Establishing the climate of the classroom is a big challenge for teachers, largely because there are so many areas that need to be covered. Students need to feel safe to express their opinions while at the same time being respectful of the opinions of others. No students should ever feel like they are valued less than any other students because of race, gender, or any other factor. Diversity is something that should be celebrated and valued, and teachers have to be careful not to make assumptions about a student just because they belong to a particular diversity group. How can teachers help each student feel valued and appreciated while teaching them to be respectful and to celebrate diversity? This question is at the heart of how teachers can create a classroom environment in which their students can thrive.
Throughout the program, we have discussed different diversity groups we may encounter as teachers and how to be sensitive to the needs of those groups. Just as important, I think, is realizing that not all students in those groups fit with the stereotypes we have about the groups as a whole. One of the most important things a teacher can do is to be sure to stop and think before making an assumption about a student, breaking down stereotypes and seeing students as individuals. Additionally, we discussed the importance of anti-bullying strategies that teachers can use in their classroom. One of the most effective strategies is to take preventative measures by creating a culture that both respects and values diversity. It is important that teachers paint diversity not as an obstacle or issue, but as an opportunity and gift to the class. Without diversity, there is less room for growth than there may otherwise be. But how exactly can teachers communicate all of this information to their students in a way that works?
Perhaps the most effective way to create a positive classroom climate is to model the behavior you hope to see. Treat students as individuals rather than as parts of diversity groups. Learn students names (and the correct pronunciation!). Address any prejudicial behavior or biases you see in your classroom. Create a zero indifference policy when it comes to behavior management and bullying. Teach conflict resolution and use those skills yourself when managing conflict. Show affection to each and every one of your students. Everything ultimately comes back to you and your expectations of your students. If you start out expecting a culture of respect and having conversations when things go awry, students will learn how to be respectful and a positive culture with follow. Students can even help come up with class rules and regulations when it comes to respect. Have students define what respect looks like and feels like. How do they know when their classmates are being respectful? If students can define respect and how they expect others to treat them, you have a much better chance of them treating others in a respectful manner.
Creating a positive classroom climate is not something you can do overnight. It takes hard, consistent work and a positive attitude toward diversity. It is important that as a teacher, you understand your own cultural background (and perhaps more importantly, how it differs from that of your students). For me, my background is very different from most of the students that I am likely to teach. I am from a small college town in Minnesota, and I went to a relatively homogeneous high school. Almost everyone in my school came from a white, middle class family that highly valued education. Now, I live in the South, which is definitely more diverse than my upbringing was. I actually went to Georgia State University for my undergraduate degree, which is one of the most diverse universities in the nation, so I am actually quite lucky. Having been exposed to both a homogeneous classroom and a diverse classroom, I can say first hand that diversity is so much better than homogeneity. We learn so much more when we learn with others whose ideas, backgrounds, values, and beliefs differ from our own. I think this experience will help make me more sensitive to diversity in my own classroom because I not only see the value of it, but I also experienced it for myself. This appreciation of diversity will help me facilitate a culture of respect for diversity in my classroom, which will translate directly into a positive classroom climate.
Although I briefly touched on this already, I wanted to expand on how a positive classroom climate is related to bullying. By establishing a culture in which students respect and value diversity, students will be less likely to make fun of each other and treat each other poorly because of their differences. If differences are celebrated as strengths, students will treat them as such. Additionally, if students are allowed to help create class rules regarding respect for others and are asked to think about how they want to be treated, they will understand how their actions affect others and will be more likely to think before they act. Finally, establishing a zero indifference policy towards bullying will help create an open dialogue about what is going on. If teachers address every instance of bullying that they see, students will have a better understanding of the effect of their actions, both in terms of how they affect others and in terms of consequences for treating others poorly. It is important that teachers not ignore bullying and that they strive to prevent bullying in their classrooms.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, teachers need to show their students that they truly care about each student as an individual. In addition to the strategies I mentioned about, teachers should make sure to get to know students’ interests and follow up on important events in students’ lives. When students feel that their teacher exhibits care and concern for them, they are more likely to open up and feel safe and secure in the classroom. Safety is a huge part of creating a positive classroom climate. Without it, no matter hard you try, the environment will not be a positive one. As a soon-to-be English/language arts teacher, I plan to encourage my students to write about things that are important to them in order to get to know them each as individuals. This will give me a window into their lives and allow me to follow up when they write about things that are obviously of importance to them. If one of them shares that they have a big game coming up, I want to make sure that I wish them luck and ask how it went. If one shares that a beloved pet passed away, I want to offer my condolences and tell them that I understand. For more serious matters, it is important that students have an adult they can trust to talk to. I hope to be that adult for my students when their parents are just not available. Additionally, when students are required to write papers, I want to be able to give them the freedom to choose their topics so that they are really engaged with the material. This may seem outside the scope of caring and concern, but because I care about my students, I want them to want to learn. The best way to ensure that they are engaged is to let them pick the topics about which they learn.
Creating a positive classroom climate will be a difficult thing to master, but this week has really helped me learn about everything that goes into the classroom environment. Prior to this week, I would not have thought about how bullying affects classroom climate, but instead would have thought of bullying as a completely separate issue. It is important to give students a safe space to open up and where they feel valued and respected. It is just as important to teach students to value and respect their peers. Differences are opportunities, and they should be celebrated!
References:
Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education. (2014). Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/PDA%20Critical%20Practices_0.pdf
Marzano, Robert. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching. Retrieved from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/platform-user-content/prod-copy/get_help_resources/activity_resources/module4/The_Art_and_Science_of_Teaching.pdf
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