Certify Teacher Study Mode PPR (EC-12) - Domain 2: CREATING A POSITIVE, PRODUCTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
A middle school science teacher often has students engage in group activities. There are a few students who do not participate fully in their groups. Which of the following approaches would best meet these students' needs?
Assign clear roles and responsibilities to each member of all groups and rotate the roles among all students. Explanation: It is the job of the teacher to organize and manages group activities that promote students' ability to work together cooperatively and productively, assume responsible roles and develop collaborative skills and individual accountability.
Mr. Leopold uses the jigsaw cooperative learning technique with his students, but one of the students in his class, Mathis, has poor study skills and struggles with difficulty in reading. What procedures should Mr. Leopold follow to ensure that Mathis is a contributing member of the group?
Because this technique relies on "expert" groups, make sure that Mathis is paired with a capable peer when the group meets so he is productive in his endeavors. Explanation: The teacher will need to pair the student with a capable peer and then closely monitor the work the student is submitting. The key to being a successful classroom manager is planning and preplanning. It is planning from the student's point of view, anticipating explanations, information, and directions they will need in order to carry out the lesson successfully in a timely fashion.
As the semester begins the math teacher learns more about her students, and gains a better understanding of the students' readiness for learning math concepts. She realizes she must keep in mind the wide range of middle-level students' cognitive development in order to establish a productive classroom environment. In planning the lessons, which of the following would best meet the needs of the students?
Beginning with concrete information in the form of hands-on manipulatives and moving on to more meaningful abstract concepts. Explanation: The 11 year old middle grader is a concrete thinker while the 14- and 15-year old is an abstract thinker. Teachers should provide for experiences that move the learner from concrete to abstract thinking when and where appropriate. Knowledge of the unique characteristics and needs of learners is helpful for establishing a positive, productive environment.
Mr. Lopez plans to develop an effective set of behavior expectations for students in his fourth-grade classroom. Which of the following practices will most likely help him attain this goal?
Create behavior standards in class to include student input and discussion. Explanation: Creating behavior standards in class to include student input and discussion promotes a classroom community, where students have the opportunity to collaborate in the process of developing rules.
Mrs. Ramirez, a fourth-grade teacher, plans to develop an effective set of behavior expectations for students, including a system for rewards and consequences. Which of the following practices will most likely help with reaching this goal?
Create the behavior standards as a classroom community with student input and discussion. Explanation: To promote a positive learning community, it is a good idea for the teacher to include the class in the process of making rules. Through collaboration in developing rules, the students believe they have a personal investment in the class.
The evaluation team at Chrysler Young middle school has asked its teachers to evaluate several aspects of the school improvement plan. Mrs. Blackwell decided to first evaluate classroom climate in her physics class. Which of the following would be least important for her to consider in her evaluation?
Do I employ enough assessment techniques to monitor students' progress in achieving outcomes? Explanation: This option addresses assessment and is not related to creating a safe, nurturing, inclusive classroom which are characteristics of a positive and productive classroom environment.
The assistant principal at South Park High School, Mrs. Webb, was doing a walk-through of the school to evaluate the environment of the individual classrooms. She was looking for various instructional techniques and approaches that teachers use to create a caring culture. Which of the following questions would be most important to consider while evaluating classroom climate?
Do the students participate in learning experiences where respect and collaboration are part of the daily activities? Explanation: This option discusses elements that make up a supportive classroom environment (respect and collaboration).
The language arts teacher wants to analyze his classroom environment. He knows that middle school students want to be treated like young adults, but that they also want to be nurtured. He decides to establish the following system. Each Friday all students are given a form that must be filled out anonymously. Which questions should not be included on the form?
Do you think that I am a good teacher? If so, why? Explanation: This question does not relate to classroom environment. This question is not advised to be included in the questionnaire.
Which of the following professional strategies is most likely to result in a positive classroom environment in a middle school classroom?
Get to know the students. Explanation: Option A is the correct answer because in order to promote a positive attitude toward the class and the teacher, the teacher should make an effort to connect with each student by learning more about them. Teachers who foster positive relationships with their students create classroom environments more conducive to learning.
Which of the following instructional strategies would best communicate high teacher expectations to a first-grade student who has significant academic needs?
Help the student set challenging learning goals, and provide the student with the assistance necessary to achieve the goals. Explanation: The theme of high expectations for students should be balanced with a clear message that the teacher is willing to assist each student to master challenging assignments and to develop more productive learning habits. It should be clear to students when, where and how extra help can be obtained and what students must do to get it.
Students in Mr. Neeve's fifth-grade classroom are preparing a presentation highlighting their garden projects. This is a presentation on which the science students themselves obtained a consensus by popular vote. It was agreed by the whole classroom they would also select the best presentation. They want to share data which illustrates the growth of two sunflowers over a three-month period of time. By accepting the students' idea about the presentation on their garden projects, Mr. Neeve demonstrates his understanding of learners by: I. promoting a sense of responsibility for one's own learning. II. recognizing and respecting differences in his classroom. III. creating an environment in which students feel competent and productive. IV. fostering a view of learning as a purposeful pursuit.
I, III, and IV only Explanation: By accepting the students' idea about the presentations, Mr. Neeve is promoting a sense of responsibility of one's own learning (I), creating an environment in which students feel competent and productive (III), and fostering a view of learning as a purposeful pursuit (IV).
Time management is an important aspect of teaching. Mrs. Bate's fourth-grade class needed to improve behavior during literacy stations. Which of the following strategies might help?
Mr. Bates should spend time practicing procedures so all students understand expectations during stations. Explanation: In order to set up expectations for literacy stations, research suggests that students should practice the procedure in order for stations to run smoothly.
A fifth-grade science teacher is setting up her classroom for a simulated inquiry science lesson comparing whale blubber, feathers, and skin to determine the best insulator in cold water. Students will be place in small cooperative learning groups. Each group will have a stop watch, plastic bags with blubber and feathers in them, and a container of ice water. What is the least important consideration in setting up the desks in the classroom for this lesson?
Permanence Explanation: Permanence is the least important attribute. No classroom desk should be permanent; desks should be arranged based on the lesson. Effective teachers arrange and change the environment as needed to encourage learning.
Mrs. Ramirez, a fourth-grade teacher, plans to develop an effective set of behavior expectations for students, including a system for rewards and consequences. Which of the following provides an appropriate guideline?
Post 3-5 general standards that guide productive learning. Explanation: Three to five standards is an appropriate number of standards for students at this grade level, and general rules provide an appropriate guide for students to follow.
The history teacher has several handicapped students in his class. One student is confined to a wheelchair and sometimes has trouble getting around backpacks and books that students leave on the floor. One student taunts the handicapped student by calling him, "Wheelie." How can the teacher assure all of this students that the classroom is a safe, nurturing environment that respects students' rights and dignity?
Respond immediately to stop or redirect misbehavior. Explanation: When dealing with negative student behavior effective teachers are quick to stop or redirect off-task or inappropriate behavior, and respond in a way that asserts that the teacher is in control, that there are parameters for acceptable behavior, and that the classroom is safe and conducive to learning.
A seventh-grade teacher notices her class is off task. Many students are talking and one student is on her cell phone. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate?
Shift to an engaging activity and reevaluate the failed lesson at a later time. Explanation: Shifting to an engaging activity would improve student learning. Evaluating the activity later may help the teacher determine ways to improve the failed activity.
Mr. Holmes, a middle school teacher, is utilizing an online interactive software to encourage student participation in History. Students are selected at random every day to post a topic about the lesson they have been studying and the rest of the class is required to respond to the posts. Mr. Holmes' expectation is to engage students on ongoing verbal and nonverbal communication among themselves as they discuss the lesson. Mr. Holmes has noticed one student never posts or gets involved in the online discussions. Which of the following will best assist the student in meeting the teacher's expectations?
Speak to the student about his lack of participation, about consequences for his behavior, and ensure him his support. Explanation: It is the job of the teacher to apply effective procedures for managing student behavior, establishing clear consequences and for promoting appropriate behavior and ethical work habits (e.g., academic integrity) in the classroom.
Ms. Young is a first-year math teacher at North high school; it is her first teaching job. She's excited but nervous about beginning her new job. She meets with her mentor teacher and describes a group activity she is considering using as her lesson for the first day of class. She tells her mentor teacher that the activity aims at allowing the students to get acquainted with each other on the first day. Which of the following recommendations should the mentor teacher make to Ms. Young?
The group activity should be replaced with one that involves active student engagement in learning. Explanation: The group activity for which the goal is to get students acquainted with each other should be replaced with one that involves active engagement by all students in learning.
Ms. Jackson gave her class of fifth graders a test that included vocabulary words from The Diary of Anne Frank. She noticed that Cody placed his list of the vocabulary words where he could easily see it on the floor and that Cody was looking at it during the test. What should Ms. Jackson have done when she noticed this?
The teacher should have quietly walked over to Cody's desk and removed the vocabulary list, letting Cody continue taking the test. Explanation: In general, when dealing with discipline problems teachers should be quick to stop or redirect inappropriate behavior using the least intrusive means. In this case the teacher does not interrupt the other students who are working on their test, but does give Cody immediate feedback about his misbehavior. The consequences maybe decided upon later when the teacher speaks with the student.
A sixth-grade teacher notices his class is not on task. Many students are talking and one student is sleeping. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate?
Transition to an engaging activity and re-examine the activity at a later time. Explanation: Transitioning to an engaging activity would enhance student learning. Evaluating the activity later may help determine ways to improve the failed activity.
A middle school teacher begins a lesson on U.S. history by asking the class, "What do you think of when you hear the word conflict ?" This method of opening the lesson helps promote widespread student engagement in learning primarily because it —
addresses a topic that most students will probably have some ideas about while making it clear that no single correct answer is expected. Explanation: The question at the start of the lesson encourages students to contribute constructively to the lesson and leads to active engagement by all students. In sum, an environment that enables students to feel more comfortable and feel greater self-worth encourages students to engage in their learning, take risks, answer and ask questions, propose hypothesis, challenge assumptions, knowing that they will be treated with dignity when they do contribute.
Ms. Lila extends the rock unit and incorporates music into her lesson. Children place small rocks in plastic or cardboard containers and shake them. They hit rocks together and use sticks to tap rocks. Favorite songs are sung while children play their instruments. However, Ms. Lila realizes that some children became overly excited, with the instruments disturbing other classes. In establishing the classroom climate and managing student behavior, Ms. Lila needs to remember that —
children need to be taught procedures and routines. Explanation: The students will need to be taught how they are supposed to conduct themselves when making music with the rocks and sticks. Students learn best in an atmosphere in which routines are present and procedures are well established.
When using conflict resolution techniques to address a dispute between two students, a teacher's primary goal should be to —
encourage the students to work toward a mutually agreeable settlement. Explanation: There should be a standard procedure in place that is taught when students are not in conflict so when they end up in one, they know the procedures. The teacher's primary goal should be to encourage students to follow procedures and work toward a mutually agreeable settlement.
Mary, an eleventh grader, is a student in Ms. Foster's class. Ms. Foster is a first-year high school social studies teacher. Mary and a couple of other students have seemed especially unmotivated in Ms. Foster's class even though, the teacher learns, Mary's school performance was much stronger in previous years, especially in social studies. Ms. Foster asks Mary to stay after class one day. Following is an excerpt of their discussion. Ms. Foster: I wanted to talk to you because I've noticed tha
feel resentment and mistrust toward the teacher. Explanation: The conversation the teacher had with the student made the student feel guilty and humiliated and did nothing to offer the student with an appropriate response. On the contrary, it instilled in the student resentment and mistrust towards the teacher. The teacher-student interaction in the scenario of the question fosters a climate that does not promote learning.
A teacher working with a third-grade class assigns small groups of students to work together in creating a concept map on the social studies unit they are studying. The teacher assigns these groups so that students of differing abilities will work together. This instructional strategy will benefit a positive classroom environment by —
giving students the opportunity to collaborate with each in supportive interactions that impact student learning. Explanation: A positive classroom environment emphasizes collaboration, and supportive interactions, and active engagement in learning by all students.
Ms. Chambers enjoys using trade books as well as the state-approved basal for her reading instruction. However, she thinks the students are not as engaged in the reading process as she wants them to be. During the weekly planning session, another teacher suggests that she might try using Literature Circles. She divides the class into small groups who then meet to discuss some literature they have all read. They ask each other questions, discuss their favorite parts, or talk about how the book relates to their lives. Ms. Chambers may want to use this approach because —
group members assume responsibility for their own learning and the learning of others. Explanation: The teacher should use the Literature Circles because it provides a means for students to share material they have all read. She should also realize the effectiveness group work can have and the fact that it provides an organized and productive learning environment, besides being a strategy for monitoring student behavior.
Mr. Lazarine is a highly successful fourth-grade teacher who rarely experiences behavior problems. When discussing his reasons for success with the members of the fourth-grade planning team, he suggests that his room arrangement is largely responsible. He explains that he moves desks around depending on the activity. He rarely has the desks in rows because he feels as though it limits student participation. During whole-group discussion he arranges the seating in a U-shape format so students are able to see each other and when working in groups, students' desks are clustered. Depending on the activity and the arrangement required, the most important thing to remember is to —
maintain an arrangement that allows for easy access to the students and one in which the teacher can monitor the students on a continuous basis. Explanation: The teacher realizes that the success he has as a teacher has come from careful planning and good room arrangement. He arranges the desks in the room so as to permit orderly movement that is consistent with the instruction and activities.
Mr. Lazarine is a highly successful fourth-grade teacher who rarely experiences behavior problems. When discussing his reasons for success with the members of the fourth-grade planning team, he suggests that his room arrangement is largely responsible. He explains that he moves desks around depending on the activity. He rarely has the desks in rows because he feels as though it limits student participation. During whole-group discussion he arranges the seating in a U-shape format so students are
maintain an arrangement that allows for easy access to the students and one in which the teacher can monitor the students on a continuous basis. Explanation: The teacher realizes that the success he has as a teacher has come from careful planning and good room arrangement. He arranges the desks in the room so as to permit orderly movement that is consistent with the instruction and activities.
A high school teacher is aware that the students in his class differ significantly in their prior experience with the subject matter and their current level of knowledge and skill. In this situation, the teacher can best create a positive and supportive learning environment for all students by using an assessment system in which —
process and progress are considered as well as product in determining grades. Explanation: Process, progress and product is a 3-way system for assessing diverse learners. These 3 areas can be differentiated, thus meeting students' diverse needs. Process refers to how students make sense of content. Process helps students assess what they do and don't understand before moving on to the next segment of a lesson. Think-pair-share, and journaling are two strategies used for processing experiences. Products demonstrate students' knowledge development, and formative assessments can be used to assess students' progress.
George, a seventh-grade student who has difficulty using his arms and his legs, is confined to a wheelchair. George's disability prompted his teacher, Ms. Morris, to approach the principal about providing a special computer device for George. Ms. Morris's actions demonstrate that —
she understands the importance of creating a classroom climate that addresses George's physical needs and respects his rights. Explanation: There are numerous physical and health conditions that limit students from being able to participate in a classroom without some type of assistance. The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) emphasizes normalizing the environment for students with disabilities and providing the least restrictive environment for them.
