Jennifer Stanley

09/22/15
SCED 499
Dr. Edgar
InTASC Standard 3: Learning Environments
In order to foster an environment in which each individual students opinions are valued
and their learning potential is maximized, I must ensure to utilize the resources provided to me
whenever possible. I also must recognize the needs of my students and ensure that the classroom
environment is a comfortable area which promotes the development of the whole student.
Academically, the classroom must be able to support individual and collaborative learning
through the recognition that every students views are valuable and that true learning can only
occur through active questioning and discussion with other individuals. Therefore, I must help
my students to become actively engaged in learning the material, as well. In addition to
promoting the learning of my students, however, I must also ensure that they are able to interact
positively with other individuals and are self-[motivated].
Specifically, communicating with my students by asking if they enjoyed a particular
activity or if they felt it did not work for them would be an effective means of establishing a
positive learning environment, as students would be able to provide critical feedback about a
portion of the class and have a say in future exercises. Additionally, utilizing online resources
such as Padlet could provide an opportunity for my students to engage virtually in discussions
with their peers while also promoting responsible learner use of interactive technologies.
Furthermore, communication with family members is essential in building a positive learning
environment whenever possible, I could collaborate with parents to help set classroom rules
and ensure that these rules and practices (for example, doing homework) are followed at home as
well as in the classroom.

Within my content area, I could provide students with a list of helpful starters for
Socratic discussion i.e. how to begin a question or how to respond to someone elses argument.
I feel that this approach is necessary for developing good rapport in the classroom, as students
are aware of how they should respectfully respond to their peers instead of just saying youre
wrong or I disagree. Additionally, I need to create an environment in which my students feel
comfortable sharing their opinions in class. In order to do so, it is my responsibility to not
encourage students by saying correct after the responses I desire or shutting down those I do
not want; instead, I must treat all responses equally and challenge them with follow-up questions
in order to provoke my students higher-level thinking processes. This will also help demonstrate
my abilities as a thoughtful and responsive observer, providing a model for my own students to
use in the classroom setting with their peers. Lastly, by providing small group discussion roles,
such as a Facilitator or Summarizer, I can provide students with the opportunity to interact
cooperatively with their peers while promoting an individual sense of inquiry into their particular
role.
This standard is especially important to student learning; after all, how can students have
the opportunity to learn if they are uncomfortable or if the class is not fulfilling their needs?
Furthermore, if they feel isolated from their peers, how will they be expected to contribute to
discussions or answer questions? As such, it is my duty to invite students to participate by
engaging them with the topic and portraying the classroom as a welcoming environment for their
ideas. Additionally, I must encourage my students to participate civilly in the classroom and
build their social skills through collaboration in preparation for real-world scenarios (whether in
the workplace or academia).