TPE 11: Social Environment

Overview: Attached is a picture of a kindergarten classroom where I student taught in the Fall of 2009. I think that this classroom had a very good arrangement of furniture and use of space. There were four tables groups and had five or six students at each table. All the tables and seats were arranged so that students could see the front of the classroom without having to turn around or adjust themselves. Also, students' art was hung all around the classroom- on walls, on strings, the door, etc. The circle time rug area was also set up in a way that really enhanced student achievement. Students were assigned a particular colored box and knew where to sit each time they met on the rug for circle time. The calendar, job board, and word board were clearly visible from the last row on the circle time rug. 

Justification for TPE 11: The way the tables were set up in this classroom provided an environment that enhanced student learning and promoted collaborative group work. This is important for all students, especially kindergarteners as they are learning to work together and help one another. Also, for students that were not always sure of what they were to be working on, the group tables provided a contextual clue so students could keep themselves on task. The art around the room created a very positive climate for learning and really drew attention to the work of the students. Also, much of the artwork around the room illustrated the cultural diversity in the classroom- self-portraits and family pictures really brought attention to the different kinds of students that populated the classroom. Finally, classroom rules, jobs, and daily schedule/calendar is visible and highlighted on the bulletin board in front of the circle time rug. This helps with student discipline, classroom management, and helps support student success; students were able to use words and visual cues to know how they were expected to act, the consequences for not following the rules, and what they needed to do to be successful.