Nealy,+Chelsea,+Classroom+Ambience

//C lassroom Ambienc e // //**Why I Chose This Topic **// //I have always noticed of myself that depending on the atmosphere in which I am working, my performance either skyrockets or plummets. When I am inspired by my surroundings, if I am invigorated or relaxed, my mind focuses in a way that is unconscious and automatic. However, I have also been in many environments that are sterile and boring. In these settings, I find myself to be fidgety, I stare at the clock, and I am completely and utterly distracted. It is for this reason that I am enthralled with the subject of classroom ambience, and I love peeking into creative classrooms and seeing the wide variety of ways that an atmosphere can be established. When doing my research on this topic, I did my best to address all of the senses. I explored the effects of lighting, sound, scent, visual stimulation, and comfort measures. What I found is that there are a ton of ideas out there, and if we utilize them, our students will really come alive in our classrooms.// **//The 5 Most Important Things I Learned//**

- 1 - Your classroom is a reflection of who you are and what your attitudes are about teaching.  - 2 - Classroom makeovers do not require a big budget. All you need are some creative ideas, a bit of donated furniture, and some volunteers to help do the work. - 3 - Remember to address lighting conditions in your classroom. Lighting is often overlooked but can make the difference between a child eagerly learning and being sidelined with a headache or poor vision.  - 4 - The classroom environment should be a collaboration between the teacher and the students. Students should be contributing to the visual aesthetic of their classroom continuously so that it feels like "home" to them.  - 5 - Think outside of the box. With a little bit of research, you can find all kinds of unique ideas for reading nooks, table/desk arrangement, artwork displays, etc. Make the classroom unique to your class and it will become a place your students want to be.

**//My Number 1 Resource//** media type="youtube" key="OoolEILPU1A" height="377" width="504" **The Mentor Teacher: Setting Up Your Classroom** This video is the number one resource that I found regarding classroom ambience, and I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. For someone fairly new to teaching, such as myself, this video is extremely helpful because it breaks down the various components of the classroom and discusses the basics for how to set it up based on the tone you are trying to set. For example, do I want the colors in my classroom to be bright and vibrant, or calm and soothing? A few of the highlights of this video include: Structuring your classroom as a reflection of who you are and your beliefs about teaching; general organization (form follows function); classroom zones; and using displays for taking attendance and communicating classroom rules. I believe this is a good place to start when considering how you want your classroom to look and feel. **//Additional Resources//**

- 1 - <span style="color: #008cff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px;">This is an article on //Maslow's Theory of Hierarchy of Needs// as it pertains to the classroom. I rate this resource 4 out of 5 stars because it does a good job of explaining why certain needs of the students (such as feeling safe) must be met at school in order to perform well academically, but I do think it could be taken a bit further. For example, something as simple as being thirsty or having to use the restroom are avoidable hinderances to learning. I plan on having a water cooler in my classroom that students can use, and a distraction-free restroom system, so that these natural, human issues never cause my students to lose focus. <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> - 2 - media type="youtube" key="_VSNoOV3Atg" height="315" width="420" <span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">This video, entitled MoMA NJN/Classroom Closeup NJ, shows how Mrs. Makowski of Englewood, New Jersey, teaches her Kindergarteners about art and includes a unique way of showing off her students' creativity. Each year, Mrs. Makowski teaches her students about 10 different artists and has her students create their own artwork based on inspiration they get from the artists' techniques. She then has the children host an art show in which they dress in beatnik clothing, pass out hors d'oeuvres, and speak to the parents/visitors about the art. I rate this video 5 out of 5 stars because I have never seen children's art displayed in such a way, and it creates an of pride, creativity, and fun.

<span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> - 3 -  <span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">When searching for ways to set up a classroom library, I came across Beth Newingham's Third Grade Classroom page, and I was able to browse through some of her ideas for classroom set-up. She has one page on her website for the classroom library, and another page entitled "Tour Our Classroom" where you can see how she sets up tables, the writing center, the book nooks, etc. I rate this website 4 out of 5 stars because it is nice to see a practical example of a classroom that works. The only reason why I do not rate it 5 out of 5 is because nothing that I saw on her page is necessarily groundbreaking, but it still has some excellent ideas and great photos. <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> - 4 - media type="youtube" key="Pa1WQ45S--A" height="315" width="560" <span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">This is a short video documenting a classroom makeover that was done at a school in Kosovo. I rate the video 5 out of 5 stars because because it is well made and it shows how something as simple as repainting the walls and repurposing old furniture can go a long way. Also, the transformation was done almost entirely for free using parent volunteers and reclaimed materials. For example, they reclaimed the wood from old desks to make shelves and cabinets and painted them bright colors, making them look fresh and youthful. The atmosphere of the classroom drastically transformed and it is evident on the students' faces how much of a difference it makes to them. <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> - 5 - <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;">- 6 -  **//<span style="color: #34bb25; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">The Whole Child Blog - Classroom Environments //**<span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">On www.wholechildeducation.org, there are various blogs on different educational issues. This particular blog is on Classroom Environments and I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. It is a great resource because the blogs are continuously updated, and in order for them to be published on the site, they have to come from an approved, reputable source, so all of the entries are top quality. The only reason I don't rate it 5 out of 5 stars is because many of the blogs on this page do not seem to be about classroom environment even though they are tagged under the category. With a little browsing though, the articles that are on topic are excellent resources to read through. <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;">- 7 -   //**<span style="color: #e6562d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">Classroom Sound Fields **//<span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> This YouTube video shows how some teachers in Minnetonka, Minnesota are using wireless sound projection to speak to their students. Some of the statistics given in the video are quite surprising. For example, "On any given day, students miss up to 25% of what teachers say," and "even in an acoustically sound classroom, students in the back row only pick up 55% of the teacher's voice." Using wireless sound not only helps deliver the teachers' messages to their students, but it also creates a more serene atmosphere because voices are not needing to be raised and escalated. One teacher even points out that it has lowered the behavioral issues in his classroom because all he has to do is quietly clear his throat through the sound system and the entire class snaps to attention. I rate this video 5 out of 5 stars because I think it is an excellent idea and use of technology. <span style="color: #d72db1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> - 8 -   //**<span style="color: #b766eb; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">Using Aromatherapy in an Autistic Classroom **// <span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">This article addresses using scents in the classroom in order to help children relax and focus. This particular scenario involves children with Autism, but I believe it can be modified and practiced in a general education classroom as well. The teacher in this article discusses how she used dabs of lavender and chamomile oils underneath work tables, and strategically placed sachet bags around the classroom. She also used crushed peppermint candies to invigorate the students minds and boost memory when they entered work areas. Before doing any of this, she contacted the parents to find out about any potential allergies and also did research on inadvisable scents for children with Autism. With some careful planning I believe incorporating this sensory experience into the classroom can be very helpful, and so I rate this resource 5 out of 5 stars. **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">...And Beware: When Boredom Strikes ** <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">media type="youtube" key="0m2oQ6JwfuA" height="408" width="728" align="center"
 * //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #f6b73c; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px;">ILLUMINATING THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT //**<span style="color: #008cff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">This is a very interesting article that discusses the importance of lighting in the classroom. The article gives a bit of history regarding the subject--for example, it discusses how school environments were dependent on natural light before the use of electricity became widespread. It also discusses the different types of lighting that are conducive or destructive to learning, such as controlled daylight, computer screen glare, etc. I believe every teacher would benefit from reading this article, and so I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.