Creating a positive classroom atmosphere What do you

Creating a positive classroom atmosphere What do you need to do ? ? shapiroaviva@gmail. com

Classroom Management • In order to be an effective teacher. . You need to manage your classroom. . And believe it or not. . It all begins with YOU. . So. . Here are some. . Simple ideas. . To make your classroom a place of learning. . And to ensure a postive atmosphere.

It’s all in your attitude !! • ““The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude. • Oprah Winfrey

BUT first. . • “The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. ” • Charles R. Swindoll

More Attitude. . • “We awaken in others the same attitude of mind we hold toward them. ” • Elbert Hubbard

So change your attitude • “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one” • Hans Selye

Ten Tips for creating a positive atmosphere. • Always have a genuine purpose for your lesson and a clear agenda. • Always try to engage your learners with meaningful material. • Allow your learners to direct their own learning. • Let your pupils know what to expect from you. • Be passionate about what you are teaching

More Tips • Encourage all the pupils’ efforts. • Support them along the way with positive feedback and a SMILE ! • Listen to them and respect their ideas and opinions even if you don’t agree with them. • Be a role model. • Make success about their learning and not your teaching.

AND when things go wrong. . • Re-examine your approach. • Don’t give up • Don’t take a bad lesson or day too hard.

Student Self Assessment Taking Responsibility for their learning

Getting Feedback from Students • Students need feedback to learn and get better at what they are doing – learning. • By asking students to evaluate their own learning you are teaching them to take responsibility for the process of learning. • There are many ways to get feedback from students on where they are and if they are satisfied with where they are.

Ways to get Feedback • Instant feedback – by asking questions , a show of hands. . Etc. . • Ongoing journals/ logs etc. . • Written feedback pages – formative/ summative

Feedback as a way to Reflect. .

Feedback pages Use FEEDBACK pages to get the kids to stop and think where they are, and why they are there.

Formative Feedback This type of feedback should be done during a lesson , a unit or a semester to find out what is going on and be able to make a change. .

Take a moment to reflect • • I found the material in the unit interesting I completed the work my teacher asked me to. I took the work seriously I learned something new I improved my vocabulary I did my best I am satisfied with my progress I need to work harder/ make more of an effort.

Summative Feedback Pages • There are other forms of feedback which are summative. These can be used at the end of the semester. They should allow the kids to relate to the teacher, the class , the material taught and himself as a learner.

Sample questions for end of the Year Feedback Part ONE: The lessons: 1. were interesting – always, often, sometimes, not often Part TWO: ME –as a pupil, I. 1. made an effort – always, often, sometimes, not often 2. did my homework- always, often, sometimes, not often PART THREE : THE teacher 1. was supportive of me – always, often, sometimes, not often 2. came prepared to class – always, often sometimes , not often • 3. treated me fairly – always, often, sometimes, not often • •

Setting Goals • Goals are powerful tools than can produce great returns in most areas of a student’s life. • By setting goals the student chooses where s/he wants to go and what they want to achieve. • They can then concentrate on how to improve in the areas that they choose.

By setting goals: Students: • • • Improve their performance Increase their motivation Increase pride and satisfaction Improve their self- confidence Suffer less from stress

Remember • Goals can be set on a weekly basis, a monthly basis or each semester. • Teachers need to provide the students with ample opportunities to set goals and help them monitor the progress.

Reflection Journals A method to help the teacher teach responsibility, self assessment and develop critical thinking in students.

Why Reflect ? Because learning in schools is traditionally dominated and controlled by adults, students seldom make decisions about their own learning (Goodlad, 1984).

• • • Using Reflections Journals in English class are useful because they. . Encourage students to take responsibility for their learning Encourage students to think Encourage students to set goals Encourage natural writing in English Encourage a real dialogue between teacher and student

Reflection is Thinking

What Research says. . • When we help students develop an awareness about their own thinking and learning processes, we are helping them think about the effectiveness of the strategies they use in reaching the goals they have set. Essentially, they are "thinking about thinking, " a process known as metacognition. . . monitoring our progress, and evaluating the results is an effective way of helping students take more control of their own thought and feeling processes (Barell, 1985).

Reflection Journals What are they ? • A journal is different from a diary. Diaries keep track of what's going on around you. Journals help you reflect on what's going on within you. Keeping a journal is like carrying on a continuing conversation with yourself.

How to start • Explain what you want the students to do • Set aside time once a week in class for the students to use for writing • Have the students bring in small notebooks • Provide the students with “prompts” to get started. . • Encourage all of them to write. . - Make it part of the class requirement !

Possible prompts. . • Write about one positive and one negative thing that happened in English class this week. • Write a list of what you remember learning this week and explain why you remember it. • Explain what or who helped you learn in class this week. • Write about your feelings while doing the test, the unseen, writing the essay , doing your homework etc. .

Questions to reflect on. . • How did the teacher relate to me this week ? • How did I participate in class this week? • What did we learn in class this week that was useful to me? Why ? • What was especially enjoyable to me this week. • In what areas do I feel I have improved ? • What areas do I need to do to improve in. . ( writing, reading strategies, listening skills. . etc. . ) and how will I do this? ?

Why feedback is so important. . • LISTENING to your pupils will build an atmosphere of trust and respect and encourage the students to share with you what they feel. • It will foster positive classroom behavior • It will create a classroom culture of success • It will make both you and the pupils aware of their progress

THE END. . Or The Beginning. . • Thank you. . For listening, , for taking part and for reflecting with us. . AND Remember. . • “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others. ” • Anthony Robbins