Joanna Williams

On the first day of school in elementary I remember I couldn't wait to see my new teacher and new classroom. All the bright colors around the classroom the different posters and I couldn't wait to see how the teacher would set up the desks.  Now that I am older I wonder was there a purpose for the bright colors and different posters hanging around. As a child I tried to remember did the energetic classroom help me gain more knowledge because of how it was set up. Teachers all over the world set up their classrooms different; some have bright colors and a lot of posters while others have nothing at all. Do classrooms with high energy, a lot of colors, spark and posters enhance a way a child learns?

In a classroom it is very important to make sure the classroom is set up for the students and not the teachers. In my study I will focus on how some features in the classroom can enhance the way a student learns. The way the classroom is set up is very important and also a key factor for a student. If the student is not comfortable then it will be hard for them to focus on the lesson. In my experienced in elementary I had one class were the desk was too big for the students, our feet couldn't reach the floor and it was very distracting. The main focus when setting up the classroom is to focus on how the student will react to the environment.

Literature Review

In the book Classroom Spaces That Work by Marlynn Clayton she focuses on how the classroom should be set up for the students. Sometimes it is hard for teachers to put their self in the mind of the students. Marlynn states in her book the classroom should support students’ developmental needs: emotional, social, cognitive, and physical. (Clayton,13) She makes sure that teachers understand that the classroom should be set up in an organized way.  In the first page of the first chapter she starts off by saying “the room is not made for you” (Clayton,11) This book also focused on how children development changes with their age. The classroom should accommodate the student needs and age range. When students reach different ages their focus changes and so should the classroom.  In the article she touched on certain ages, the ages I focused on was ages 6 and 7. At these ages six year old students are competive, bossy, socially energetic and also sloppy. Having classroom with six years old the space needs to be organized and neat.  “Their learning materials should invite active and concrete exploration..” (Clayton,27)

In a classroom with working with seven year olds they like their privacy, they are more serious and focus. They like to work in confine spaces and also easily distracted. When setting up a classroom for seven year olds the classroom should be set up were the children are able to work alone or at least with one person. They like their individual space to work instead of groups. There should also be a good supply for art materials and things for the students to express themselves.

My second review comes from an article Classroom Spaces that Work also by Marlynn Clayton. She also wrote an article that expresses the way the structure of a classroom should be. In the article she express that the classroom should fit the bodies. The desk should be a certain size base on the students, bookcases and other things students need to have access to should be the same size as them. Also things like posters and the board should all be at eye level so it will be convenient for the students. Marlynn believes that students should also be a part of the setting up process this will give them a sense of ownership.

Methods and Data

In my study I observed a small classroom with about 20 students and I interviewed the teacher in her classroom. In my observation I first wanted to notice how the desk was setup. They were in groups of five and all in a clear view of the smart board. I was really curious on how she set up the desk and was the students place in a certain way.

JW          Ok did you see… I see… say the students are in groups did you seat them in a certain way I remember being me in elementary school the teacher sat us in certain ways base on our different personalities and different types of way we were taught and learnt.. Did you seat your students in that certain way

NR      UMM yes actually I decided to place at least one active and enthusiastic student     in one of the group just to provide encouragement and support and umm those students who require special attention they receive attention from our teacher aid

She explained to me that she did set up the students based on how outgoing the students were. When I observed this I noticed that the students who were more outgoing over powered the other students. Those students answered most of the questions while the other students blended in the back ground. When I asked NR if this was an issue it seemed as if it wasn't.

JW      Do the shy student still find a way to make their self-known in the classroom

NR      Yes they do weather its him or her doing its own their own or me being the one to force it .. Not force it but weather me not calling on more of the active student but me trying to encouraging the shyer student

At this moment I felt like NR knew there was a problem so that’s why NR has to call on the shy student because they don’t respond on their own. NR starts off by first saying she has to force them but quickly changes it up to justify that the shy students are not being force. With this setup I think it might be embarrassing for the shy student because they may feel like they are not as good as the more energetic student.

After reviewing the desk set up, I noticed there were different posters and quotes around the room. This made the room pop and it cover up the bland walls behind it.  Also in the classroom there were three sections that were set up reading, math, and costume. These sections were used throughout the day and were incorporated in the lesson.

Math Section

In the math section the students use blocks to help them answer the question that was on the board. In the math section only five students were allowed. The problem that was on the board was the same problem that the students at their desk worked on. The students responded to this section very well. They used the blocks to answer the question and in my observation they were solving the problem faster than the students that were sitting in the desk. This section is good for students who are visual leanings and can help enhance their math skills. When the students worked I this section they worked together and really enjoyed everything that was going on. I also notice the students that were sitting in their desk envied the students in the math section. This made me realize that these students enjoyed the math section rather then sitting at their desk.

Reading section

The reading section was set up with furniture and a book case. The book case had different level of books and the only way you were allowed in this section is if you were reading. In this section I notice students were not paying attention to their books but rather talked to one another. The teacher had to keep telling the students to stop talking unless they will have to go back to their seats. This section was the least favorite of the students. With setting up classroom students must feel comfortable and involved but in this section they seem board and uninterested. This section was doing nothing to enhance these students learning because they couldn’t focus on the reading. The teacher needs to find a way to get the students more involved in this section so they can become better readers and learn that reading can be fun.

Costume Section

This was the last section the students interacted in. This section was only for the students who were good in class and excel in their work that day. The day I observed only five students went to the section. The costume section had police uniforms, chef aprons, doctor scrubs and more. All these costumes help children explore their imagination. As I watched students interact in this section I seen a lot of little arguments break out. These students were arguing over the different costumes. Then the teacher had to remind them that if they argue they cannot participate anymore. After the teacher’s announcement there was no more arguing. Out of all the sections this section really helps explore the children minds. They became whoever they wanted to be once they put on the different costumes.

With these different sections they help the children expand their learning. When I walked into the classroom I already knew that the teacher designed for the students. The teacher knew that the way the classroom was setup help enhance the way that the students learn.

NR      …..So for me providing those three different sections I’m providing the student who wants to be a geeky nerd who wants to be the drama actor or the producer or director and I provide the section who wants to be the mathematical genius you understand me? A teacher should give a student options to be him or herself

Conclusion?????

NOT FINISH YETTT!!!!

In my travel to an elementary school i visted a 2nd grade class. I entered the classroom before the students came in for their daily learning. In the classroom I notice that she had the desk in groups of five and they all had name tags on their desk. I looked around the classroom and I notice the walls were bland but the posters and the different letters on the wall made the room pop! I saw inspirational quotes that she said she made some of them up and the rest was from other historical and inspirational people. I thought this was very unique because she was teaching second grade and the quotes that were written were very inspirational that maybe 2^nd graders wouldn’t understand. The teacher told me that she reads one to them every day and that they will understand in the future.  I continued my mini tour around the classroom and notice that there was a smart board in place and computers. She also had three different sections. There was the costume section, math/puzzle section and the reading section. The bell rang and the students entered the classroom. They were very energetic and ready for school. I notice that the student interacted with the teacher very well. They came in and hung up their jackets and book bags in their little cubbies that look like a mini closet for each student. As the students reached their desk they sat down and pulled out their books and prepared for class. Her first section of teaching was reading and she turned on the smart board and then pulled the pictures of the picture book so everyone could read it. I saw the students so engaged and so into the picture book that was on the screen. I looked around the class and I didn’t see any students that were not paying attention and everyone was so involved in the story. Once that section was over it was about 12:00 and the students went to lunch once they returned the teacher separated the students and told them to go to either the reading section or the  math section. In the math section there were 5 students there working on different puzzles, they were using blocks to answer a math question that was on the board. They worked welled together and tried to solve the problem. As the students worked I heard another student in the reading section pretending to read a book but instead the student was conversing with their fellow classmate. The teacher immediately put that to a halt and made them separate. While those students were in the sections the students that were still at their desk worked on some basic math problems. After 15 minutes the students would rotate with the different sections, I noticed that the students that were in the math section didn’t really want to leave and go to the reading section the rather stay working on the math problem and I saw how enthuse the students that were sitting at their desk were ready to go the math section and the students at the reading sections did not want to go back to their desk. I heard a student say that they were going to solve that problem now that they have the blocks. After the teacher finish this part of her class she worked on some grammar and towards the end of the day the teacher gave the students who excel that day during class time to go to the costume section. This section had a chest full of different costumes that the students were allowed to play dress up. The other students sat and had to draw a part of their own story from the reading earlier that day. The students in the coustume area were not getting along at first she had 5 students in that section. Two students started to argue over the police costume and they didn’t want to share. the teacher told them that if they don’t find a solution then they both will have to leave the section and gop back to their desk. Once the students realized that their bickering will cause them to go back to their seats they stopped and one student just deiced to dress in the apron and pretend to be a chef. This students in this section seem to be having a lot of fun, but the students drawing in their seats seem a bit jealous I notice students looking up and observing the other students and not really paying attention to their drawings. The last minutes of class the teacher had cleanup time and all the students came together and cleaned up and retrieved their belongings from the cubbies and stood in a straight line and walked out of the class

post 22

Analysis

In the book Classroom Spaces that Work by Marlynn K. Clayton she touches on different topics about how classrooms should fit the student. She speaks on that classroom environment and the setup has a big effect on a way students learn.  She focuses on the scale of the classroom and how the set up should appeal the student more than the teacher because they are going to be the one that is going to be affected. On my travel to Overbrook Elementary School to Mrs. Richardson c 2^nd grade classroom I notice that the desk were small enough to fit your basic 2^nd grader. They had little desk and little chairs to accompany them. Marlynn states in her book the classroom should support students’ developmental needs: emotional, social, cognitive, and physical. (Clayton,13) Knowing this information I looked around NR classroom and I noticed that all these things are supported. The desk was put together in a group of five and the students were able to discuss things and to interact with one another.  The classroom was very spacious so the students had plenty of room to walk around and to get around.  In her book she also breaks up the different age groups for the different students and a overall set up of how a classroom should look for that age. She also gives different traits of how the students act at that age. In the second grade students are generally 6-7 at this age students are bossy, sloppy, like new ideas, are visual learners, they are socially enthusiastic and have lots of friends.  Marlynn believes that at this age the spaces of the classroom should be spacious and enough space for the students to grow. In NR class she had a lot of things that Marlynn believed were perfect for six year olds. She had smart board which is a step up from your basic chalk board. When she put her picture book on the smart board you can see the students so enthuse and so into the reading. When it was time for the students to read on their own with the smart board they didn’t seem too involved or interested. At this age students learn better visually and having the smart board is a big advantage to hold on to the student s attention and for the students to learn more. She had a big carpet set up at the reading section enough space for students to get comfortable and able to read how they pleased as long as they were reading. With these different sections in the classroom it seems as if the students were more involved then I saw any other classroom.

Post 19

I believe I am on track with my research paper. After doing my interview I feel like that was a big chunk that needed to get done. I also found two great resources that are going to benefit my paper. I thought I was going to be behind because i just found my reference. The strongest part in my paper i belive is my reference section because the author goes to great length to explain how a classroom should be set up for a student in any age group. My interview was 20 min and i believe that was more than enough time to gather my information. She helped me look at the classroom through the students eyes and i think this will help me write a great paper. The things i believe i am struggling with is just trying to put it all together. I have so much information and data that know i have to focus on trying to put it all together to have a detail and well organize paper.

interview post

JW          My name is Joanna Williams and I’m sitting here with

NR     Nia Richardson

JW     and we are talking about how classroom environment enhance a child’s learning. So first what school are you currently working for and what grade are you teaching.

NR      I currently work for Overbrook Elementary in Overbrook Pennsylvania teaching second grade

JW      And umm how long have you been working for the school?

NR      I’m finishing up my first year

JW      Alright when first setting up the classroom umm how did it look

NR      Umm the walls were very bright but bland

JW      Ok bland umm where did you…  were the desk a certain way

NR      Yes

JW      How?

NR      They were in rows

JW      Now can you describe the classroom to me now after you decorated it?

NR      I situated the students in a group environment umm... There is a total of 20 desk with five groups umm there are phrases and inspiration quotes on the wall from both historical people and myself just to encourage the student and set them for the future. And Yea!!

JW      (Laughs)Alright that is pretty much it  ok I currently see sections divided off in the classroom how many sections do you have in all

NR      There are three sections

JW      Did the school supply you with umm.. Any type of material or were you just on your own

NR      The school pretty much supplied me with materials basic materials such as notebooks and paper but everything else as far as the decorative supplies for the classroom and windows and cubbies I supplied for myself

JW      Ok and umm did you have a certain inspiration that you got it from or… Or was it all from your head.

NR      Pretty much everything was from my head … I just wanted to be as bright and enthusiastic as possible

JW      Do you remember being in school and seeing umm different seeing your classroom in elementary school does it still stick in your head from how the classroom look?

NR      Umm most definitely umm my favorite classroom was my 3 rd. grade classroom and just for the simple fact of how bright and fun it was.

JW      Ok so roughly how long did it take you to decorate this umm…exact classroom?

NR      Umm.. Basic decoration pretty much took me the duration of the summer but once I got my student list it didn’t take me that long.

JW          Ok did you see… I see… say the students are in groups did you seat them in a certain way I remember being me in elementary school the teacher sat us in certain ways base on our different personalities and different types of way we were taught and learnt.. Did you seat your students in that certain way

NR      UMM yes actually I decided to place at least one active and enthusiastic student in one of the group just to provide encouragement and support and umm those students who require special attention the receive attention from out teacher aid

JW      Ok do you see that enhance the student learning… did you see any different in the students?

NR      I feel as though those students who require the specific attention umm they are separated in the sense but not separated in the sense of (paused) them being separated in a totally different classroom they are still involved with the other students they just that they have a more specific and detail teaching

JW      Do you think the students… Since you incorporated the students that are more enthusiastic or more outgoing then the other students do you see them the students you place them with do you see them stepping up to the plate as the other students or do you see them riding  in with the students.

NR      I think it is very balance

JW      Very balance

NR      Very balance

JW      Are they stepping us

NR      Yes

JW      They are stepping up… How much…..

NR      But no more.. it’s not as if the more enthusiastic student is stepping up more than the student who requires more specific attention.. That’s what I mean the balance is

JW      Ok so the student that is more enthusiastic is not is not overriding the student…..

NR          Over riding the student who could be more shy and timid because that special attention that he/she might need

JW      Ok do you fear that sitting the more enthusiastic student with the shy student do you fear that they would take over the classroom?

NR      No

JW      No not at all

NR      No I do not

JW      Do the shy student still find a way to make there self-known in the classroom

NR      Yes they do weather its him or her doing its own their own or me being the one to force it .. Not force it but weather me not calling on more of the active student but me trying to encouraging the shyer student

JW      Ok no problem how much freedom did the school board give you because I know with most schools the school board does not allow  you to hang some stuff on top, some stuff can’t be above like the fire extinguisher, but how much freedom were you allowed to decorate your classroom

NR      (starts to laugh)     Umm I really don’t (pauses) feel like I cross any boundaries

JW      UH HUH

NR So I would say I’m pretty free umm it hasn’t been brought to my attention that I cross anything (laughs again)

JW      Ok umm.. I see you have computers and a smart board in you class. So with technology expanding every day in the classroom do you feel like the smart boards and computers enhance the way the students learn.. Because when I was in school I didn’t have smart boards and we just started to get computers because we had chalk boards… Do you feel like the smart boards and markers make the children learn better or any more..

NR      Here is my thing I feel as though computers are always informational and helpful

JW      UH HUH

NR      Smart boards are beneficial in sense of it allows the teacher to be more effective and explain the material quicker for the simple fact of all we have to do is simply write something on the computer and boom it will pop up on the projection but in terms of us visually showing a student how to solve a mathematical equation I think a smart board could in a sense hinder a student in

JW      Do you believe that a smart board and computers are making us lazy

NR      Uhh no

JW      As teachers is it getting us an easy way out..

NR      NO

JW      NO

NR      No I do not

JW      OK.. So can you please describe, the different sections you do have in a classroom

NR      Yes I have a section that is dedicated just specifically to reading umm students are not allowed in this section without a reading book. I also have a section umm kind of like a costume section where the last twenty minutes of the day students are allowed to enter this section and just be

JW      Free

NR      Free (starts to laugh)

JW      Is that all day can they do that any part of the day

NR      No its just the last twenty minutes of the day

JW      Oh ok

NR      yea the school day and of course I have the mathematical/ puzzle section

JW      UH HUH

NR      Umm to just encourage math, reading is fundamental and math is GREAT!

JW          OK

NR      So I have just those three sections (laughing)

JW      Umm ok let me see with all the.. I mean I see this a very big school do you see that  with all the different classroom rooms do you compare.. how can I explain this do you think its better more vibrant or learning more than the other classrooms that are in the school

NR      Umm I don’t know about any other classroom in the school. I can only speak on the behave of my classroom and students and I feel as though my students are more attentive supporated and enthusiastic umm base of the fundamental teaching I try to provide and also the classroom atmosphere

JW      Ok i see that the colors are still manila white.. But I see you haver a lot of posters in the classroom do you feel like with the posters and the words under the posters and since you are teaching second grade does it.. do it help out the student even if you not teaching it

NR      I think it do because umm visual.. You how some people might be more visual learners then others.. Umm so you might necessarily attain the words that I speak  but there might be a specific poster or specific phrase that might stick out to you minds for the rest of your life

JW      OK

NR      And I think those are always helpful

JW      OK and with the different desk that are set up do you more  move them from the group and separate them so they can be more isolated or do you keep them in with the rest of the students so that can encourage them to be a better student or would you rather them to sit on their own

NR      I feel… uhh it depends on the severity of the student like if in turns of how bad they are acting I don’t specifically like moving students umm for the simple fact I feel as though that’s uhh and embarrassment I like for the student to learn from their mistake and soo umm at times I might keep them in their group and further along the class.. I don’t want to embarrass the student

JW      (laughing) I understand do you feel like with the posters you have around the room  umm with the different historical figures because some of the historical figures you have on the wall there not detail described in the history books I know when  I was aa student some of these figures weren’t describe as thoroughly as others inside of the history books.. Do you think that since they are own the wall the pictures there do you think they learn more.

NR      Yes definitely.. I Feel as though with me to for example when I was growing up in elementary school there were figures of people I knew nothing about.. I didn’t learn about them until high school or even maybe college and I feel as though me just presenting these figures, concepts or phrases to these students not only enhancing them but just opening them up to education and information that we weren’t afforded

JW      OK

NR      Do you know what I mean ?

JW      Yes I get what you are saying

NR      I don’t want students to leave my class and say oh I never learned about him or I never learned about her.. I want to open it up the acknowledge meant to at least have known but having the decision not to further there knowledge

JW      OK I understand that is a very good concept.. I see you have you little section set up as a little mini living room I see you have a little couch in here

NR      And the play area (laughing)

JW      And the play area in front of it (laughing) I see that Do you think it gives a child a more comfortable feel

NR      Definitely umm you don’t want the one thing you never want.. I was a nerd growing up  so I was ok with the classroom environment but umm as time went on  you learn more about the student that does not like the classroom environment   or don’t like the with or authoritative teacher who has the ruler in their hand smacking it on their hand (makes a slap noise) no learning is fundamental everything is fundamental everything should be a fun learning experience so that’s all I strive to abide by

JW      Ok that’s a good thing!!! Do you think that since you are finishing up a year do you think your children or students that you have are going to go to their next class and expecting more since they started off with this class with much high expectation

NR      I sure hope so (laughing)

JW      (LAUGHING) Is it because of your teaching or because of the way the classroom was set up because as I looked around different classrooms I observed the different classrooms  in the school I observed that your classroom stood out the most  so do you think that the student are going to go with high expectations on the classroom or high expectations on the learning

NR      I feel as though my teaching my teaching no I’m sorry.. I mean my students shouldn’t expect anything from the classroom umm.. The classroom should be more of an comfortable environment.. I feel as though my students should more form the teacher and the teaching techniques because as a student gets older the classroom changes. For example elementary school the teaching techniques is different than high school and in high school the teachingis different in college classroom and I think us as teachers should strive for students to excel more in a college environment weather it is a liberal environment or weather the student as more then one option to bed more successful Do you know what I mean? (Pauses)

NR      So for me providing those three different sections I’m providing the student who wants to be a geeky nerd who wants to be the drama actor or the producer or director and I provide the section who wants to be the mathematical genius you understand me? A teacher should give a student options to be him or herself

JW      So you are you agreeing that a classroom environment enhances a way students learn?

NR      Defiantly  

JW      Why

NR      I mean this interview just encompasses everything a student will be him or herself when they are comfortable

JW      So do you think your classroom..

NR      When there is no fear involved when the student is courageous enough to just be themselves.

JW      So do you think your classroom comes from a student who goes home and says I can’t wait to go to school to be

NR      to be with Mrs. Richardson

JW      OK that’s how they should feel.. Thank you for taking your time out to talk to me about your classroom.. I enjoyed your classroom.. I enjoyed observing yourclassroom and I hope things really work out for you in the future.

JW      Thank you Joanna and I hope the same for you..

post 17

On the first day of school in elementary I remember I couldn't wait to see my new teacher and new classroom. All the bright colors around the classroom the different posters and I couldn't wait to see how the teacher would set up the desks.  Now that I am older I wonder was there a purpose for the bright colors and different posters hanging around. As a child I tried to remember did the energetic classroom help me in more knowledge because of how it was set up. Teachers all over the world set up there classrooms different, some have bright colors and a lot of posters while others have nothing at all. Do classrooms with high energy ,alot of colors,spark and posters enhance a way a child learns.

post 16

How long have you been teaching?
Do you decorate the classroom yourself?
What gives you the inspiration of your class design?
Roughly how long does it takes you yo set up your classroom?
Do you feel that the vibrant colors have an  affect on the way the students learn.
Do you seat your children in a certain way base on their learning ability?
With technology expanding everyday in the classrooms. Do you feel like the smart boards and computers enhance the way the students learn?
What made you add the different sections to the classroom.
Do you see a change in your classrooms compared to other classrooms in the school.
In your opinion do you feel students learn better with having a smart board or a regular chalk board.?
Can you think back when you were in elementary, do you feel the classrooms environment affected the way you learn.