Effective Learning Environments

     An effective learning environment is a positive and productive environment. This includes preventing and responding to misbehaviour, using class time well, creating an atmosphere conducive to interest, and the permission of activities that engage students' minds and imaginations.

Use of Time:

     It is important that as a teacher one uses all of the available time that they have. There are ways to prevent lost time. Prevent late starts and early finishes on classroom time. Also, teachers should prevent interruptions and from digressing from the topic at hand. As well, it is important that teachers don't spend too much time on routine things before they start down to the actual teaching. As well, students should minimize the time they take away from their lessons to discipline. As well, you can use your time more effectively if the lesson is engaging and interesting and students become focused, stopping time that would be taken if students were getting side-tracked. The lesson should be kept smooth and flowing and breaks in it prevented. Smoothness to the lesson allows the class to maintain focus during the lesson.

Practices that contribute to effective classroom management:

1) Start the year out right: Teachers actions at the beginning of the year are important to student behaviour later in the year. More successful teachers have a specific plan for introducing students to classroom rules and procedures, and spend time making sure the students follow these.

2) Setting class rules: It is important that these rules are set early on in the year. Class rules should be few in number, make sense, seem fair to students and be clearly explained and taught.

Related Links

Educational Psychology
Good Teachers
Childhood Development & Education
Student Diversity
Effective Lessons
Students Needs
Motivation
Achievement Anxiety
Dealing with Misbehaviour
Testing Students