Classroom Environments
List a positive and negative of having flexible seating
Positives: students can choose where they learn best, might make them feel more comfortable, let them be near friends, etc
Negatives: Creating a seating chart can encourage people to talk to others they normally wouldn't, excess talking, etc
List a way a teacher can accommodate kids learning at different levels
Create small groups
work one on one
Use pre-assessments to see which students already know the material.
Give student the opportunity to re-learn basic concepts or expand into advanced ideas that won’t be on the final assessment.
Before a major assessment give students choice if they’ve already mastered the material.
etc
Give two suggestions for visual learners
Examples answers:
Draw a map of events in history
Make outlines
Copy what’s on the board
Ask the teacher to diagram
Take notes, make lists (Use highlighters, circle words, underline)
Watch videos
Color code words, research notes
Outline reading
Use flashcards
Give an example of how a teacher could incorporate a brain break
Stress in the classroom can significantly inhibit learning. So give students brain breaks…
A minute to move around the room
Thirty seconds to stretch and breathe
A tongue-twister or riddle challenge
A quick artistic break or music break
Two minutes to check their phones if you don’t allow them during instruction
List two ways a teacher can make their classroom more engaging
Adding more colors, posters, options, etc
List 3 different learning styles
visual learners, auditory learners, logical learners, kinesthetic learners, etc.
Explain why cooperation over competition
Example answers: Both cooperation and competition are social, meaning they can trigger more learning than working alone.
But competition can spark an emotional stress response that inhibits learning, where cooperation is more likely to spark a positive response.
As you design review games, find ways to make them collaborative rather than only competitive.
Explain why sarcasm is a threat to environmental learning
While sarcasm is celebrated in our society and intrinsic to our daily conversations, it inhibits learning and damages the social environment. Sarcasm is often not understood by younger students and does not cross language barriers well.
Describe a safe environment
The first key to calming the amygdala is to create a safe environment. Where students feel…
Safe to engage without fear for their physical safety
Safe to learn, participate, and guess without fear of social or emotional punishment
List a type of long term memory
Types of Memory...
Implicit vs. Explicit memory
Implicit: Unconsciously-where your bedroom is
Explicit: Intentional-phone number
Declarative vs. Procedural memory.
Declarative: Factual- Dates, words, etc.
Procedural:How to perform-riding a bike
Semantic vs. Episodic memory
Semantic: General Facts
Episodic: Experiences
Explain why movement is helpful in instructional activities and provide an example of an activity that includes physical activity
Example answers:
Physical activity improves engagement, attention, and learning.
Make sure that physical exercise is built into students’ daily schedules.
Try to build an opportunity to move into every class.
Provide flexible seating options that allow more movement.
When possible, use a song/rhyme with actions to remember key ideas.
But if we are in a situation of emotional stress, pain, or fear, the _____ reacts, causing a complete physical response that hijacks the pre-frontal cortex.
Amygdala
What type of learning environment is focused on consistency and aims to use proactive discipline rather than punishment as much as possible.
Take the time to establish routines and expectations.
Reinforce routines and expectations regularly.
Provide choices that reduce power struggles.
Routine Environment
When we learn in chunks, we aim for no more than 15 minutes of direct instruction at a time and a good rule of thumb is ? minute per year of your students’ age.
1
Define Metacognition and why its helpful in instructional activities
Metacognition – thinking about your thinking – is key to learning.
Provide opportunities for students to reflect on what they’ve learned.
Follow up after every assessment – help students analyze which skills they mastered and which need work. Don’t let them just walk away claiming they made “stupid mistakes!”
Since we learn in chunks it may be helpful to chunk information into smaller chunks.
Teach ____ concepts, then take a break to practice before moving back to more direct instruction.
2-3
Name the five environments there are
Safe Environment
Emotional Environment
Social Environment
Physical Environment
Routine Environment
List at least 5/7 instructional strategies
Context is Everything
We Learn in Chunks
Students Learn At Different Levels
Forgetting is Natural
Students Learn At Different Speeds
Review is Critical
Students Learn In Different Ways
Define Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is the change in neural pathways and synapses that occurs due to certain factors, like behavior, environment, or neural processes. During such changes, the brain engages in synaptic pruning, deleting the neural connections that are no longer necessary or useful, and strengthening the necessary ones.
Identify what type of learners each student is
student 1: likes to take notes during lectures, uses graphs, sees written instructions, and videos
Student 2: likes make diagrams, working in a standing position, and use flash cards or make game out of learning
Student 3: listen to lectures and create memorization songs
1. visual
2. kinesthetic
3.auditory