I think this standard wants me to recognize the importance behind creating a

collaborative and supportive learning environment for students. The classroom environment

should promote both individual student work as well as group work. Not only does group work

provide an opportunity for students to practice proper social habits, but it prepares them to share

ideas and work with colleagues and co-workers in the future. Also, I think this standard wants

me to recognize how to modify the classroom environment to facilitate students’ diverse learning

needs. The physical space of the classroom and what is found in it, such as technology and group

centers, is one of the best ways to modify the environment for students’ needs.

I chose a classroom arrangement map displaying an environment that fosters active

engagement and positive social relationships as the artifact for this standard. In this classroom

map, student desks are arranged in pairs as well as being located near another pair encouraging

group collaboration on top of individual work. Considering how to arrange student desks has

helped me “understand how individuals influence groups and how groups function in society.”

Also, this demonstrates an understanding of “how to help students work cooperatively and

productively in groups.” While group work is important to a collaborative learning environment,

it can sometimes be distracting working with so many students. This is why I chose to simply

pair students up, maintaining groups as a possibility between pairs of students. There are student

centers located across the classroom arrangement map, including a computer center, an

individual reading center, a small group instruction center, and a SMARTboard center. By

including a variety of stations in addition to a whole group reading area in the classroom and

curriculum, I have used “strategies to create a smoothly functioning learning community in

which students assume responsibility for themselves and one another, participate in decision-

making, work collaboratively and independently, use appropriate technology, and engage in
purposeful learning activities.” Primarily, the students will assume responsibility and possess

ownership by travelling from station to station.

Although this artifact has not been used in practice, it will significantly impact my

teaching in the future. By creating a classroom arrangement map, I was encouraged to consider

the variety of factors contributing to an effective classroom environment. I now have a better

understanding of how to arrange the physical space in an attempt to foster the range of students’

diverse learning abilities. Furthermore, this environment will promote the integration of other

curricular areas into this middle school math classroom. Additionally, I think one-on-one

assistance is important for struggling students. This will be available at the small group

instruction table. While working with these students, the rest of the students are given personal

responsibility with the other centers located throughout the classroom.

By creating a classroom arrangement map, I feel more prepared to teach and learn in a

diverse society. ‘Diverse’ can be defined in multiple ways. For one, it can be interpreted as an

ethnically and racially diverse environment. However, it can also be interpreted as an

academically diverse environment. By including a variety of activities through stations, each

station can be tailored to meet students’ individual needs. For example, the computer station can

offer different computer games and interactive activities depending on the current student’s

needs. Overall, considering the physical arrangement of the classroom and the set-up of the

learning community will help prepare me as a prospective teacher to provide the best education

for a diverse group of students. I look forward to using this knowledge in my future and am

confident that my future experiences will further build upon these understandings as well.