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Standard Four: Learning Environment The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates

cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk taking, self-motivation, and personal goalsetting. I chose this artifact because I believe it illustrated how the spatial arrangement of a classroom can contribute to the overall learning environment. This artifact is a good representation of the standard because it illustrates how the teacher can structure a safe and healthy learning environment with positive social interaction through classroom arrangement. The reflection about the spatial arrangement gives some background and insight into the placement in which I observed this classroom. The classroom was arranged a certain way in the beginning of the placement and then was later changed. It was interesting to see the dynamic change and to also hear our cooperating teachers reasons for changing the arrangement. The classroom was small for the amount of desks in it, so no arrangement really allowed her to move around the room easily. To alleviate cross talk and misbehaving students, she shifted the desks so that they angled towards her desk. She was better able to keep an eye on students who routinely talk and it provided a more inclusive atmosphere. No student was really in the back corner, since the desks were angled, it alleviated a student being in a far corner away from the teacher. She had great success with this arrangement. She was better able to manage class discussions and class work time. It was easier to see what each student was doing and was more efficient in keeping them on task. In doing this, she created an environment more conducive to learning for the whole class. She also created a seating chart that partially eliminated certain students talking to each other or feeding off each others comments. This helped to make this learning environment one where positive social interactions could occur, but in a way that was constructive to learning and building upon the material being covered. From this placement and reflection, I grew as a teacher as I was better able to understand the importance of classroom management. Simple things like the desk arrangement can completely change a classroom. Even a new seating chart can completely change the dynamic of a class. Im extremely glad I was able to see this teachers class with two different desk arrangements and seating charts because I really got a firsthand look at how those things can impact the way a classroom functions. Knowing the importance of these things, I will be prepared to utilize them in my own teaching experiences and will have experienced the difference it can make in a classroom.

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