Learning Environment Examples

Directions: The information below identifies effective practices and responses for an inclusive
learning environment.

Task:

1. Prior to watching the video, review the best practices listed below.
2. Scroll down and read the questions.
3. Observe the teacher and the teacher’s interaction with the students, the classroom, and
the teaching materials.
4. After watching the video, answer each question and provide specific examples of what
you have observed.

Video link: Math Grade 8: Math 15 min

What to look for in a 7th grade math Classroom

The students will:

Making sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
Model with mathematics
Use appropriate tools strategically
Look for and make use of structure
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
● Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association
in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear
equations
● Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships
● Analyzing two- and three dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and
congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem

The classroom layout and exhibits will:

● Support a variety of tasks and learning formats
● Provide positive reinforcement and motivators
● Clearly display expectations, rules, and routines
● Use clear and effective displays of information, tools, resources, prompts,
● Support student use of resources and scaffolding
● Be safe and respectful of all cultures and backgrounds
● Be rich with connections to student experience and interest
● Be conducive to collaboration and group work
 Learning Environment Examples

● Allow for smooth physical movement of students and educators

● Create a nonthreatening, positive, and academically rigorous atmosphere

The Teacher's will:

● Focus attention on mathematical language (e.g., linguistic complexity, conventions, and
vocabulary)
● Establish classroom routines that support students to communicate their thinking
● Ask students to respond to the thinking and arguments of others
● Represent and relate solution methods orally, visually, with concrete objects, or by using
technology to create dynamic models
● Highlight when students draw explicitly upon class content during discussions with peers
● Provide actionable feedback to students about their problem solving processes
● Use multiple formative approaches to assess student learning (e.g., student discourse,
completion of class work)
● Conduct frequent checks for student understanding and adjusting instruction accordingly

The students will:

● Understand what they will learn in a lesson and how it connects to prior learning
● Persist when engaging with mathematical tasks
● Apply mathematical strategies and concepts when engaging with meaningful real-world
problems
● Use everyday and mathematical language to express their mathematical ideas
● Actively incorporates others into discussions about mathematical ideas •Using equations and
diagrams to represent patterns
● Evaluates the relative strengths and weaknesses of solution methods orally and in writing
● Uses quantitative reasoning to communicate ideas to others
● Uses equations and diagrams to represent patterns
● Evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of solution methods orally and in writing
● Engage in challenging learning tasks regardless of learning needs (e.g., linguistic background,
disability, academic gifts)

Mackenzie Smith 11/17/20 EDU 205 - 47

When answering the questions below explain your answer and provide examples from the video.

Does the teacher create culturally responsive lessons that engages and sustains student attention?
Yes, the teacher incorporated music into the math lesson she was teaching. She started off by asking
about the different places that we have music or listen to it. She then started to explain that they
would not be directly talking about music, but that the problem they were about to complete had to
 Learning Environment Examples

deal with the relation of the prices of CDs to the amount each student has. The incorporation of the
talk of music quickly gains the attention of the students, who now become more invested and
interested in the problem.

Does the teacher communicate the learning objectives for the lesson orally and visually in student
friendly terms?
Yes, the teacher orally communicates what they will be talking about throughout the class time while
simultaneously showing a powerpoint that has the classroom objectives for the period on it.

Does the teacher design lessons that support successful cooperation in culturally sensitive ways?
The teacher does design lessons that support successful cooperation in culturally sensitive ways by
creating math problems that students will enjoy and can relate to. Typically, when students read or
hear about something that is culturally popular in school, conversation is started up quickly because it
grabs the attention of the students. By using this strategy in the classroom, students will become
more engaged in the lesson.

Does the teacher provide opportunities and structures for students to communicate their ideas and
thinking with each other?
Yes, the teacher asks the students to provide examples of what they remember from lessons before.
This encourages students to participate and share their answers with each other. She also allows the
students to work in small groups so that they are able to collaborate their ideas to write on a poster
paper to present to the class.

Does the teacher model critical thinking strategies to help establish problem solving and processing
expectations?
The teacher does model critical thinking strategies to help establish problem solving and processing
expectations by encouraging the students to complete bell work based on previous information they
have learned in class before. It acts as a great review and forces students to think and do the problem
on their own. The lesson itself is student-centered, allowing the students to complete the work on
their own and in small groups. When the teacher does this, she is allowing her students to critically
think and develop new problem solving methods.

Does the teacher conduct frequent checks for student understanding and adjusting instruction
accordingly?
Yes, the teacher gave the students five minutes of private think time after handing out the task so
that students were able to look over it on their own. Then, students are able to get into small groups
and collaborate their ideas with one another. She also answers questions frequently asked by the
students to help guide them along their work. At times, she will also give examples that relate to the
problem they are completing in order for the student to understand in a new way.
 Learning Environment Examples

Does the teacher use scaffolding as needed and provide multiple opportunities for students to practice
skills?
The teacher does use scaffolding as needed to provide multiple opportunities for students to practice
skills. First, she gives the students a task worksheet and then tells students to cooperate and write
their ideas on a poster paper. She also displays the lesson on a powerpoint up in front of the room.

Does the teacher provide examples of work (e.g. mentor texts, student work)?
Specifically for the bell work, she provides the answer visually on the powerpoint. Also, she provides
oral examples that relate to the problem for students who don't fully understand what they are
completing.

Does the teacher use multiple formative approaches to assess student learning (e.g., writing and oral
responses during reading group)
Yes, the teacher does use multiple formative approaches to assess student learning. During this class
period, she gives the students a worksheet to complete that goes along with the information learned
in class, in hopes of monitoring students progress.

Do the students respond to teacher feedback to improve their work?

The students do respond to the teacher’s feedback to improve their work. They are continually asking
her questions and seeking for more help.

Do the students demonstrate learning in multiple ways (e.g., writing and oral responses during reading
group)
The students do demonstrate learning in multiple ways. As stated in the questions above, the
students learn orally from the teacher explaining the information and the worksheet, visually by
looking at the powerpoint in the front of the class, and physically by completing a worksheet in front
of them.

Do the students engage in challenging learning tasks regardless of learning needs (e.g., linguistic
background, disability, academic gifts)?
It seemed that all students in this teacher’s class were able to engage in the lesson that was being
taught, no matter their learning needs. The teacher attempted to reach all students in her class by
demonstrating differentiation in her teaching styles.