Classroom Climate & Management

On the first day of class, a high school teacher begins the class by asking students to do this activity: Pull your chairs together into groups of four. Take five minutes to introduce each other by completing this sentence: "Hi, my name is _____. Five years from now, I would like to be _____." Be ready to include one of your group members to the whole class. This activity primarily addresses which of the following instructional goals?

• It demonstrates that the teacher values oral language in this class.

• It begins to create a nurturing, inclusive classroom community.

• It focuses students’ attention on career choices.

• It introduces the students to a collaborative class environment.

Answer explanation

The activity fosters interaction and sharing among students, helping to build relationships and a sense of belonging, which is essential for a nurturing, inclusive classroom community.

At the beginning of the school year, a grade 4 teacher creates these posters, decorates them using clip art, and places them around the room: - There is no such thing as a wrong answer. - It takes a lot of wrong answers to get to the right one. - Questions show you’re thinking. - Mistakes are evidence that you’re learning something new. - If you don’t understand, just ask. This posters primarily address which of the following instructional strategies?

• Creating a class environment that gives learners a great deal of responsibility for their own learning.

• Ensuring that learners understand that the teacher is the instructional authority and the source of correct answers.

• Creating a class climate that emphasizes supportive interactions and promotes learners’ active engagement.

• Creating a class environment that promotes oral language as a building block of increased cognitive growth.

Answer explanation

The posters promote a supportive classroom climate, encouraging students to engage actively and view mistakes as part of learning, aligning with the correct choice that emphasizes supportive interactions.

A classroom with desks arranged in rows and the teacher’s desk at the front is the typical configuration of classroom space. Frequently, however, teachers rearrange the rows into clusters of desks where students face each other. This configuration of classroom space is primarily intended to impact classroom climate in which of the following ways:

• To create a classroom space that emphasizes collaboration and facilitates opportunities for learning in a variety of deliver contexts

• To create a room arrangement that gives the teacher a clear view of every student in the room to facilitate monitoring of students’ learning needs

• To create a classroom space that replaces the teacher’s authority with a democratic environment that promote learners’ autonomy.

Answer explanation

The cluster arrangement fosters collaboration among students, allowing them to engage in discussions and learn from each other, which enhances the overall classroom climate and supports diverse learning contexts.

A middle-school teacher keeps a birthday calendar prominently displayed in the classroom. When a student has a birthday, the teacher gives the birthday child a hand-decorated paper bag that includes a “happy birthday” pencil, miscellaneous school supplies, and a candy bar, and the student gets to wear a “star of the day” ribbon. The teacher’s actions primarily support which of the following instructional goals?

• Making sure that students see connections between home and school

• Creating a nurturing, inclusive classroom environment that addresses students’ emotional needs

• Ensuring that students see the classroom as a place where they can have fun

• Promoting intrinsic motivation so that students will work diligently on class content

Answer explanation

The teacher's actions, such as giving birthday gifts and a special ribbon, foster a sense of belonging and emotional support, which primarily creates a nurturing, inclusive classroom environment that addresses students’ emotional needs.

A grade 5 math teacher has two students who are overly talkative. These two students raise their hands to answer every question and frequently blurt out answers without being called on. Which of the following strategies is the best way for the teacher to help these students become more cohesive members of the class community?

• The teacher should call on students randomly rather than inviting students to volunteer to answer.

• The teacher should pair these students and have them work together.

• During group work, the teacher should ask these students to be observers and recorders for their group’s work.

• The teacher should tell these students to stop volunteering to answer every question and allow other students to participate.

Answer explanation

Asking the talkative students to be observers and recorders during group work allows them to engage without dominating discussions, fostering collaboration and helping them learn to support their peers.

Teachers can use a variety of grouping strategies. They can place students in groups based on ability, or they can create heterogeneous groups that reflect a range of abilities. Students can be allowed to self-select groups. Teachers can pair students or they can create groups of four and five members. Flexibility in grouping strategies primarily reflects which of the following aspects of a positive, productive class environment?

• Students thrive in a climate that routinely integrates surprise and limits predictability.

• Using a variety of grouping systems allows students to develop cooperative work strategies that reflect their individual abilities.

• Using a variety of grouping strategies allows the teacher to test the developmental appropriateness of instructional materials.

• Using a variety of grouping strategies ensures fairness by moving low-achieving students from group to group.

Answer explanation

Using a variety of grouping systems allows students to develop cooperative work strategies that reflect their individual abilities, fostering collaboration and enhancing learning outcomes in a diverse classroom.

Mr. Gomez has the following motivational saying on the wall of his grade 9 history class: “Winning in her is the key to winning out there.” He tells the students that this is a quote from the film Coach Carter and periodically shows clips of the film to the class. Mr. Gomez wants his students to understand what “winning in here” means. Which three of the following activities could Mr. Gomez use to reinforce the culture of success in the class environment?

• Each time he shows a film clip, Mr. Gomez has students analyze the conflicts depicted in the scene.

• Once a week, at the beginning of class, students work in groups to brainstorm about words that suggest winning, like success, triumph, overcoming, yes!, hitting them mark and bull’s-eye!

• Mr. Gomez has a “winning is about…” bulletin board where students post comments about a story about winning that they heard about on the news or from a classmate.

• Mr. Gomez break students into groups with the task to create a list of “winners” and “losers” in history.

• Mr. Gomez creates a class blog where students can post a response to this prompt: “You’re a winner when...

Answer explanation

The selected activities promote a culture of success by encouraging students to explore the concept of winning through brainstorming, sharing stories, and personal reflections, reinforcing the idea of 'winning in here'.

A seventh-grade history teacher dresses up as a relevant historical figure each time he introduces a new unit and offers an account of historical events from the perspective of the persona of the historical character. This strategy primarily reflects which of the following aspects of creating a positive, productive classroom environment?

• The teacher wants to present historical information from multiple perspectives.

• The teacher is presenting instruction in a way that communicates the teacher’s enthusiasm for learning.

• The teacher wants to make history more fun for the students.

• The teacher wants to increase students’ ability to remember historical facts.

Answer explanation

The teacher's choice to dress as historical figures shows enthusiasm for learning, making the subject more engaging and relatable, which fosters a positive classroom environment.

A middle-school social studies teacher has the classroom arranged with his desk at the back of the room. When he presents class material, he walks around the room as he lectures, sometimes stopping at a student’s desk to ask a question. The teacher’s delivery method primarily illustrates which of the following features of a productive classroom climate?

• The teacher is ensuring that students are paying attention.

• The teacher is using the physical space of the classroom to facilitate learning.

• The teacher realizes that if he constantly moves around, students will not get bored.

• The teacher is promoting effective class discussion.

Answer explanation

The teacher's movement around the classroom utilizes the physical space effectively, engaging students and enhancing their learning experience, which illustrates a productive classroom climate.

A grade 2 teacher likes to work one-on-one with students as they do independent reading and other activities. Which of the following best describes the teacher’s approach?

Answer explanation

The teacher's approach is best described as individualized instruction, as they focus on working one-on-one with students during independent reading and activities, tailoring support to each student's needs.