How to create a 'Positive Classroom Environment' in Early Childhood Classrooms
How to create a 'Positive Classroom Environment' in Early Childhood Classrooms
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Research shows it promotes meaningful learning experiences, and motivates students to practice higher-level critical thinking skills, increasing students' overall performance.
In my Masters' class share-discussion with other early years educators, we listed --Routines and norms; Safety and safe spaces; Praise and encouragement; Fair treatment; Understanding students’ background/home life; Listening to students; Social skills development; Age-appropriate materials and resources; and; Displaying student’s work -- as the elements needed for creating a positive learning environment [hereafter referred to as PLE] , with “Love” being a major component.
The Elements of Positive Learning Environments
I agree with the organisation, All-4-Education which states that 4 elements are needed to create a PLE, namely:
Safety - It contributes to students being able to succeed academically, because they must feel safe, both physically and mentally (welcomed, supported & respected). Safety encompasses love.
Engagement - It contributes to the importance of meeting students' individual needs using student-centred approaches such as Personalised Learning; Play-based Learning; Project-based Learning, and so on.
Connectedness - PLEs require that students feel connected to teachers, staff, and other students by focusing on social and emotional learning (SEL) which helps students understand and manage their emotions and interactions with others. This has a profound impact on student success and whole child development. Connectedness encompasses love.
Support - It doesn't hold meaning if student's don't feel supported by all those connected to their learning experience [i.e. teachers, classmates, administrators, family, and community members] who MUST share an understanding of what a PLE looks like to work towards the same common goal. Support encompasses love, and is also interrelated with the extra element I added to create an effective and well-rounded PLE for all students to thrive.
I agree with this list and would add in one more:
5. Open Communication - To ensure that all students having a voice is curated and nurtured to be reflected in that space . To keep an open flow of communication between teachers, students, parents and the school to have better understanding, and work in the best interest of the student. This extends to daily communication, PTCs, PTAs involvement, school events, volunteering to lead activities in the class, coffee meet-ups, parent workshops, and so on.
I think these 5 elements are the staple to creating a PLE and incorporates all the details mentioned in our class discussion. I will add that I think PLEs primarily require intentionality.
The Benefits
According to an article by 'The School in Rose Valley', the benefits of a positive learning environment includes:
Increases student interaction with peers and teachers
Provides students with frequent feedback
Requires increased time, effort, and investment for tasks
Offers students the opportunity to apply their learning in other situations
Gives the opportunity to experience diversity
More Benefits
SEL programs improve students’ social competence, self-awareness, connection to school, positive interactions with others, and academic performance.
Using the Personalized learning approach helps students develop deeper learning competencies including thinking critically, using knowledge and information to solve complex problems, working collaboratively, communicating effectively, learning how to learn, and developing academic mindsets.
Comparing two schools of thought for: (Cognitivism) Piaget & (Constructivism) Bruner
A PLE requires that we consider things from the perspective of the student, and understand how they fundamentally learn, and this relates to elements within cognitivism and constructivism.
Cognitivism focuses on the idea that students process information they receive rather than just responding to a stimulus, as with behaviourism. In cognitivism theory, learning occurs when the student reorganises information, either by finding new explanations or adapting old ones.
Piaget's cognitive stage theory "maintains that children gradually become able to think logically and scientifically in distinct stages". Whereas, constructivism on the other hand, is based on the premise that we construct learning new ideas based on our own prior knowledge and experiences, and as such are unique to every learner.
Bruner's framework has become the framework for instruction used in many schools today wherein he emphasises revisiting learning as the key concepts of curriculum design, repeated but deepening the layers of complexity. Much of the this is actually linked to Piaget's child development research with both being interested in cognitive development, believing that learning is constructed actively and is contextualised.
However, Bruner doesn't believe development consists of stages the way Piaget does (Stage theory) but instead that it is a continuous process, further arguing that social factors such as language are important for cognitive growth.
For a PLE, Bruner embodies the growth mindset using his three Modes of Representation. Following Piaget to create a PLE means focusing more on the techniques and strategies used in the classroom, and looks a lot like linking concepts together (cross-curricular), linking concepts to real-world examples, problem-solving activities and discussions. Discussions by asking students to reflect on their experience, on what is being taught or asking students to explain and justify their thinking.
Following Bruner, allows teachers to have understanding of the importance of student's individuality, specifically their unique way of learning. Using the spiral curriculum so that your classes revisit different learning concepts repeatedly with appropriate instruction aided with practice and support structures such as scaffolding. These guide students through the lesson and provide opportunities to make next steps in their learning. They help students understand new ideas, complete new tasks, motivates and encourages them to achieve higher levels of development which is what we want in a PLE.
We want education and the classroom environment in particular to facilitate a child's thinking and problem-solving, which in turn can be transferred to a multitude of situations. Bruner enables the teacher to design lessons that help students discover the relationship between bits of information, building on it as children make new discoveries.
<<< Piaget’s Theories highlight the importance of using a child-centred approach which can be utilised to create a PLE, however they are more rigid & less fluid, not accounting for language. This could impact fostering a positive class atmosphere, whereas Bruner seems to allow for more flexibility, so taking elements that work from each & collaborating, may be the better option >>>
Supplementary video of how to foster a PLE to support students
Implementing an effective PLE means you need to define what is important: i.e. setting up the 'scene' and enhancing learning in a multitude of ways that allow young children's abilities and knowledge to be learned from teachers, other students, (self) exploration through curiousity, trial, error and practice, and also from their environment, the classroom.
"...Ideally, Piaget’s developmental stages can be used to curate the school structure, Vygotsky’s ZPD used to inform classroom strategies and Bruner’s spiral to curate an evolving curriculum - supported by Positive Discipline techniques/SEL Programs, and the collaboration between teachers, parents and admin..." ~ Ky
"...Ideally, Piaget’s developmental stages can be used to curate the school structure, Vygotsky’s ZPD used to inform classroom strategies and Bruner’s spiral to curate an evolving curriculum - supported by Positive Discipline techniques/SEL Programs, and the collaboration between teachers, parents and admin..." ~ Ky
How Piaget's Theory can help create, foster and contribute to a Positive Learning Environment
How Piaget's Theory can help create, foster and contribute to a Positive Learning Environment
The B & P Model School is a good example of how it would function, bearing in mind that it includes Vygotsky.
The B & P Model School is a good example of how it would function, bearing in mind that it includes Vygotsky.
Using Piaget’s theory to help create a positive learning environment ensures administrators and teachers work together. With those who create the policies, discipline codes and curate the curriculum working in unison with educators, who have their ‘fingers on the pulse’ in the classrooms to discuss relevance, age-appropriateness, teaching strategies or techniques, to then create feasible and beneficial modifications that reflect learning in the 21st century.This solidifies that a common goal is attained across the board to cultivate the desired environment, in the best interest of students’ academic success, learning and overall well-being.
Using Piaget’s theory to help create a positive learning environment ensures administrators and teachers work together. With those who create the policies, discipline codes and curate the curriculum working in unison with educators, who have their ‘fingers on the pulse’ in the classrooms to discuss relevance, age-appropriateness, teaching strategies or techniques, to then create feasible and beneficial modifications that reflect learning in the 21st century.This solidifies that a common goal is attained across the board to cultivate the desired environment, in the best interest of students’ academic success, learning and overall well-being.
Piaget reminds us that our students, no matter how young, are not passive learners, and the role we choose to play, whether leader, guide, facilitator or helper, rather than authoritarian, is important.
Piaget reminds us that our students, no matter how young, are not passive learners, and the role we choose to play, whether leader, guide, facilitator or helper, rather than authoritarian, is important.
Both teachers and students’ benefit from using Piaget’s theory in the classroom: “Teachers develop a better understanding of their students' thinking [and can] also align their teaching strategies with their students' cognitive level (such as, motivational set, modeling, and assignments)”. For students’, this increases their learning through more opportunities to play and learn within their environment, from their teachers, and indirectly from their peers as well. It also provides opportunities for students to develop their ‘conservation of constancy skills’, to recognize similarities and differences at both the physical and abstract level (Garner, 2008). He believed that young children develop and/or increase their conservation by (a) visualization and reflective awareness and by (b) encouraging students to notice similarities and differences in objects. And though Piaget has 4 defined stages, the psychology of his theory also recognizes that not every child learns the same so we need to make sure that all the students in our class are being included and that the overall class environment is supportive for their development and well-being, hence his directed research on young children’s needs.
Both teachers and students’ benefit from using Piaget’s theory in the classroom: “Teachers develop a better understanding of their students' thinking [and can] also align their teaching strategies with their students' cognitive level (such as, motivational set, modeling, and assignments)”. For students’, this increases their learning through more opportunities to play and learn within their environment, from their teachers, and indirectly from their peers as well. It also provides opportunities for students to develop their ‘conservation of constancy skills’, to recognize similarities and differences at both the physical and abstract level (Garner, 2008). He believed that young children develop and/or increase their conservation by (a) visualization and reflective awareness and by (b) encouraging students to notice similarities and differences in objects. And though Piaget has 4 defined stages, the psychology of his theory also recognizes that not every child learns the same so we need to make sure that all the students in our class are being included and that the overall class environment is supportive for their development and well-being, hence his directed research on young children’s needs.
Our goal as EC educators is to help individual students construct knowledge and actively develop. This means we have to be an active participant in the curriculum being taught, in assessing its applicability and (level) appropriateness for our students, including the activity or way it is being presented, taught, reinforced and reviewed. According to a research journal by Barbara Blake and Tambra Pope (May 2008), “it is advantageous for teachers to understand cognitive psychology because it can help them improve their teaching and student learning [to become] more cognizant of how people process, learn, and remember information, which helps them plan more effective lessons and create positive learning environments for their students. (Black & Green, 2005). Furthermore, studies show that with the use of appropriate developmental instructional techniques, teachers have been able to increase the test scores of children in public schools, positively influencing student performance.
Our goal as EC educators is to help individual students construct knowledge and actively develop. This means we have to be an active participant in the curriculum being taught, in assessing its applicability and (level) appropriateness for our students, including the activity or way it is being presented, taught, reinforced and reviewed. According to a research journal by Barbara Blake and Tambra Pope (May 2008), “it is advantageous for teachers to understand cognitive psychology because it can help them improve their teaching and student learning [to become] more cognizant of how people process, learn, and remember information, which helps them plan more effective lessons and create positive learning environments for their students. (Black & Green, 2005). Furthermore, studies show that with the use of appropriate developmental instructional techniques, teachers have been able to increase the test scores of children in public schools, positively influencing student performance.
Following Piaget in the classrooms means you help students to be able to adapt to different environments and/or levels of knowledge through his processes of assimilation and accommodation, and as students reach equilibrium, continue to expand it. Also making considerations for the student’s ability to absorb and learn from stimuli, and this is where Bruner’s spiral curriculum can be infused for expansion learning.
Following Piaget in the classrooms means you help students to be able to adapt to different environments and/or levels of knowledge through his processes of assimilation and accommodation, and as students reach equilibrium, continue to expand it. Also making considerations for the student’s ability to absorb and learn from stimuli, and this is where Bruner’s spiral curriculum can be infused for expansion learning.
The most important aspect is that it is age-appropriate and Piaget is an advocate for incorporating gamified- and play-based learning as teaching strategies. His theory supports hands-on learning encouraging their curiosity and allowing them to experience concepts. For example, ‘addition’: by interacting with objects in their environment, to develop logical and mathematical thought as they internalize these actions as thought processes.
The most important aspect is that it is age-appropriate and Piaget is an advocate for incorporating gamified- and play-based learning as teaching strategies. His theory supports hands-on learning encouraging their curiosity and allowing them to experience concepts. For example, ‘addition’: by interacting with objects in their environment, to develop logical and mathematical thought as they internalize these actions as thought processes.
Here, young learners can gain knowledge both individually and by observing and acting with others in pairs and groups, or even with peer discussion. Discussion generates cognitive conflict, a critical factor in cognitive development. Though the focus still remains on the individual’s development, and a good tool to use are formative assessments wherein teachers can use it to understand their prior experience, understanding and topic construction process.
Here, young learners can gain knowledge both individually and by observing and acting with others in pairs and groups, or even with peer discussion. Discussion generates cognitive conflict, a critical factor in cognitive development. Though the focus still remains on the individual’s development, and a good tool to use are formative assessments wherein teachers can use it to understand their prior experience, understanding and topic construction process.
Piaget’s assessment practices focus on discovering what students already know and present abilities in order to inform subsequent teaching. In a PLE, this is important to ensure teaching is timely and relevant to each student’s current capacity for structuring and restructuring knowledge.
Piaget’s assessment practices focus on discovering what students already know and present abilities in order to inform subsequent teaching. In a PLE, this is important to ensure teaching is timely and relevant to each student’s current capacity for structuring and restructuring knowledge.
His belief in active and discovery learning, in a classroom setting, would have teachers encourage curiosity and create opportunities for exploration through hands-on learning, open-ended projects, and experimenting. Young learners can explore carefully planned activities and experiences designed to help them realize key observations and ideas.
His belief in active and discovery learning, in a classroom setting, would have teachers encourage curiosity and create opportunities for exploration through hands-on learning, open-ended projects, and experimenting. Young learners can explore carefully planned activities and experiences designed to help them realize key observations and ideas.
To create this atmosphere in your EC classroom, you will need to:
build and nurture relationships and have good rapport
ensure the content and learning activities/practicals are relevant [to the lives; are age-appropriate; and build foundational skills]
utilise class rules with learner involvement
implement positive discipline strategies and techniques in your classroom
nurture intrinsic motivation; and
provide teacher support in ways that aid their growth and development.
This type of environment can only be created through 'being fostered'. Hence as I mentioned, that 'being intentional' is at the forefront of this ideology because you have to set out the specifics and consider how they enable, nurture or hinder aspects of the positive learning environment you are trying to create. You have to weigh the impact it has. you can do so with classroom management techniques, by building relationships [with your teaching team, your grade level team, your students, their parents and admin if necessary] and incorporating student interest into classes, activities and overall learning. I think it is also important to be open to other ideas and flexibility to change what is not working.
This blog post was researched and written by Ky De Jager I Education Professional
References
https://www.theschoolinrosevalley.org/engaged-learning-environment/
https://www.educationcorner.com/learning-theories-in-education/
https://all4ed.org/blog/four-elements-for-creating-a-positive-learning-environment/
https://www.people.wm.edu/~mxtsch/Teaching/JCPE/Volume1/JCPE_2008-01-09.pdf
https://mathsnoproblem.com/blog/teaching-tips/jerome-bruner-theories-put-into-practice/
https://theeducationhub.org.nz/piagets-theory-of-education/
Check out this blog for a step by step of how to implement a PLE at the start of the school year for your classroom.
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