Make the environment as important as the curriculum, and the two support each other during instruction.

    ~Andrea De Bruin-Parecki

Creating a well-balanced environment for students will create an environment that is well balanced helping to promote high-level learning with ease. The Learning Environment focuses on a teacher working with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. When a student feels safe and well established within his/her environment, the child can focus on the content within the classroom. Some of the best ways to promote a well-balanced Learning Environment are building strong relationships with families of students, creating a well-thought-out classroom management plan, and setting up the classroom in a productive way to encourage positive learning.

Artifact 1: Relationships with Family

It takes more than just the teacher to promote a safe and enriching environment. This can be done by building strong relationships with the families of those within the class and community. I adhere to this by keeping open communication with the families of my students by creating a monthly newsletter along with a weekly folder going home with completed student work. I also follow this by sending a positive behavior note home to continue building up positive relationships with students families.

Artifact 2: Classroom Management Plan

Implementing a strong, well-thought-out classroom management plan is another way to have a well-balanced Learning Environment within the classroom. In my Classroom Management Plan, I clearly state my purpose statement along with important rules and classroom procedures I found imperative to go over with my students within the first days and weeks of school. By letting the students know what I expect of them and in turn giving the students a chance to tell me what they expect from me, the environment within my classroom will be a healthy and stable environment.

Artifact 3: Productive Classroom Space

Setting my classroom up in a positive, productive way also exhibits my understanding of a safe and engaging Learning Environment. By using all the space available within the classroom I can create such a Learning Environment. Positioning students desks and other classroom furniture to enable full access to teaching areas is a productive way keep a proper flow of engagement for the students. Utilizing the wall space within a classroom is another way of utilizing classroom space. Hanging colorful, useful tools that students can use daily throughout daily instruction. These tools consist of vocabulary lists, word wall lists, and classroom schedule with expectations and rules.  Based on space availability within the classroom, I plan to have a calming space for students to read or visit when he/she is in need of such a space.