Effective leaders and teachers understand how students learn, classroom designs, and teacher strategies enhance student learning. The theoretical underpinnings of successful classroom management stem from many factors to construct a learning environment. Students come into the classrooms, according to Levy (2008), with different personalities, abilities, and learning styles. Educators instruct all learners to meet the standards for their district and state. The observation of school mission will identify values, curriculum, and goals, which guide the mission statement and vision.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is a safety measure implemented by federal government to protect the rights of students in the learning environment (http://www.ed.gov). This inclusive middle school commits to excellence in teaching and learning for all students. The observational analysis will examine a typical day and discuss the climate and collaborative interaction in a classroom. The observation checklist designed in Module 1, will reveal the analysis of the environment, communication, interaction between students, teacher, and administrators in the classroom. The school setting will allow the observer to report collected data to complete project.
Classroom Physical Layout
Physical Features/Position of desks
The layout consists of a semicircle, with two-student desk facing the students. This arrangement is excellent for small group discussion, interaction, class work activities, and two teachers assisting students. There are two-teacher desk placed on each end of the room to keep a watchful eye on engaged students. One desk sat alone in the front of the room diagonal labeled sweet seat. I suspect it was the timeout seat.
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...positive behavior/style is conducive to support staff; student and community can improve student achievement in the arena of teaching and learning.
Works Cited
Epstein, J. L., & Sanders, M. G. (2006). Prospects for change: Preparing educators for school,
family, and community partnership. Peabody Journal of Education, 87, 81-120. Retrieved
from Academic Search Premier database.
Landrum, T. J., & McDuffie, K. A. (2010). Learning styles in the age of differentiated instruction. Exceptionality, 18(1), 6-17. doi:10.1080/09362830903462441
Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: Helping every child reach and exceed standards. Clearing House, 81(4), 161-164.
U.S. Department of Education (2002). The no child left behind act of 2001. Retrieved from
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html
Watts-Taffe, S., Laster, B., Broach, L., Marinak, B., McDonald Connor, C., & Walker-Dalhours, D. (2012). Differentiated instruction: Making informed teacher decisions. Reading teacher, 66(4), 303-314. doi:10.1002/TRTR.01123
Is differentiated instruction necessary to meet the needs of all levels of learners within the environment based on learning styles, interests, and readiness levels? Differentiated instruction involves daily assessment, either formal or informal, lots of planning, and a classroom of learners working together as a community (Tilton, 2001). Differentiated instruction is a learner-centered instructional design model that acknowledges that students have individual learning styles, motivations, abilities, and, therefore, readiness to learn.
This is to ensure that the changes that are occurring within education; I am helping to shape and foster. Therefore, as an educational leader I strive to the notion that my most important constituents are my teachers because they will shape the thoughts and opinions of my students and larger community. With that in mind, I want to create a school environment that fosters high-quality curriculum, cutting edge instruction, and 21st century problem solving and equipment learning. Therefore, I want a school that students, teachers, and the larger community would be proud to send their children. Moreover, the reason that I want to lead is because I understand the power that good educational administrators can have on shaping a school, a community, and maybe even a nation. Likewise, for students competing in a 21st century world; they are going to need to have schools that are innovation centers which fosters creativity, problem- solving, and comprehension. Therefore, I believe that it is my job as an educator to ensure that our students are discovering knowledge for themselves, and developing passions that will push them into the future. Moreover, my experience on our school’s principal advisory committee and school improvement council have given me the experience needed to drive through the reforms that we need to within our school. I have seen reforms up close, and I have the experience of understanding what policies it takes to ensure that these reforms are
Year after year students put themselves through large amounts of stress, attempts to prepare themselves mentally, and spend majority of their waking hours studying for standardized testing required through the No child left behind act (NCLB). An act put in place by the Bush Administration in hopes and efforts for student around the country to excel in education. However, the No Child Left behind Act is hindering a student’s ability to perform in the classroom rather than the student to excel as planned. Amongst other countries around the world, the United States performs significantly lower in education. Overall, the act had good intentions, but does it really raise achievement and close the achievement gap? Improving education has always been a top priority in the white house. Many laws have been passed but how many have succeed? NCLB is one of the biggest social engineering projects of our time, but shows very little progress in our children’s education. The No Child Left behind Act causes more of a negative outcome by being ineffective at achieving academic improvement, closing the education gap, limiting the teaching material for instructors, and causes a harmful repercussion on children and adolescents mentally and emotionally.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) created a national curriculum that would be taught in every school in America. The No Child Left Behind Act plays an enormous role in the education system. It touches on a broad variety of issues relating to public education, including the dispersal of federal funds and parental choice in the case of failing schools and for the learning disabled.
Initiated in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 intended to prevent the academic failures of educational institutions and individual students, as well as bridge achievement gaps between students. This act supports the basic standards of education reform across America; desiring to improve the learning outcomes of America’s youth. No Child Left Behind has left many to criticize the outcomes of the Act itself. Questions have risen concerning the effectiveness of NCLB, as well as the implications to America’s youth.
Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: helping every child reach and exceed standards. The Clearing House , 161-164.
With social and emotional skills, a high-quality learning environment that has high-quality classroom structure and rules, commitment to the academic success of all students and high performance expectations, student learning is optimized. Attitudes towards learning, behaviour in and out of the classroom and academic performance have shown improvement with development from quality social and emotional learning that is supported through parent involvement and integrated throughout the entire curriculum.
When teachers differentiate their lesson, the students are more engaged to learn. Students have some choice in their learning activities, which motivates students to want to learn and also puts more learning responsibility on the students. Some students may prefer to work alone or in groups and some students like to be hands-on. By differentiating the lesson, all students’ needs are being met. “Differentiated Instruction gives students a range of ways to access curriculum, instruction and assessment. DI engages students to interact and participate in the classroom in a richer way. It is based on the assumption that all students differ in their learning styles, strengths, needs and abilities and that classroom activities should be adapted to meet these differences
Recently, controversial topics have taken over the educational field of study. Some of these topics include comprehensive sex education, bullying, use of technology in the classroom, and nutritious school lunches. All of these argued topics in education have their own merit of importance, but arguably one of the most disputed issues facing our country’s educational experience is the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The building blocks to the modern day No Child Left Behind Act can be traced back to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 was originally part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty, and the act had the intentions to help fund poor schools that had low achieving
Classroom management has the largest effect on student achievement, so students cannot learn in poorly managed classroom. Additionally, research has pointed out that the quality of teacher-student relationships is the main aspect of classroom management.(…2). Furthermore, when teachers set classroom management plan, the plan will give structure to everything from seating to lessons to grading to the relationship between students. Teachers should incorporate strategies for addressing student behavior into classroom
Of all the variables in a comprehensive literature review classroom management had the largest effect on student achievement. Therefore, teachers need to provide clear purpose and strong guidance regarding both academics and student behavior. Teachers and students need to collaborate as a team sharing concerns about the needs and opinions of others. Teachers should be aware of high-needs students and have a plethora of specific techniques for meeting some of their needs. Positive support from the parents, administration, support personnel and the community to bring about positive changes in student behavior is also necessary. Teachers can make a modification; they can construct a community that nurtures and develops social and emotional skills as well as academic
During the first day of school, a variety of different students enter the classroom. These students are excited and nervous, they have their parents by their sides who are observing the classroom walls and arrangement. From the minute the students enter the classroom, students are observing the classroom environment and notice the everything. Everything in the classroom needs to have a purpose, but provide a pleasant environment. When preparing and organizing the classrooms, teachers need to consider the different variables that impact the classroom. Classrooms can be disorganized if the walls are cluttered and have no meaning The organizations of the desks, the wall decorations, and the seating arrangements significantly impact the physical environments. Students are like sponges, they soak up everything that surrounds them. In the article A comparison of actual and preferred classroom environments as perceived by middle school students in the Journal of School Health stated “studies have shown that classroom environments are closely related to a number of aspects of student
With the proper guidance and support, teachers can achieve academic excellence in the classroom. They follow their principal’s vision and share their goals. Teachers also serve as leaders in their classroom. They share their vision and goals with their students promoting positive attitudes in the classroom. Just like it is important for principals to respect and understand what their teachers need, students also need the support, understanding, respect and empathy from their teachers. When teachers demonstrate commitment in the classroom and set high expectations they raise the level of learning in the classroom. Teachers that work with the students and their parents to understand and meet their needs will achieve positive academic outcomes. Students engage in learning with positive attitudes and strive for high achievements. Teachers work together with their leaders to improve their teaching
Education and the school environment are one of the three primary agents of socialization where children and adolescents spend most of their time over any other environment. With this in mind, it is very important that everything about the school environment rears positive outcomes for children and adolescents because they spend most of their time there. This essay will explore the topic of the characteristics of school environments that promote positive student outcomes and the studies that suggest the importance of these characteristics. Some of the characteristics that will be discussed as sub-topics will be the importance of the classroom climate, the teacher-student relationship, the socio-emotional climate of the classroom, school organizational structure, teaching and learning environment and student connectedness to the school. If the school environment is positive and students feel safe and supported, they are more likely to do well and achieve their full potential.