Blog 9: Creating a Productive Learning Environment

In this blog I will be writing about certain aspects in my CT’s classroom like action zones, environmental cues, and seating arrangements that create her learning environment (Bohlin, Durwin, & Reese-Webber, 2012, p.328). In the classroom, the main action zone would be on the carpet where the children are read stories too and in front of the class where she does overhead work. I think that these are great areas for the majority of the instruction to take place but the school is set up as a large rooms with classrooms divided by bookshelves and movable walls. I think that it may be hard for children to focus on these action zones because of outside distractions from other classes. For example, some classes may walk through our classroom in the back and take the attention of the students away.

Another thing I have noticed would be my CT’s use of environmental cues. In the beginning of class, she will play soft music which indicates to the students that they need to quietly settle in and get ready for the day. When the music ends, the students know to put on the morning announcements and afterward get started on their bell work if they have not done so already.

My CT uses a lot of areas in the day to facilitate group work. This is probably why she chose to have the students sit in group clusters. Having them sit in groups is good for her instruction methods but can take away from their attention when it is time to move on to individual work. I wonder if my CT placed the students in group based on their abilities. Did she purposely place the ELL student together so that they can help each other with assignments?

Bohlin, L., Durwin, C.C., & Reese-Webber, M. (2012). Edpsych Modules (Second Edition). New York. Mc Graw Hill Higher Education.

#learningenvironmentactionzonesenvironmentalcuesseatingarrangements