MEES Standard 5: Positive Classroom Environment
The teacher candidate uses an understanding of individual/group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages active engagement in learning, positive social interaction, and self-motivation.
Artifact 1: Positive Classroom Feedback
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Description of Artifact: For the non fiction writing unit, students submitted a final piece of their non fiction books. After they submitted their final published piece, students met in a group to share and celebrate their writing. While each student read their expert story, the others in the group wrote a compliment for that student's book. This artifact is a small snapshot of some of the compliments the students wrote to each other.
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Artifact Alignment with MEES: When students are able to listen to their peers, give compliments, and share their compliments with one another, this creates a space for students to engage in listening and also allows students to feel proud of the work they accomplished. I used an understanding of individual/group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages active engagement in learning, positive social interaction, and self-motivation by allowing students to listen to each other and give and receive compliments.
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Reflection of Philosophy: Creating a classroom environment that is welcoming of all students will show students that they are safe and loved in the classroom. Once students are able to feel safe and loved, only then can they academically grow. With this positive peer feedback, students maintain positivity in interaction which encourages them to engage with other students.
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First Year Goals/ Growth Point: As a first year teacher, creating a classroom environment where each student is hearing positive feedback from the teacher and their peers is important for mental and emotional development of the student. Each child deserves to be told that they are worthy and amazing and using their peers to deliver the message creates a stronger classroom environment full of positivity.
*Students names are blurred for privacy and protection*
Artifact 2: Caught You Being Good
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Description of Artifact: Caught You Being Goods are reward incentives that students can get by being a good friend, learner, or student. If a student does a kind act to another student or teacher, they get to fill out their name in a caught you being good slip, which are then added to a large envelope where students' names can be pulled for prizes.
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Artifact Alignment with MEES: The Caught You Being Good slips create a classroom environment where students get to show off their amazing personalities. This also allows their peers to cheer them on if they are called for their caught being goods. Students cheer and clap for the student that receives a Caught You Being Good. Doing this teaches students from a young age to be supportive of their peers and their accomplishments.
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Reflection of Philosophy: Creating a classroom environment that is welcoming of all students will show students that they are safe and loved in the classroom. Once students are able to feel safe and loved, only then can they academically grow. With this positive peer feedback, students maintain positivity in interaction which encourages them to engage with other students.
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First Year Goals/ Growth Point: As a first year teacher, creating a classroom environment where each student is hearing positive feedback from the teacher and their peers is important for mental and emotional development of the student. Each child deserves to be told that they are worthy and amazing and using their peers to deliver the message creates a stronger classroom environment full of positivity. Students are more inclined to work harder when they are receiving attention for it.
