How Do School Leaders Assess the Physical and Social/Emotional Learning Environment of the Classroom?

1. How Do School Leaders Assess the Physical and Social/Emotional Learning Environment of the Classroom?  NSIP National Conference February 2013

2. Introductions Presenters: • Brenda Maynard • bmaynard37@gmail.com • Orin Simmerman • oms3@bellsouth.net • Debbie Daniels • debbie.daniels@roadrunner.com

3. In this session we will: observe a variety of classroom settings; explore vocabulary, tools and understandings to assess the physical and social/emotional environment of classrooms and their impact on student and teacher performance, and understand how school leaders can use these resources and information to assess teaching and learning and provide feedback to teachers.

4. Essential Question: • Turn to your neighbor and discuss. Share Out Does the physical and social-emotional environment of a classroom impact student and teacher performance?

5. So how do we measure the environment’s impact on teacher and student performance?

6. Videos • Observe the video clips and • Individually write on post-it notes as many positive and/or negative characteristics that describe the classrooms' physical or social/emotional environment. • Video Links: Daily 5 Kindergarten http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B6NBWYR6zA Crazy Science Teacher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yHaYFiNv_8

7. Activity • In your group, discuss and collapse your descriptors and place them on the T-Chart under appropriate category. • Post your chart.

8. Physical and Social/Emotional Characteristics Physical Environment Social/Emotional Environment Positive Positive Negative Negative

9. Gallery Walk • Conduct a gallery walk and take note of all the descriptors that are posted. • What do you notice about the descriptors? • What did you learn about observing the physical and social/emotional environment of the classroom?

10. Learning Centered Schools Rutherford Learning Group Mike Rutherford, President and National Presenter Six Big Ideas and 13 Principles Supported by neuroscientific research Developed as a result of his work on conducting Instructional Practices Assessments (Instructional Rounds). Initially used all of these descriptors and the work evolved

11. History Behind This Work Work with developing tools and resources for principals to use in supporting and providing feedback to teachers on improving teaching and learning Focus on Learning Environment Too many descriptors to manage and measure to show growth Realized we needed to narrow the focus What is it about the classroom environment that impacts teacher and student performance?

12. Classroom Environment Enriched environments over time increase the brain’s ability to connect, communicate internally and to learn Impoverished environments have the opposite effect – they shrink the brain’s ability to connect and communicate and limit learning potential

13. Enriched Impoverished The ability of the teacher to shape the physical and social environment of the classroom to enhance learning. MYTH: Most of what is learned in the classroom comes from the curriculum. Truth: Most learning in a typical classroom comes from the environment. Mike Rutherford, Creating the Learning Centered School Physical Interactive Welcoming Print Rich Comfortable Hands on Small groups Bright Colorful Organized Student work displayed Physical Cluttered Disorganized Bland Seats in rows Commercial wall postings Permanent bulletin boards Crowded Smells ENRICHED PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS

14. Learning centered teachers seek to create an enriched physical environment. Attractive Physical Classroom Environment Engaging Changing Sends a message

15. Enriched Physical Environment • Attractive - sight, inviting, inquisitive, friendly, greenery(alive), lights and rugs (homey), • Engaging – something to do and do with, sounds, smells, bathtub (reading is special), live bunny (safe place), touch • Changing - varied, changes every week or unit to support the current learning, mood settings • Impoverished Physical Environment • Unattractive –cluttered, bare, commercial/not student centered • Non-engaging – not content focused, teacher centered • Unchanging – permanent bulletin boards, no student work posted

16. Enriched Impoverished Social/Emotional Tense Favorite students No rituals Threatening Low expectations Screaming Rude Confusion Stressful Competitive Intimidation Social/Emotional Student Centered Risk free Non-threatening High Expectations Friendly Respectful Valued Supportive Cooperative Smooth transitions Creative Collabortive The ability of the teacher to shape the physical and social environment of the classroom to enhance learning. MYTH: Most of what is learned in the classroom comes from the curriculum. Truth: Most learning in a typical classroom comes from the environment. Mike Rutherford, Creating the Learning Centered School ENRICHED SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS

17. Learning centered teachers seek to create an enriched social/emotional environment. Unconditional Positive Regard Social/Emotional Classroom Environment Relaxed Alertness Special Treatment More collaboration, less competition Positive Rituals

18. Enriched Social-Emotional Environment • Unconditional Positive Regard - student believes they are liked by teacher and students for who they are, not what they wear or what they can do, fun to be here, personal actions that indicate “I like you” • Relaxed Alertness - measure of the anxiety level, students are focused, but not stressed, accountable talk • Special Treatment - degree to which students feel that the classroom is individualized, where their special needs are met, selecting students to be leaders (where all get the opportunity to lead), prizes, coupons, starfish story “make a difference for this one” • Positive Rituals - how teachers intentionally embed social shaping messages into everyday life – being present, being on time, moving in an orderly manner, process for dismissal, waiting your turn • More collaboration, less competition - build classroom climates that are cooperative, collaborative, sharing, team building, communicating (21st century skills)

19. Impoverished Social/Emotional Environment Negative energy and disrespectful of others – intimidation and teacher centered Stressful – tense, threatening, no rituals No one feels special – opinions not valued, made fun of, ridiculed Lack of organization – no routines or transition processes All about competition, who is the best? - no collaboration, team building, lacks cooperation

20. Discuss at your table: What enriched environmental cues should school leaders “look for” when observing classrooms? Brainstorm your responses under the appropriate headings. Share out

21. Physical Look-Fors

22. Social/Emotional Look Fors

23. “Look Fors” in an Enriched Physical Environment Enriched The ability of the teacher to shape the physical and social environment of the classroom to enhance learning. MYTH: Most of what is learned in the classroom comes from the curriculum. Truth: Most learning in a typical classroom comes from the environment. Mike Rutherford, Creating the Learning Centered School Enriched physical environments are attractive, engaging, and interactive with students. The physical environment should change every two weeks. ENRICHED Physical Environments

24. “Look Fors” in an Enriched Social/Emotional Environment The ability of the teacher to shape the physical and social environment of the classroom to enhance learning. MYTH: Most of what is learned in the classroom comes from the curriculum. Truth: Most learning in a typical classroom comes from the environment. Mike Rutherford, Creating the Learning Centered School “Emotion is the on-off switch of learning.  We don’t talk about it enough as a pedagogical tool. Fear and shame shut it off; hope, enthusiasm, and safety turn it on.”  Ed Hallowell Enriched ENRICHED Social/Emotional Environments

25. Putting it all together: Observation Focused on Enriched Environments Working with a Science Partner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK4FSFuSGPQ Using the observation instrument record characteristics and evidence that describes the classroom environment.

26. With a partner, discuss: • Essential Question: Considering the elements of an enriched physical and social/emotional environment, what feedback would you provide the teacher to make their physical and social/emotional environment more enriched?

27. Learning Environment Resources A Positive Classroom Environment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J9GbbR6u7Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yHaYFiNv_8 https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/when-lesson-plans-fail https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/sixth-grade-biology-lesson https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/reading-like-a-historian-contextualization-complete-lesson

28. Learning Environment Resources https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-students-to-reassess-reliability https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/enhancing-learning-through-drama http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B6NBWYR6zA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK4FSFuSGPQ https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/art-and-express-social-issues

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