Out With Erin

The Teacher Quality Standards outlines two areas that must be followed in order to be conducive to students learning:

1) Teachers establish learning environments wherein students feel physically, psychologically, socially, and culturally secure.
Being a teacher I feel that it is my number one job to ensure that all students in my class feel safe and cared for. Without having a safe and caring environment, learning would be impossible. I spend time each day with every student, having a mini conversation and asking them a question, to build a strong relationship and show them how much I care for them. Because I have a strong relationship with my students built on trust and care, they feel comfortable around me and are able to approach me when they have concerns or problems. I always want my students to know I care for them and respect them, and display this through my teaching and valuing our relationship.

2) Teachers work independently and cooperatively, to make their classrooms and schools stimulating learning environments. They maintain acceptable levels of student conduct, and use discipline strategies that result in a positive environment conducive to student learning.
It is important to have a classroom that is mutually respectful. Students need to understand when they need to be quiet and when they need to collaborate with others. They need to know that some students have different learning styles and need to be respectful towards them. I work together with my class each year to develop a list of classroom guidelines. When students are a part of the process of creating these, they take more ownership in following them. Additionally, they are able to evaluate where they made a mistake and offer their own consequence. It is important to have an orderly classroom where learning can be maximized.