Module 4: Managing the Learning Environment
Assignment list
M4U1A1
Introduction to Classroom Climate
InTASC Standard 3
3(a) The teacher collaborates with learners to build a safe, positive learning climate of mutual respect, support, and inquiry. Every student actively participates in assignments, responses, and group discussions after the teacher’s instructions.
3(d) The teacher manages the learning environment to actively and equitably engage learners’ attention. She takes turns having students respond to her questions.
3(e) The teacher uses a variety of methods to interact with the learners, such as whole-class instruction and small group discussion. She walks around to observe and help students solve problems. This climate is truly positive and engaging.
My reflection
The teacher is creating a positive classroom environment where students are actively participating and responding to questions. This is my favorite part. The level of engagement and the overall positive atmosphere in the classroom are impressive. However, some students are using iPads, potentially causing distractions.
If I were the teacher, my approach would involve gently reminding students not to use their iPads to browse irrelevant things such as video games or other apps . Given that electronic devices can sometimes lead to improper activities and distract students from learning, especially considering their young age and potentially less mature self-discipline, it's important to establish clear guidelines. I would inform the students that using the iPad for gaming or accessing irrelevant content would result in consequences, adhering to our agreed-upon rules.
By the way, the video inspired me to become like the teacher, who seems like a non-native English speaker but manages the ESL classroom so well.
InTASC Standard 3
3(a) The teacher collaborates with learners, build a safe, positive learning climate
3(b) The teacher develops learning experiences that engage learners in collaborative and extend learner interaction with ideas
3(c) The teacher collaborates with learners to develop shared values and expectations for respectful interactions and individual and group responsibility for quality work.
3(d) The teacher actively and equitably engage learners’ attention.
3(e) The teacher uses a variety of methods to engage learners with ice-breakers and jokes.
3(f) The teacher communicates verbally and nonverbally in ways that learners bring to the learning environment.
3(h) The teacher intentionally builds learner capacity to collaborate in virtual environments through applying effective interpersonal communication skills.
My reflection:
Basically, the teacher meets all indicators of InTASC Standard 3. If I were the teacher, I would also demonstrate respectful interactions with students, provide clear objectives for the lesson, and use a physical whiteboard to teach the concept to engage students. She stands in front of the camera to demonstrate knowledge. This teacher manages the class exceptionally well, as students express their love for her lessons and compliment her. (This is very heart-warming for the teacher.) Students actively respond to her instructions, and she smoothly imparts knowledge to them. This is not an easy feat in online lessons. I can hardly find anything she can improve. However, it seems to be a small group class. I am wondering how this teacher manages large groups of classes. The most challenging aspect of managing online lessons is asking students to turn on their cameras and keeping the class engaged, especially in a large class. Overall, this is a good demonstration video for online teaching.
M4U1A2
Creating a Positive, Information-Intensive Environment
Share how having an information-intensive environment, including various developmentally appropriate print and digital texts, can enhance student vocabulary and contribute to a positive classroom climate and culture.
Schools are information intensive environments including classrooms, libraries and bulletin boards along the corridors and open spaces.I am going to describe how these places enhance student vocabulary and contribute to a positive classroom climate and culture.
In classrooms, we arrange books on shelves for students to read, decorate walls with posters, and showcase students' work on bulletin boards. This allows students to celebrate their achievements and enables others to appreciate their performances. Students are motivated and develop positive attitudes towards better performance and aim to excel, which creates a positive climate in classrooms. Also, teachers may decorate classroom agreements, slogans, and inspiring words on posters to discipline students to follow the rules and develop the competency of being a good citizen. There are various purposes of the classroom that are rich with prints. In subject area classrooms, for example, in a science lab, the safety precautions are listed on the bulletin board or on the desk. The science teacher uses these words to remind students to be aware of danger while doing experiments. This helps create a safe atmosphere.
When students are in the classrooms, teachers instruct them with their textbooks, and handouts. The teacher conducts various teaching strategies, which engage students with prints, gaining knowledge and improving their vocabulary. Furthermore, teachers encourage students to use the Internet for research, peer interaction, and even participate in global online learning. These experiences are beneficial for their vocabulary acquisition through digital text. In addition, educational technology such as computer classroom, school-wide wifi connections enable students to be exposed to digital texts. This benefits students to enhance student vocabulary and contribute to a positive classroom climate and culture.
In the library, Students are able to read and immerse themselves in a text-rich environment. Gaining knowledge by exploring their preferences, thus enhancing their vocabulary and grammar. This also helps them discover their individual writing skills and love for books. Sometimes, the school holds lectures, competitions, seminars in the library to improve the chance that students voluntarily participate in these events to foster their vocabulary. There are also computers for students to search for information which allows them access to digital text. The library plays an important role in creating a learning atmosphere. For example, in my school, the administrator often invites students to give a lecture to showcase their learning or personal achievement which further inspires them. I often see the presenter call their classmates to join his presentation, they applaud to show their approval and even write simple praises on the paper and type digital text on their tablets to show their appreciation. I see that it is richly encouraging to those students.
Besides the aforementioned, other environments like bulletin boards along the corridors and open spaces also hone students’ vocabulary. the school announces information that attracts students to engage them to read words. For example, there will be a singing competition which all students are really interested in. The information attracts students to enthusiastically discuss who will join this event and who will potentially win the singing competition. Besides those mentioned, our administrator makes a poster and sticks it on the remote zones such as the highest floor, where few students usually go. This also creates an atmosphere that warns students to be aware of danger.
M4U1A3
The Impact of an information-intensive Environment
Teachers play a crucial role in influencing students’ reading and writing skills in information-intensive environments. How teachers conduct activities and build the classroom climate affects the extent of students’ reading and writing skills. In my classroom, I prepare a variety of English materials. Using teaching strategies aimed at developing reading and writing skills, students engage with digital text and print to acquire knowledge necessary to answer my questions. I may employ either oral questions or written tasks.
When I pose questions, students develop reading and writing skills through the process of reading articles and writing their answers on worksheets or conducting research. An information-intensive environment encourages the development of research skills, including evaluating, synthesizing, and locating information. These skills directly impact reading comprehension and the ability to extract meaning from written texts.
On the other hand, students watch videos and read magazines to respond to my questions orally and even discuss with peers to gather more ideas and information to share in the classroom. The context of exposure to oral language environments enhances their vocabulary development, influencing their reading comprehension as well.
5 ways you will utilize oral language in your classroom to impact reading and writing
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Oral Storytelling and Discussions:
Begin lessons with oral storytelling sessions on a field trip of flying a drone. Encourage students to share their stories and experiences in English. Students may struggle with vocabulary and expression during storytelling, and then I will provide reading materials for them to read and write down some words and phrases which they couldn’t express. Having them practice speaking again to impress the new words for them.
2. Dictogloss:
Dictogloss is a type of supported dictation. I’ll have a student read a short, curriculum-related text several times and other students try to write what the speaker said as closely as possible, which develops their writing skill from sentence structures. After a couple of times of this practice, students may feel they have improved and have them read articles to see if they have improved on the reading fluency.
3. Peer Discussions and Collaborative Activities:
The next activity I will implement involves small group or pair discussions on assigned readings or writing prompts in English. This task is particularly challenging because students have never spoken English with peers, let alone discussed opening questions. To address this, I plan to have students read short passages, encouraging active engagement with the material and the sharing of perspectives. They will also collaboratively write their script, aiming to facilitate idea exchange and peer feedback, ultimately improving their writing skills. I am hopeful that this approach will be effective.
4. Oral briefing:
Assigning an oral briefing is a dynamic strategy that encourages students to speak on a chosen topic or share their writing with the class. This activity not only provides a platform for students to express themselves verbally but also enhances their organizational and communication skills. In preparation for the briefing, students engage in activities that bolster their writing skills. This involves reinforcing vocabulary and language structure, setting the foundation for effective communication. By intertwining speaking and writing components, this approach aims to foster a holistic development of language skills, ensuring that students not only articulate their thoughts effectively but also reinforce their language fundamentals.
5. Language Games:
Playing language games in ESL is a friendly way to learn. I’ll use various activities like games, role-playing, and simulations, where students actively use English in fun and interactive situations. These activities make learning enjoyable and help reinforce vocabulary and language structures. Role-play and simulations offer real-world scenarios, allowing students to apply language skills dynamically. Integrating these activities into the ESL classroom not only makes language learning easier but also helps students develop practical communication skills beyond traditional exercises.
M4U2A2
Modifying Classroom Management Strategies
Part 1
Standard 3 Performances:
3(a) The teacher collaborates with learners to build a safe, positive learning climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.
3(b) The teacher develops learning experiences that engage learners in collaborative and self-directed learning.
For example, The students searched for instruments using Chinese words and he encouraged them to use English words instead to get more information from the search engine. One student searched for flutes in Chinese words and the teacher pointed out he should use English to improve self-directed learning.
3(c) The teacher collaborates with learners to develop rigorous academic discussions.
He called each student to respond and give their own insights and ideas about the instrument being discussed.
3(d) The teacher manages the learning environment to actively and equitably engage learners by
organizing, allocating, and coordinating the resources of time, space, and learners’ attention.
The teacher showed organizational skills when he assigned students to different groups and allocated certain seats for them. Before ending the class he mentioned that each student should present their work the following day which definitely promotes coordination between the group members.
3(e) The teacher uses a variety of methods to engage learners in evaluating the learning environment and collaborates with them to make appropriate adjustments.
3(f) The teacher communicates verbally and nonverbally in ways that demonstrate respect to the cultural backgrounds and differing perspectives of learners.
He uses the student's native language (Chinese) to explain some instruments that students are not familiar with, and demonstrates on the whiteboard.
PART 2
The classroom atmosphere here reminds me of my own, where students sit attentively, absorbing knowledge through the teacher's lectures in English. This is what I would call an EFL classroom instead of ESL, as the students don't live in an English-speaking environment, making it harder to create an immersive English-speaking atmosphere.
In an EFL classroom, I aspire to create an atmosphere where students eagerly use English to communicate with each other as a classroom norm. Using English to search and gain knowledge is my expectation for the students.
Some suggest that incorporating English into daily routines can foster natural language acquisition and enhance student engagement. I believe that teachers can more effectively convey their expectations through routines and activities in both languages. I am now learning about an approach called “Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)”, using strategies such as Role-play, Interviews, Group work, Information gap,and Opinion sharing etc…,trying to build up an atmosphere where students love using English to communicate with each other and gain knowledge. If I were the teacher, I would try to incorporate the CLT approach to create more opportunities for students to interact and discuss the content in greater depth, encouraging them to discuss and practice producing their learning outcomes with the target language. After the routine of specific teaching practice, students are accustomed to involve in particular action or response which build a classroom climate and reach the teacher's expectation for students. In addition to that, the teacher might use online tools like WordWall to increase the interaction between students, applying it to develop effective interpersonal communication skills
By implementing these strategies, I believe that I can cultivate a more engaging and effective EFL classroom where students feel comfortable using English to communicate and learn. However, encouraging non-native English speakers to use English fluently poses a significant challenge. In my experience, establishing successful English usage norms has been a challenge, and I continue to strive for this goal.
Plan for Managing the Learning Environment
Classroom Culture and Climate
Write a reflection on what you think constitutes a positive classroom climate. List 3-5 strategies that you would like to try in your own classroom. The strategies should rely on professional learning communities and address the physical, social, and emotional needs of the whole child.
My Reflection on what I think constitutes a positive classroom climate:
Building a positive classroom climate is like an invisible power that propels students forward. In the past, when teaching different classes, I didn't manage a classroom climate because I was neither a class teacher nor had my own class. Since deciding to become a professional teacher, opening my own elective course, and starting this program, I am now aware that my attitude toward a course has changed because of my mindset. Once a teacher has a positive mindset, everything in the classroom can be positively changed. Building the relationship between teachers and students is the priority. Teachers and students should be well connected to create a positive environment. I was inspired by the following sentence from a webpage: Building a Belonging Classroom
"In order to learn, students need to feel safe, cared for, and emotionally connected to their teachers and each other."
(Edutopia, 2019).
Building a positive climate starts with establishing a sense of belonging in the classroom, and fostering this sense of belonging begins with respecting students’ needs. I believe I have been successful in respecting students’ interests, however, I have not placed emphasis on their talents, emotions in the classroom, and fostering connections among them. In my elective course, which includes students from different classes, and meet once a week. How to develop a sense of belonging is what I will strive for as the priority.
Strategies that I would like to try in my own classroom.
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Build a sense of belonging:
Build a sense of belonging by spending the first two classes at the beginning of the school year getting to know students. Have them interact with each other through ice-breaker activities, and encourage them to share their interests and goals for the upcoming year, etc. This proactive approach allows me to get to know them from the beginning of the semester instead of learning about them as the course progresses. In addition, student-to-student connectedness is my objective to implement in my classroom as well. I am eager to observe how the classroom dynamic develops in the future.
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Strict management of digital devices :
Nowadays, students cannot learn without electronic devices like cell phones or tablets. However, most students are often distracted by social media, games, and videos when using these devices for educational purposes. In my school, we don’t allow students to use cell phones during class, except for learning purposes. However, students still use their phones to check messages or play games, which goes against school rules even when I discipline them with a kind and positive attitude.
I am considering a new approach for the upcoming semester. I plan to move to a computer room and request that students do not bring their cell phones to class. While students might still use computers to browse irrelevant websites, this change could reduce distractions while I am teaching. I hope that all students will be able to concentrate better in class.
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Discuss the goals of learning with students:
In my country, learning goals and curriculum are typically determined by teachers, and students passively acquire skills and knowledge from them. Once, when I asked students if they had any ideas about their learning or any questions they would like to explore in class, they responded with, 'Anything you decide!' This made me ponder the idea of giving students the right to direct their own learning. I aspire to create an atmosphere where students are motivated to actively pursue knowledge autonomously. To achieve this, I plan to design a student-centered learning curriculum that will be taught by Moreland instructors.
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Celebrate Success:
Celebration serves as a valuable means of fostering a positive classroom climate. Instead of solely marking the end of a class, incorporating moments of celebration when the class achieves its objectives can contribute to a more engaging and encouraging learning environment. According to the author (2020), this can involve various enjoyable activities such as sharing amusing or relevant online videos, bringing in cupcakes, or organizing noncompetitive games. Previously, my approach was to conclude the class and have students watch a video, but it lacked the intention of motivating them to strive for excellence. It merely marked the completion of a course. Moving forward, I plan to establish specific goals for students, encouraging them to put in effort and achieve success.
Strategies or Modifications for Virtual Learning Environment
In remote learning, a common challenge is keeping students engaged. I provide two strategies that I used to implement to reduce distractions and build the positive learning climate:
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Use break-out rooms:
Break-out rooms in web conferencing are great for student discussions. They can replace small group discussions, with questions shared via Google Docs or chat to keep students focused. These rooms also help shy students connect with their peers.
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Turn learning into a game:
Many platforms use gamification to make learning exciting. I used live polls to make the content interactive and engaging. This approach encourages active student participation and makes learning fun.
Reference:
Building a belonging classroom. (2019, February 28). Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/video/building-belonging-classroom
Strategies for Positive Classroom Climate
Author, F. S. (2020, March 19). 10 Ways Teachers can create a positive Learning environment. Free Spirit Publishing Blog. https://freespiritpublishingblog.com/2016/11/29/ten-ways-teachers-can-create-a-positive-learning-environment/
An Information Intensive Environment
Creating an information intensive environment, including a variety of print and digital texts that are developmentally appropriate for your students can enhance student vocabulary and contribute to a positive classroom climate. In this section, outline the steps that you will take to create a developmentally appropriate information intensive environment. Then, write a brief reflection on how your information intensive environment will impact your classroom climate.
My context:
1. An elective course (name: drone technology)
2. Teaching drone knowledge with English in a Chinese speaking context.
3. Grade 10.
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Step 1: Assess student needs and abilities with a questionnaire and chat.
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Step 2: Show students learning content with digital text, including online videos, pictures, articles, and charts in Google Docs.
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Step 3: Clearly state my expectations for students. Create a classroom agreement and decorate classrooms with encouraging slogans.
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Step 4: Prepare printed materials, such as drone operational manuals, books, posters, and webpages.
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Step 5: Use a variety of instructional strategies to engage students with English.
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Step 6: Shift to a different classroom and outdoors to create a diverse learning atmosphere.
How will your information intensive environment impact your classroom climate?
In my context, English is not the first or second language but rather a foreign language. As a result, students rarely use English in their daily lives, and they have never learned subject knowledge in English before. Consequently, in my classroom with teaching knowledge in English they may feel stressed when they encounter a significant amount of English on their learning platform. While an information-rich environment is beneficial for developing their literacy skills, it could also have negative effects if the teacher ignores their feelings about learning in a foreign language. To alleviate anxiety, I inform them that this course will be instructed in English. I conduct a survey of their English level through a questionnaire and engage in conversations with students during the orientation to better understand their English learning needs. I show them a digital text that I have revised into an easier version and add Chinese meaning on Google Docs, explain how they will learn, and express my expectations. This process helps them mentally prepare for the course and the challenges ahead, fostering an atmosphere of overcoming challenges and a growth mindset.
Next, I hope to create a foreign language communication atmosphere where students love speaking English. However, it is currently still not going well. Students passively answered my questions and were unwilling to express their ideas in English. This could be the issue of my instructional strategies. I intend to utilize the Communicative Language Teaching method (Blog, 2023) to build the climate by using English that is appropriate for the students’ proficiency levels and encourage them to express themselves in English. I will also incorporate authentic materials from the information-intensive environment, such as manuals, books, posters, and webpages. This exposes students to real-world language use and builds vocabulary to meet their interests. Additionally, I will make formative evaluations for students as quick, simple, and painless as possible and celebrate students’ success through assessments (Sienkiewicz, 2023). In the past, I often assessed students’ progress with worksheets or English speaking performance, but it tended to pressure students. The atmosphere of the classroom seemed serious and stressful. Tailoring content and assessments to students' developmental levels ensures that the learning is not overwhelming, fostering a sense of achievement and motivation. Using a variety of instructional strategies in the information-rich environment is the milestone of creating an English-loving atmosphere that I pursue.
The rotation between classrooms and outdoor settings, and design hands-on activities not only provides a change of scenery but also promotes students' learning experience. This not only positively impacts the overall classroom dynamics but also prevents the development of a static atmosphere. At this point, I was doing well; students feel more interested when we take classes outdoors to test theoretical concepts and have them operate drones. Throughout rotating class-taking places and hands-on activities, the atmosphere of collaboration and critical thinking is built as well.
In summary, the developmentally appropriate information-intensive environment is designed not only to enhance academic learning but also to positively impact the overall classroom climate, fostering a sense of belonging, collaboration, and enthusiasm among students. I would like to implement the strategies I mentioned by chance of learning in Moreland University. Hopefully, my classroom climate will reach my expectations.
Reference:
Sienkiewicz, E. (2023, February 20). Celebrating your English Learners’ Success through Assessments — Confianza. Confianza. https://ellstudents.com/blogs/the-confianza-way/celebrating-your-english-learners-success-through-assessments
Classroom Norms and Behavior Expectations
Classroom norms are the foundation of a safe, engaging, and student-centered learning environment. List 3-5 clear, concise, and positively framed norms and expectations that will guide the learning environment.
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Promote Mutual Respect:
During the teacher’s instruction, students might engage in misbehavior such as taking naps or abusing cell phones. As teachers, we must discipline students’ misbehavior patiently and positively, caring about what might cause these behaviors. Ensure that students know the teacher disciplines them in a respectful way to help them improve.
In some discussion sessions, students might have opposing opinions, which might lead to verbal conflicts. The teacher creates a respectful climate that helps students develop the competency of mutual respect, instructing them on how to treat others with dignity and respect, regardless of their beliefs or opinions. Engaging in active listening, avoiding interrupting or dismissing others' viewpoints, is crucial. Most importantly, the teacher should lead by example. Mutual respect would make the classroom a peaceful and safe learning environment.
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Embrace Open Communication:
Open communication is a universal norm in the classroom. It is crucial how the teacher guides students to express their thoughts and the teacher’s response to students. Encouraging open and honest communication and fostering a safe space for sharing ideas, questions, and concerns is the atmosphere that teachers should create. Opening communication makes students feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule.
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Practice Digital Etiquette:
In the digital age, digital competency is becoming a universal norm. Teachers consistently remind students to pay attention to online conduct, use appropriate language, and avoid discrimination to reduce the chance of issues. Furthermore, how teachers address cyberbullying is an important skill for teachers to learn. When students seek help from teachers regarding threats on social media or plagiarism on the Internet, teachers should be able to handle the situation effectively. This will help students feel comfortable and safe in their learning environment.
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Contribute Positively:
People love a sense of contribution. In the classroom, we often see students contributing to their peers and receiving positive feedback from the teacher or classmates. They would be more actively involved in the contribution. This is a good cycle. Teachers engage actively in students' learning processes, sharing thoughts and contributions constructively, and creating a collaborative and supportive atmosphere. These measures ensure that students learn in a safe and affirmative environment.
Strategies or Modifications for the Virtual Learning Environment
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Promote Mutual Respect:
Inappropriate words in a chat box, creating inappropriate profile pictures or nicknames, and chaotic and disorderly speech are common occurrences in virtual classrooms. Teachers should consistently emphasize the importance of mutual respect, reminding students to ask personal questions through private messages instead of publicly. When teachers see students chatting with inappropriate words, they must be corrected. Students should use their true names when they are using the virtual classrooms. The teacher establishes the order of speech to ensure every student responds to the questions in order. This ensures a positive, academic, and safe learning environment.
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Embrace Open Communication:
Due to being remote from the physical classroom, students tend to be reluctant to express their ideas. For teachers to guide students to respond to questions and encourage their participation in discussions, they need to employ effective strategies. Various communication channels, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, and virtual whiteboards with restricted access, can be utilized to facilitate open discussion. Additionally, providing constructive and supportive feedback to students fosters a culture of constructive criticism. Creating a fearless platform where students feel comfortable expressing themselves freely is key to building a positive and engaging virtual classroom.
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Practice Digital Etiquette:
Students in virtual classrooms may easily copy and paste words from the Internet, forget muting their microphones, and turn off their cameras. These common occurrences related to digital etiquette can be challenging for teachers. Teachers can create equitable speaking opportunities and provide a collaborative platform for students to share their ideas. Observing their responses to the question via texting: are these words appearing very quickly in a short time, which could probably be copied from other websites? Instead of telling them not to copy, teachers can teach them how to properly cite the information. Instead of telling them not to turn off their cameras, teachers can gradually establish a high quality of interaction in the virtual classroom, guiding students onto the learning path, which will make the virtual classrooms more comfortable and enjoyable.
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Contribute Positively:
Many students may know more digital tools than teachers. In virtual classrooms, teachers can engage students to brainstorm interesting online tools that improve learning. Have students share the tools they normally use, which can lead to a positive effect because tools that students are familiar with can create a very engaging tool. When a student's shared tools are accepted, he or she will feel affirmed, which creates a supportive and contributive atmosphere in the virtual classroom.
Routines and Procedures
Clear and consistent routines and procedures assist teachers in managing their learning environment effectively. List out your top 3-5 routines and procedures that you would implement in your own classroom. Following a routine lets students know what to expect each day in class. While moving away from the routine periodically can be effective for special days, doing it often causes students to be unprepared. (Add more rows as needed to the table.) Include modifications that you would make for situations when students don’t adhere to a particular routine or procedure.
Entry Routine
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Students bring their file folders and necessary stationery to the classroom within 10 minutes after the bell.
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Take the teacher-prepared worksheets, a tablet and two colors of paper cups (green and red) from the front desk.
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Mute and put personal cell phones in the box on the front desk.
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Reach their assigned seats, stack the red cup on the green, indicating their readiness for learning.
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Turn on the tablet, select a workable wifi connection, ensure the internet speed will not be too slow as many people log in simultaneously.
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Login the learning content that the teacher has prepared in the Google Classroom.
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Once students have assessed the learning content and completed every necessary preparation, they should switch to the green cup, signaling that they are ready for the lesson.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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If students forget to bring the necessary items, I will have them go back to their classroom to bring to this class. If someone couldn’t arrive at the classroom on time, I would give a kind reminder and ask them what happened, showing sympathy.
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There is always the possibility that students can’t login due to some unexpected problem with the tablet, so I will have them take backup tablets.
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Using Red and green cups is the new design for my upcoming semester. If students forget to switch the color of cups, I will remind them again.
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If students do not adhere to putting their phones in the box, I will tell them to be self-disciplined on using cell phones. Have students put their cell phone in their pockets.
English speaking time routine
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Warm-Up, students follow or repeat the teacher’s speech.
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Get to know the learning content and what to do for the upcoming activities.
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Learning with the teacher’s instruction.
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Practice with peers.
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Prepare for sharing in front of the class.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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Students might struggle with expressing themselves in English in front of the class. If students don’t feel comfortable with speaking English in front of the class, I will incorporate other activities or practice with peers instead of requiring them to share in front of the entire class.
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Encourage them to reach personal goals, for example, “this time I only share one word, next time, I will share one or more sentences.”
Lesson Closure Routine
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Students take a few minutes to reflect on today’s lesson.
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Listen to the teacher’s instructions about assignments and upcoming events.
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Raise your hand and share any ideas or ask questions.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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Students may be distracted or have misconceptions. In such cases, I will ask one or two students to repeat the teacher’s instructions to clarify.
Exit Routine
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Hand in today’s worksheet to the front desk.
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Turn off the tablet and log out of your account on the tablet.
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Take a look at the drawer to check if there are personal belongings.
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Close the window beside you.
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Put your chair back in its original position.
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Look back at your seat to check that everything is done.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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If students cannot complete worksheets in time, they will complete them after class and re-hand them in at the next class.
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If students do not follow the routine and leave the classroom messy, I will ask them to reflect on the results and remind them, even showing a picture of the classroom where improvements are needed.
Routines for the Online Classroom
Entry Routine
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Before the online lesson, ask classmates or the teacher what to prepare for the online learning essentials.
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Login on time
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Turn off any special effects such as background or make-up.
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Use the real name instead of the nicknames.
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Greeting with the teacher or peers.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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If a student logs in late, I will send gentle reminders to students about the importance of punctuality, especially if someone constantly logs in late, I will ask him or her to reflect on this lesson at the end of the lesson.
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If students use nicknames , I will send a private message to the student to immediately correct his or her name.
Breakout room learning Routine
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Provide essential information to the teacher for grouping before the lesson.
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Understand what to discuss and the learning outcomes in the breakout room.
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Know how to connect to collaborative online tools and use them effectively.
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If you encounter any problems, message the teacher or inform the teacher as soon as possible.
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Share a summary of your discussion or findings with the whole class.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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Students are occasionally unfamiliar with the learning platform or specific online tools. In such cases, I will have them communicate with classmates through alternative interfaces like messaging apps. This allows them to get assistance when encountering technical difficulties.
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If students’ teamwork has not been completed, their team must make up for it after class. They need to explain what happened during the breakout session to see if the learning design is doing well.
Exit Routine
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Check for announcements or messages from the teacher regarding assessments or important information.
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Save the online document to your personal cloud storage or download it.
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Log out of any online platforms or tools.
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Say goodbye before leaving the virtual classroom.
Modification for Non-Adherence:
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I will pose questions to engage students in a quick review of the assignment or important information.
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Students must learn to take responsibility for saving their learning data. If they lose the link, data, information from the online class, they need to retrieve it from their classmates or clarify it from the teacher. I will also remind students of such cases.
Transitions
Plan your transitions with a step-by-step process in the table below, and model with students within the first weeks of school. Review and practice these transitions with students after extended breaks, midyear, and anytime you add a new student to your class. Include specific instructions you would use with students with special needs and English language learners.
Tablet Usage Transition
( From entering the classroom to using a tablet)
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Look at the password on the whiteboard and log in to the Windows system.
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Locate the available Wi-Fi hotspots and connect to one.
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Verify that the internet speed is fast enough to ensure smooth video playback. If not, switch to another hotspot.
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Log in to the Google classroom with your account to access the learning content.
Reflection and Goal-Setting Transition
(Before students get started with implementing their projects)
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Reflect on why you chose this course as an elective? What skills and knowledge do you expect to learn?
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Review past experiences with this course. What challenges do you anticipate facing? How will you overcome them?
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Set your English language goals and track your progress monthly.
English Language Barrier Transition
(From the teacher uses more and more English as instructional language)
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Tell students if you are struggling with English, privately tell the teacher about your difficulties while the teacher goes through each group.
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Students may discuss with the teacher how they would like to be supported: simplify the English, add Chinese expressions, or need more time to understand the content?
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Students may also ask their classmates for help.
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As a teacher and having been down this road before, I will share resources, strategies, and best practices to enhance learning.
Students with special needs transition
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Observe students’ special needs and discuss with them how to best help them reach their goals.
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Students can share their needs privately with the teacher.
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Help students with special needs with appropriate assistive technology or other necessary support.
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Connect students with relevant community resources and mental health counseling when needed.
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Be committed to providing ongoing support and guidance tailored to each students’ needs.
Lecture to Think-Pair-Share Transition
(Shift from a lecture to think-pair-share)
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Read the question that the teacher poses, and understand the meaning of the question.
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Think individually about the question for a few minutes, and jot down possible answers or thoughts.
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Compare and discuss with your partner, and take turns to share opinions.
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Take a few minutes to build your own answers or perspectives for later expression.
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Share your discussions with the whole class.
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Listen attentively and respect different viewpoints.
Clean up transition
(Shift from assignment reminder to leave the classroom)
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Turn off the tablet and log out of your account on the tablet.
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Take a look at the drawer to check if there are personal belongings.
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Close the window beside you.
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Put your chair back in its original position.
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Look back at your seat to check that everything is done.
Transitions for the Online Classroom
Entry transition
(from login to all students entering the meeting room
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While greeting students, make sure their cameras and microphones are working properly
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Say hello and see how everyone’s feeling physically and mentally.
Attention Recovery Transition
(Shift from consistently sitting in front of screen to break time)
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Can you tell everyone seems a bit tired of staring at screens?
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Let’s take a break! I'm sensing some online fatigue.
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Let’s get some space! Stand up and turn away from your computer screens.
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Let's break the screen spell! Music? Stretches? Eye breaks? You choose!
English Language Barrier Transition
(From the teacher uses more and more English as instructional language)
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Tell students if you are struggling with English, don’t hesitate to text me privately about your difficulties.
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Provide students with assistive software or online tools that can help.
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As a teacher who's also learned English, I can share resources, strategies, and best practices to boost your learning.
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After class, let's talk about how I can best support you. Would you like me to simplify the English, add Chinese expressions, or give you more time to understand the content?
Students with special needs transition
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The teacher will observe students’ special needs and discuss with them how to help them best reach their goals.
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Students can also tell the teacher their needs privately.
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The teacher regularly monitors the students’ progress and engagement in the online classroom.
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The teacher will help students with special needs with appropriate assistive technology or other proper assistance.
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Connect students with appropriate community resources and mental health counseling.
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The teacher will be flexible and adapt to the learning environment, providing ongoing support and guidance.
Students with special needs transition
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Group students based on their chosen topics.
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Explain the learning objectives.
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Introduce the collaborative learning platform.
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Divide students into breakout rooms.
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Visit each breakout room to observe and provide assistance.
Dismissal transition
(Shift from assignment reminder to leave the online classroom)
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Briefly recap the key points covered in the lesson.
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Clarify the assignments and any reminders.
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Announce the upcoming work.
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Express appreciation for students’ participation and effort.
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Say goodbye to students and encourage students to do so as well.
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Provide assistance to students who have any problems.
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Close the meeting room when every student has left.
Responding to Traumatic Stress
Create a data gathering exercise to understand students’ backgrounds and identify if any of them have experienced traumatic stress. Tip: Previous teachers are sometimes a good source of information. Complete the chart below with possible strategies that you would use for specific types of trauma.
Academic Trauma
Symptoms
depression, refusal to attend school, suicidal tendency
Response Strategies
Normally, students who are experiencing academic trauma and struggling with their academic performance tend to feel depressed, exhibit a refusal to attend school, or show suicidal tendencies. Teachers may observe these signs through students' social media, information from previous teachers, or be informed by parents and peers.
The teacher can gather more information about the student’s academic performance from the educational division to analyze details about the decline, providing necessary academic support such as tutoring or remediation. Alternatively, they can talk to the student to understand their situation and come up with solutions to alleviate the stress from schoolwork.
Some academic declines are caused by other factors, such as physiological issues or peer-group pressure. Teachers may inquire with classmates to learn more about the student's struggles. Alternatively, the counselor may have records indicating whether the student has had previous suicidal attempts, addressing problems like swallowing medicinal tablets.
Bullying Trauma
Symptoms
Students show they feel scared, introverted, vulnerable, threatened, or anxious.
Response Strategies
We periodically survey students to inquire whether they have experienced or heard of any bullying through a questionnaire. Sometimes, we successfully address bullying trauma through the survey. When teachers identify a questionnaire that reveals signs of bullying, we conduct interviews and arrange meetings with students to understand what is happening with the bullying. Once the victim shares their experience, we activate the formal bullying-prevention procedure to investigate the truth and provide essential intervention.
Verbal bullying is commonly observed on social media. In some forums, students express dissatisfaction with school life, where cyberbullying occurs. Some students anonymously critique club issues or complain about school events or class affairs, leading to arguments and bullying of specific students.
In cases of verbal bullying, teachers may discuss with students the source of these messages. Generally, students might know that these offensive words come from a particular group. The teacher can address these issues through informal chats or interviews. Additionally, teachers can educate students on digital literacy, teaching them how to respond when they encounter such situations. It is also a good idea to consult with their previous teachers and delegate a 'more responsible' student to be their classroom/playground buddy, highlighting their strengths and encouraging them to socialize more to gain confidence.
Sexual Trauma
Symptoms
Students show they feel scared,vulnerable, lose temper easily, hotheaded
Response Strategies
Students often seem physically withdrawn from their classmates and don't socialize much with others. Sometimes, they may only share their experiences with classmates instead of telling adults, fearing judgment or reprimand. Teachers can pick up on these signs by chatting with students and getting to know their school life. This relies on a strong and well-established teacher-student relationship. Often, teachers can find the signs or clues they need through informal chats with the students.
Once the teacher confirms the sexual trauma, they must refer the student to a counselor and protect the victim's privacy. Building trust between the student and the teacher is crucial. Immediately seek professional help from counselors to deal with the situation formally, as it is also regulated by our country's laws. The case can be effectively resolved by a group of committees using professional measures.
TRAUMATIC GRIEF
Symptoms
Students show they feel lonely, powerless, victimized, insecure.
Response Strategies
It is easier to notice students who are suffering from grief because messages about a student's condition are often conveyed by peers or parents. We may notice them by observing whether a student withdraws from classmates, exhibits decreased engagement in schoolwork, or displays noticeable changes in mood. Alternatively, a student who often verbalizes feelings of sadness, anger, or despair.
When the teacher suspects a student is grieving, the first step is to create a safe and supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing their pain, reinforcing positive self-talk and encouraging them. Remind them of their strength and resilience in the face of adversity. In addition to that, guiding them towards the school counselor or other grief support services available, such as support groups or online resources.
Grief is a unique journey for each individual, and healing takes time. Let students know that you are there for them in the long term, even as time passes. Be patient with their progress and offer consistent support can be inavalue in their healing process.
Technology Tools
Technology can improve the way you manage the learning environment by helping save instructional time, track trends in student behavior, create lines of communication with families, and even empower students to take leadership roles. Integrate some technology tools for managing the learning environment in a physical and online classroom into this planning document and explain how you plan to use each.
TalentLMS / Wix Online Programs app
In the past, establishing a Learning Management System (LMS) felt both time-consuming and expensive for me. However, while studying the TEACH NOW program, I discovered its potential and gained awareness of differentiated instruction. If I wanted to foster student learning, and develop a capability of autonomous learning, LMS could be a good way to reach out the goal because students can follow the path that the teacher has designed, guided step by step to complete the learning task. I saw the value of a self-directed learning platform where students could choose their interests, particularly in my elective course. I envisioned a curriculum allowing students to select content, and an LMS seemed like the perfect fit.
TalentLMS is designed to be both affordable and user-friendly. Its intuitive interface allows me to easily edit content, set up discussion questions, and create surveys to gather student feedback and gauge prior knowledge. Most importantly, it enables me to assign personalized learning paths and conduct self-assessments, facilitating my transition from a lecturer to a facilitator role, while students learn at their own pace.
Alternatively, Wix Online Programs app could be another option. It is an add-on app on Wix where I built my e-portfolio for the TEACH NOW program, providing step-by-step progress as well as TalentLMS. If I build the online program on this platform, I can also showcase my work to my mentor and students, and reduce the cost of building a learning platform. I am taking consideration on these two tools.
My biggest challenge now is creating the framework and content, but I believe its completion will empower my students to become self-directed learners.
WordWall
Thanks to my school for purchasing the School Plans, which unlock more features in this amazing tool. Here are some features I find particularly valuable:
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Label diagrams: I use these to map drone wiring, helping students clearly visualize the connections between each part. This interactive exploration enhances their understanding.
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Group sort: This feature works like a Venn diagram, allowing students to compare and contrast different concepts, strengthening their critical thinking and cognitive skills.
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Seat plan: This helps me create diverse seating arrangements, encouraging students to interact with classmates and fostering communication skills.
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Gamified quizzes: Students love taking assessments and challenges within the gamified quizzes, making learning fun and engaging.
In particular, this tool excels at assessing students’ understanding of the content with gamified assessment, which make up for LMS.
Classroomscreen
It is like a multi-functional white board. This tool allows me to manage classroom transitions and set norms. I can use the traffic light or timer to control the pace, apply backgrounds to highlight lesson content or create an atmosphere, conduct polls to gauge student opinions, and even provide emoji feedback. I believe these platform widgets enhance engagement, making my classroom more fun and dynamic.
In particular, the tool costs $30 per year, making it affordable for individual teachers.
Google Classroom
Google Classroom served as an essential online tool during the pandemic. Its familiar features allowed for a seamless transition to remote learning. Thanks to our school's policy of ensuring every student has a Google account, access to the platform was effortless. Both teachers and students found the app user-friendly and easy to navigate.
However, after extensive use, the familiar interface and features of Google Classroom has felt less engaging. This motivates me to explore other systems that might spark renewed student interest.
Message app: LINE
In our country, LINE reigns as the main communication app for students. Almost all students use it daily, so important information rarely slips through the cracks. I've created a chat group where students receive messages about homework and answer my questions directly. I regularly inform them of essential items for each lesson and facilitate open discussions about the course. LINE plays a crucial role in communicating with students.
Google Docs
I use Google Docs as my learning platform. Its table of contents feature allows me to navigate students directly to relevant sections during my lessons. I can also edit course content effectively. Students are familiar with the co-editing feature; its real-time editing enables students to work on the same document simultaneously, fostering teamwork and allowing me to monitor progress live. I also love the voice typing feature, which makes students practice speaking English by converting their speech to text for examining pronunciation and grammar structures.
Communicating With Families
Use the box below to describe tools that you would use to communicate regularly with families about students’ progress, achievements, or behaviors.
Communication app: LINE
Some homeroom teachers in my school create a LINE group chat where teachers and parents can communicate more directly. This allows teachers to send messages to parents about students’ behavior, and parents can inform the teacher when their children will be absent. While this promotes efficient communication, there's also a risk of confrontation or conflict arising in the chat groups. In such situations, students can get caught in the middle of disagreements between teachers and parents. It's important for parents to be aware of their limitations in the chat group and prioritize respectful communication to avoid negatively impacting the students.
Attendance report
Our students' affairs division periodically mails paper attendance reports to students' homes, highlighting issues like absenteeism and tardiness. These reports serve as reminders for both students and parents. At times, students take sick leave verbally or take unofficial class affair leave without proper documentation, resulting in teacher-marked absences. In these cases, the report also prompts students to submit formal documentation to rectify the absence.
Phone Call
When students misbehave in school, we usually inform their parents by making a phone call. This allows teachers to explain their disruptive behaviors in more detail and assure parents that their child is well-supported by the school. Phone calls provide an efficient way to communicate with parents and ensure both support and appropriate discipline for students, regardless of their behavior.