Use Reinforcement Effectively (305)

 - Give disruptive students a choice in activities they would like to do, and include spending time with myself as an option (Students who choose this see my attention as desirable.)

 - work with teachers or parents to agree on incentives together (earning points towards a special activity or prize).

 - Offer favorite activities as a reward to completing undesired activities 

Model behaviors and skills (329)

 - Respectful and pleasant interactions with all students and staff

 - Smile at students

 - Identify and stop bullying quickly

 - Procedures-- such as using a shelf marker, walking and sitting down in assigned seat without talking.

 - Assignments-- the document camera is wonderful for showing students how to look up information in a book, or complete a worksheet.

Environment

 - An uncluttered environment will offer fewer distractions

 - Warm and welcoming will make students comfortable

 - Display student work often so that students feel pride of ownership for assignments and special.

 - Routines are everything. Students know what to expect, how to transition and stay on task. 
 - Praise and positive academic feedback in the library will grant students comfort, thus making them feel safe.

Q2: Now consider your CSEL case study.  Develop a full continuum of responses for dealing with the misbehavior of your case.   (This will be something that will be used in your CSEL artifact.  You may want to refer to the guidelines for how many levels you may need to create. Those guidelines will be found in Part II of the CSEL Artifact Guidelines.) 

Case study summary: In a third grade class that I see every 6 days, I often engage students in cooperative learning activities. I have observed and concluded that one particular student, Lisa, seems to be the catalyst for problems one particular group is having, including, grasping the material completing projects. She gets angry if she does not get the job she wants and refused to contribute to her group's learning. She is disruptive and does not pay attention when her group prepares for class presentations. 

Continuum of responses for dealing with Lisa's behavior:

Because this behavior has been going on frequently of a period of time, and because other student's learning is disrupted, ignoring the behavior and cueing the student are not an option at this time. I would employ the following strategies to address and rectify Lisa's behavior.

1. Discuss the problem privately with Lisa

By discussing the behavior privately, I am not drawing the attention of other students, and I may learn reasons for Lisa's misbehavior and therefore strategies to resolve them may be very clear. I am simultaneously reminding Lisa of my expectations for her. this would be the appropriate time to offer students a choice such as, "Would you like to try to continue working with your group or would you like to finish this project by yourself?" If Lisa shows a desire to improve her behavior, but is still struggling after the private discussion, then the following strategy may be employed. 

2. Promote Self-Regulation

After identifying her problematic behavior I would ask Lisa to set some of her own goals to stay on task. Together we could devise certain methods she can use to help keep her on task. For example, a checklist that she can mark to track how many times she interrupts her group mates. Another example could be a checklist or self-rating system for various aspects of  her participation in her community learning group that could include "Listened to groupmates", "Did my job without argument", " Did not yell or show agressive behavior", or "Helped with presentation." 

3. Discuss Lisa's behavior with her teacher
Her classroom teacher may have insight into what motivates Lisa, or why she is acting out. I would even discuss her behavior with other Arts teachers to see if anyone else is having similar problems. Lisa's teacher may also work with me to reinforce behavior by offering rewards and/or taking away privileges within the classroom. 

4. Confer with Parents
Either through a telephone or inperson conference, discuss Lisa's strengths and positive attributes before explaining her behavior. A collaborative effort to determine a strategy to improve behavior will be more successful because Lisa will know her parents are on board.

5. Refer students to Administration
As a librarian, I am unable to conduct in depth, systematic interventions myself. When no improvement is made after these other strategies, and other students' learning suffers, it is time to elevate the situation to Administration.