Environment For the Win

I am currently on spring break and loving it! I have been working on IEP progress reports, sub plans and my TEAM paper though. TEAM is a program that all beginning Connecticut teachers much participate in. In short, the purpose of this program is to have teachers reflect on their current practices, research new practices and grow from them. My first module to complete was about my classroom environment. As you can see in some of these pictures, the physical environment is extremely colorful and welcoming. But throughout this first module I have realized that classroom environment goes FAR beyond just the physical environment.

I knew that I had to have a lively personality, be fun yet firm, and offer a place of encouragement. Since completing this module I have seen the dramatic change in my classroom environment. My students are much more reflective on their work and of themselves, they know that my room is a place of learning, encouragement and rigor, and they are beginning to take more personal responsibility for their education. I have implemented many group rewards as well as individual reward systems. I am starting to see my students foster intrinsic motivation more and more each week. 

I started with creating individual contracts as well as a class contract. Each student focused on what he or she wanted to accomplish and HOW he or she along with myself as their teacher will accomplish these goals. Personal, educational, or recreational, all types of goals started to get recorded. Whenever my students need a slight reminder we take out these contracts and look at them. The marble jars allow my students to work as a collective group. Each time the whole class is on task or working together, they receive marbles. When the jar is full the class gets to vote on an activity (basketball, a movie, free time). My favorite addition to my classroom is my basketball hoop. I use this in more ways that I could have ever imagined. The hoop is used as motivator, as an activity to get the kids moving, and more often than not used for educational games that I create based on what we are learning. 

In addition to my many new motivations for my students, I am also ALWAYS having my students reflect on their learning, their behavior, and their surroundings. Here are just a few examples: 

Enjoy your weekend!

xoxo Nicole