We've all heard the old saying "We're a product of our environment", but do you think it's true? Children can and do thrive according to their environment, and we can look to so many educational theorists to prove it. As educators, it is our responsibility to ensure that our classroom environment is a positive one in order to foster positive growth in our students. Positivity in the classroom comes in many forms that all contribute to the overall atmosphere we create.
What are elements of a positive classroom environment?
STRUCTURE
Having a steady routine is so important in an early years classroom. Young children thrive when they have consistency and it helps them feel comfortable and safe. When children trust their environment they can reach their full potential.
Establishing a code of conduct right off the bat ensures every student knows clearly what is expected of them in the classroom. This way, students will be less disruptive to the learning environment and fewer negative situations will arise.
Teachers must be consistent day-to-day. Follow a schedule and maintain your own positive behaviour. Young children tend to mimic the behaviour demonstrated to them, so displaying a positive outlook on education each day is crucial to your students adopting the same mentality.
OPEN COMMUNICATION
Create an open line of communication between students and teachers. Let children know they can feel comfortable and get to know the teacher. The more a teacher gets to know their students, the better they can accommodate the needs of every child in the classroom. Learning about their culture, likes and dislikes, skills, etc. can help you to intentionally create a positive environment students love being a part of (Merrill & Sheehan, 2018).
Give students as many chances as possible to contribute to the classroom environment. Help them to feel like an integral part of their class community. Let them brainstorm ideas for projects, classroom rules, ways to decorate, or fun activities they'd like to organize (Edutopia, 2015). Each student will gain invaluable confidence when they see that their opinion and ideas are valued.
SELF-MOTIVATION
Teachers can nurture intrinsic motivation in students by helping them feel good about themselves. Guiding students to foster positive thoughts will produce positive actions through which they will independently accomplish more in both academic and social circumstances (Loveless, n.d.). If there is an established routine of positive thoughts, actions, and communication in the classroom, it leaves less time and space for any negative situations to take over.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
Research shows that using too many rewards, incentives, and bribes will compromise students' intrinsic motivation among other problems, so teachers need to be wary of finding a balance. Celebrating success, big or small, is part of creating a positive environment and motivating children to learn and succeed.
What is not helpful is a feeling that the student is only doing something to receive a promised reward. Instead, teachers can talk about how great it feels to be complete a challenging task, and praise the hard work it took to achieve it. This will lead to a rewarding feeling that will push them to succeed next time too (Erwin, 2016).
CLASSROOM DECORATIONS
Let the students have a say in what their classroom looks like (Erwin, 2016). Designate spaces for students work to be displayed and let them hang it up themselves. Ask them to bring pictures from home to contribute to bulletin boards about different themes and topics in the curriculum. Have a brainstorm session as a class to find out what the students would like to see around the room and in their school. When they see their ideas take shape around them they will feel like a valuable contributor.
PARENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS
Establishing positive relationships with parents early on is one of the easiest ways to help your students be more successful. Research has shown time and time again that students who have more involved parents perform better academically and socially, as well as being more emotionally balanced. Teachers can start the school year by reaching out to parents with positive news from school, give them tips on how they can help their child at home, and offer support if needed. This way, the relationship starts off on a good foot and hopefully the line of communication can remain open in any future situations (Edutopia, 2015).
INCLUSIVE
Students all have different physical, psychological, and other needs that teachers must try their best to fulfill. When they feel their needs are being addressed in the classroom, they will be happier and more engaged (Erwin, 2016). Inclusive language can be a valuable tool to shape the positive atmosphere in the classroom. It can send a message of friendship, community, and being included to each child and set a positive tone that will carry over to all parts of the day (Edutopia, 2015). The more everyone feels part of the class, the more positivity will grow and nourish the environment.
AGE APPROPRIATE
A student displaying feelings of frustration is difficult to see as an educator. Part of a positive learning environment is having age appropriate materials and lessons so students can succeed and feel accomplished. Teachers must intentionally choose what is being put in their classroom to foster growth through different stages of life. Helping children learn to deal with feelings and emotions at a young age can harbour emotional balance later in life (Merrill & Sheehan, 2018). Placing materials in the classroom that are too difficult or abstract to grasp at their age will lead to a lack of understanding, and therefore a lack of progress.
Schools of Thought
Looking to Early Childhood Education theorists for guidance can help us gain insight as to ways us educators can foster a positive learning environment in our classroom. Most educators and theorists can agree that perhaps the largest contributor to our development in early years is our environment. By discovering the elements of two prominent schools of thought, we can see a variety of strategies that can be used daily in our classrooms. Let's explore the similarities and differences between Behavioural Theories and Cognitive Theories of Development.
Behavioural Theories of Development
Behavioural perspectives look at the way observable behaviour and external stimuli are the most important factors to understand human development. The focus is on how the ways we respond to our environment impacts us rather than internal motivation (Lumen Learning, n.d.). Part of this is the conditioning to different situations that shapes our responses to similar future situations.
Behavourists like B. F. Skinner believed that we learn best when our actions are recognized and reinforced. According to this theory, any type of behaviour that is positively reinforced is more likely to occur again than a behaviour that was not acknowledged (Lumen Learning, n.d.). As a teacher, when we see positive behaviour occur in the classroom and positively enforce it with words of praise or other forms of positivity, we can hope this will encourage that student and other students to act in this way again. Positive reinforcement is just one classroom strategy that stemmed from behavioural perspectives like Skinner's.
Social Cognitive Theories of Development
Social theories of development also emphasize the importance of our environment when we learn. However in contrast to behavioural perspectives, Social Cognitive Theory states that learning happens in a social context. It considers the importance of reciprocal relationships with people and environments, rather than only our individual response to external factors. Children can learn through observation of their environment and peers, as well as through information gained from them (Lumen Learning, n.d.).
Methods of social learning like Montessori perfectly demonstrate this theory. The Montessori Method is based on teachers intentionally creating an environment to foster learning through self-directed exploration and discovery. Everything is placed there for a specific reason that stimulates growth. Children are grouped together by age to naturally stimulate socialization and respect among peers (FAMM, n.d.). According to this perspective, teachers strategically prepare a positive learning environment and allow children to thrive almost independently.
The Montessori Method
The Montessori approach operates with seven basic principles in mind. Through these principles, this method creates a positive learning environment in early years classrooms by helping children reach their potential. Having freedom to explore the carefully curated environment allows them to lead their own learning and feel empowered. It enhances self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-discipline leading to socially responsible little citizens. Research has shown that children who learn in Montessori environments perform better than those in traditional schools across an array of subjects. They tend to show higher levels of creativity, socio-emotional competency, and overall achievements far into their future. (Howley-Rouse, 2020).
How the Montessori Method Fosters the Elements of a Positive Classroom Environment
STRUCTURE
A Montessori classroom is deliberately structured and everything has a place in the well-ordered flow. The information is conceptually organized for easy understanding. This is based on research showing that students with steady family routines and organized homes tend to have better overall cognitive, psychological, and social outcomes in school and life (Howley-Rouse, 2020).
OPEN COMMUNICATION
Children are allowed the freedom to work on their own or in groups, which leads them to organically develop communication skills. Teachers are always available for support and guidance so children feel open to talk and ask questions when needed. They can also share their ideas and opinions with their classmates or teachers at will. The environment provides as little or as much support as needed, making it comfortable for students with different needs (Howley-Rouse, 2020).
SELF-MOTIVATION
Since all activities are completely student led, they must make independent decisions and motivate themselves to learn. Children self-direct towards learning and discovery throughout the environment. Having control over their own learning has been proven to lead to "improved performance and increased engagement, concentration and persistence in tasks, enhanced wellbeing, positive self-concept, and improved learning, memory and problem-solving" (Howley-Rouse, 2020). Students are more intrinsically motivated to succeed in this type of environment.
AGE APPROPRIATE
The Montessori Method mixes ages in groups of 3 years together. Montessori saw that children advanced through four periods she called Planes of Development. Each period has unique characteristics that children within that age group will display. Therefore materials are scientifically chosen to be age appropriate within each classroom environment. In this way, children will be most successful in learning from the well-designed environment based on their age capabilities (FAMM, n.d.).
How Can You Use the Montessori Approach to Create a Positive Environment in Your Classroom?
Teachers can first approach this method by taking a step back and taking more time to observe students and how they interact with each other in your classroom. Spend less time interjecting and allow students to self-guide during daily activities. Reflect on the way the classroom is structured and what materials are provided to students in order to be independently successful.
Ensure the environment is structured, intentional, and clutter free. Use the layout and content to guide children in ways they can engage with each activity while allowing them to choose freely and creatively. Students with more control over their environment feel empowered and tend to contribute positively to the environment (Howley-Rouse, 2020).
As an educator, self-reflection is critical to constantly improve the atmosphere and environment we create in our classroom. Asking yourself questions daily is a great way to stimulate growth in yourself which transfers to your students. How are you supporting your students towards self-discovery, self-governance, and self-motivation? What further resources can you provide them to foster creativity and growth (Howley-Rouse, 2020)? What actions can you display to enhance positivity amongst your classroom environment and your students' mindsets? Consider the answers carefully and adjust yourself and the environment accordingly.
REFERENCES
Edutopia. (2015, June 4). 32 Strategies for Building a Positive Learning Environment. Slideshare. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.slideshare.net/edutopia/32-strategies-for-building-a-positive-learning-environment
Erwin, J. C. (2016, November 29). 10 Ways Teachers Can Create a Positive Learning Environment. Free Spirit Publishing Blog. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://freespiritpublishingblog.com/2016/11/29/ten-ways-teachers-can-create-a-positive-learning-environment/
FAMM. (n.d.). The Montessori Method. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.fundacionmontessori.org/the-montessori-method.htm
Howley-Rouse, A. (2020, June 29). The Montessori Approach. The Education Hub. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://theeducationhub.org.nz/the-montessori-approach/
Loveless, B. (n.d.). Strategies for Building a Productive and Positive Learning Environment. Education Corner. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.educationcorner.com/building-a-positive-learning-environment.html
Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Behavioral and Cognitive Theories | Lifespan Development. Lumen. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-lifespandevelopment/chapter/behavioral-and-cognitive-theories/
Merrill, S., & Sheehan, J. (2018, November 26). Building Positive Learning Environments for Young Children Starts with You. ECLKC. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/blog/building-positive-learning-environments-young-children-starts-you
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