Corrina Stoker

Learning through a supportive Environment Reflection

Building a positive learning environment
Introduction
There are many ingredients to a good educator; the ability to confer curriculum in a
learnable and meaningful way, to adapt to challenges in the classroom, to be a lifelong learner
and inspire ones students, to reflect and improve ones pedagogy; but I feel the hallmark of a
good educator and the glue that makes all other parts of the educator possible is the ability to
create a positive, safe and productive learning environment. There are many challenges to
educators when trying to foster a cooperative, diverse community within the classroom, however
I feel passionately that in order for the education to begin a level for trust and acceptance must be
established. This is accomplished by fostering rapport with students, and by creating a safe zone
with in your classroom where students are not afraid to fail.
Building Rapport with Students; Knowing your Students as individuals
In order to be a lifelong learner you must accept that not only will your students learn from
you, but that you will learn from your students. Although you may be the subject matter
specialist it is only through them that you can really express the material. This means that you
must know and truly understand your student. Beyond compassion is empathy and a real and
grounded understanding of the many facets that make your students. Equally important to
intellectual stimulation is building rapport with your students (Wankat & Oreovicz, 1998, p.14).
It is human nature to want to have a meaningful connection with people around us and by
building rapport we are creating these connections. There are many ways that a teacher can
safely build rapport with their students. It is more crucial for students to feel like they are
individually and uniquely building this relationship and also as a community building a
relationship with you as the guide on the side (Starcher, 2011, p.1). This can be done in many
ways and it should be established on the first day through the last day to be authentic as
perceived by students. It is intrinsically built into the accomplished educator, and if it is not
present then the educator will struggle to be a true mentor (Wilson & Ryan, 2013, p. 132).
I start my year by building rapport with my students by using a survey on the first day of
school, a questionnaire, and the two truths and a lie game see appendix 1. I include a letter and
presentation about me as their teacher in the first week as well see appendix 2. The use of these
informational style surveys allows me to get unfiltered, firsthand information about the student
and how they perceive themselves. These also allow me to probe my students interests outside
the classroom and to make content more relatable and applicable to the world in which they live.
According to Hedin (2007) these informational surveys should not just be used in the beginning
of the year but throughout the year as a way to check in without the time of individually
conferencing each student (p.60). I also like to get feedback at the end of the year through the use
of surveys to help me to reflect on my pedagogy and adapt my lessons for improvement. Another
technique I use is discussed by Wankat & Oreovicz, (1998), I come in early and I stay late. This
gives me extra one on one time with students. I also carry a clipboard with me during class see
appendix three. This visually allows me to keep track of students activities, family dynamic,
community events, and birthdays. This small running biography also allows me to check in with
a quick comment about a sporting event, or share a small birthday note. I also make it a priority
to attend school and community functions that my students are participating in. This helps to
facilitate rapport between myself and their families as well. These effort combined aid in my

students feeling of support and motivation. If after a few weeks of knowing my students I do not
feel a personal connection with them, then I make it a priority to have some face time in class so
I can remedy the situation.
Reflection and Student Achievement
In the three years that I have been teaching I have seen dramatic improvement in my students
engagement in class through my building rapport with them. The effects on student learning can
be seen especially at the end of the year. This is a time where students are reflecting on their year
and getting ready for their break. It is at these times that teachers come to see the value in rapport
with students. Wankat and Oreovicz (1998) state that students often rate their teachers poorly if
rapport is low, even when they feel they are competent educators (p.14). I have gone to the
teacher rating sites and often my students comment on their personal connectedness that they
share to me see appendix four (I am going to insert picture of student letters). Students also
reflect that they paid more attention during lectures to teachers with whom they felt they had
built rapport and thus had higher grades in those classes (Wilson & Ryan, 2013, p. 133). I agree
with this as I have seen that as my rapport skills improved so did my participation grades in
class.
I personally feel that any reflection on ones practice allows for growth in their pedagogy.
The survey that I use in the beginning of the year and the one at the end of the year are very
useful, however I after reading the Hedin (2007) article on survey use throughout the year I
think that I would like to expand their use and application in my class. Reflecting on coming in
early and staying late I believe this aids my students perception that I am committed to them and
I am modeling putting in the time, in turn I often see that they are more likely to work harder
and put in more effort on projects that they know I have committed time and resources to as well.
The clipboard is possible the most valuable tool in my own personal teaching tool kit. I feel that
this gives me information beyond what I can access through guidance and it also affords me the
ability to be more empathetic to their needs if there is an issue outside of the classroom. The
clipboard also allows me to gear my efforts outside the classroom to involve my students and my
community. This interconnectedness is extremely valuable.
Building a Community of Learners where Failure is part of the Learning Process
Once rapport is built then the foundation for a safe learning environment can begin to
develop. This sense of community lends itself to better curriculum development and
implementation (Carroll, 2008, p.2). Curriculum that encourages cooperation between students
of diverse groups allows for students to build relationships that bridge the gaps in their social
environments (Sutliff, Higginson, & Alstott, 2008, p. 31). This is imperative in a science
classroom as students will have labs where failure is okay and must become part of the culture
of the classroom. Students must trust in me and must rely on one another to complete projects
and to develop meaningful connections within the curriculum. This safe environment where
failure is not bad is cultivated throughout the year in my class.
This fear of grades and failure is extremely common especially in the millennial
generation (Espinoza, 2012, p.30) and it is becoming increasing more evident in the millennials
children. In order to combat these educators must create supportive spaces where students
develop plans of inquiry and discovery (Carroll, 2008, p.3). In order for the classroom to feel like
a safe place it must be engaging and supportive in its arrangement and dcor. These include

visuals like a work wall and motivational posters (Sutliff, Higginson, & Alstott, 2008, p. 32).
Students must also be given opportunities to rely on one another and build cooperative
communities of learners (Espinoza, 2012, p. 32). By taking risks together they build a
community of support (Sutliff, Higginson, & Alstott, 2008, p. 33).
Some of the greatest scientific discoveries were made while on the path to support other
hypotheses. In order to foster my students growth I conduct a lesson on the scientific blunders
of our time that led to great discoveries see appendix four. I also incorporate a lot of positive
images and posters around the room to create a positive learning environment visually for my
students.(* I want to get a picture of my classroom, but I am not sure if I will get it in time for
the paper, but I will try.) By encouraging cooperative work I am building relationships between
students and encouraging them to discover the natural world around them together as a learning
community. One of the many ways that I do this is through group work. All labs are built in
groups with specific roles that mimic real word roles for group work see appendix five. (*I think
I would like to incorporate some additional examples of student cooperative work here.)
Throughout the year we do several group projects this encourages collaboration within the group
see appendix six.
Reflection and Student Achievement
Student achievement is measured in many ways and sometimes it is hard to gauge in
cooperative work. I always include a rubric that each individual will hand in at the end of a
project to ensure that all participants have met each others expectations see appendix seven. I
have seen students thrive in my classroom and I have students come to my class for lunch and
free period because they find it more productive then the library. As an educator it is a great
compliment when your students actually want to be in your room on their free time. When
teaching at my old school I was moving between classes and I found it very difficult to build that
safe environment with my students, in comparison students did better when they had my own
room.
In reflection I think it should be an important goal of districts to give each teacher their
own space to be creative and to help students feel safe and comfortable. Especially science
teachers need to have space to encourage collaborative work and create cooperative space for
labs. Listening to students can provide some of the most important feedback (Westling and
Allodi, 2002, p.5). Their opinions about improvements have driven some of the changes that I
have created in my space and in my room design.
Students are the experts when it comes to what environment will help them to grow as
individuals. It is important to know our role in creating the environment and making it come to
life for each of our students. We do this in the relationships we create with them. The trust they
have in us and the classroom space that we make a safe and collaborative learning environment.
If all educators work with their students in the creative process then positive learning
environments can lead to larger school improvements.

National Board Learning Standards addressed by creating a positive and productive

learning environment.
Standard I Understanding Students
Accomplished science teachers continuously seek to understand their students, and they
use this knowledge to enhance student learning. This is directly linked to the student
rapport that an educator must have with each and every student.
1. There must be a connection made between teacher and student where the teacher
knows information about the student and in return the student knows some information
about the teacher
2. The teacher must be able to synthesize the information about the students into lesson to
help make the topics applicable to real life for students.
By keeping a clipboard and having rapport with the family I am able to learn about my
students on a personal level. I can then take that knowledge and use it in my lessons. For
example, if I have a several students in the play then I could do lesson on chemistry and
how it is applicable to makeup application. I use the beginning of the year surveys to
make curriculum tied to my students diverse interests. Ultimately, being knowledgeable
about what is going on at home allows me to understand how to make my room a safe
learning environment for them
Standard V Learning Environment
Accomplished science teachers create and maintain a safe and engaging learning
environment to promote and support science learning for all students. This is the standard
that really is covered by both building a good rapport with my students and more
importantly it is the one that is supported by making a safe learning environment for my
students.
1. The use of cooperative learning and building trust between peers with clearly defined
roles and expectations.
2. Fostering an environment where failure is okay and a natural part of science.
Ultimately, creating a not afraid to fail room.
By showing students scientific blunders and helping them to understand that team work is
essential in science they learn together that failure is an option. This feeling is
accomplished by having them work in lab groups with clear roles and by having them
understand that it is okay to be wrong.

References
Alerby, E., Gardelli, ., Bergmark, U., Backman, Y., Hertting, K., hrling, K., . . . Health
Science. (2012). Learning within and beyond the classroom: Compulsory school students voicing
their positive experiences of school. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 56(5), 555.
Caroll, K. S. (2008). Building a Learning Community through Curriculum. International Journal
Of Progressive Education, 4(3),
Espinoza, C. (2012). Millennial values and boundaries in the classroom. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, 2012(131), 29-41.
Sutliff, M., Higginson, J., & Allstot, S. (2008). Building a positive learning environment for
students: Advice to beginning teachers. Strategies, 22(1), 31-33.
Wankat, P., & Oreovicz, F. (1998). Building better rapport. ASEE Prism, 8(3), 14.
Westling Allodi, M. (2002). Childrens experiences of school: Narratives of Swedish children
with and without learning difficulties. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 46, 181
205.
Wilson, J. H., & Ryan, R. G. (2013). ProfessorStudent rapport scale: Six items predict student
outcomes. Teaching of Psychology, 40(2), 130-133.

Appendix One: First days of School

Ms. Stokers LIVING ENVIRONMENT

Questionnaire
1.

Name: _____________________________________________

2. Preferred Name: ____________________________________

3. Home Telephone Number: _______________________________
4. Last years science teacher: _____________________________
5. What is your favorite school subject? ______________________
6. What is your least favorite school subject? __________________
7. Do you play any sports or participate in any after school activities?
____________________________________________________
8. Do you have a job? If yes, when do you work? __________________
9. Who lives with you at home?_______________________________
10. Who is your best friend? _________________________________
11. What is your favorite thing about school? Why? _______________
____________________________________________________
12. What is your least favorite thing about school? Why? ___________
____________________________________________________
13. What is one thing you hope to accomplish this school year? ________
____________________________________________________

First day of Class Survey

Mrs. Stoker

Welcome Upward Bound! In order for me to better get to know you I am

requesting that you fill out this survey. All information shared in this survey
is for my own use and will not be viewed by other students! Thanks and I look
forward to a great summer with you!
Name
Address
E-mail
Phone

Agree

Agency responded promptly.

Somewh
at
Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

I like science.
My past teachers were motivated and
fun.

I am a motivated learner
This is the part for you to fill out independently! No one word answers! Feel free to use
the back!

Imagine you are stranded on a desert island with a T.V., electricity

and 5 DVDS. What would your desert island 5 be?

If you are repeating this class; what was one topic you really
didnt understand from last year? If this is your first time; what is
one topic you are very interested in learning about?

On the back of this paper please write me a one paragraph

biography about you. Please include any special talent or interests
that you have. Remember this is just away for me to get to know
you better! I cant wait to read all about you!

Living Environment Ms. Stoker

Getting to Know U! Two Truths and a Lie

Your Name:
Partners Names:

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE ACTIVITY

Find two to three classmates that you want to get to know better, then:
Sit by yourself
List three things on this sheet about yourself: TWO MUST BE TRUE, AND ONE MUST
BE FALSE!
Get together with your group
Each group member reads his/her three statements and then the rest of the group
reflects on the statements and votes on which one is the lie.
Continue until each group member has had a turn.
Each group will share with the class any interesting facts they learned about each
other and any statements that they got wrong.
STATEMENTS ABOUT YOURSELF (in any order DO NOT indicate which ones are true and
which one is false).
1.

2.

3.

Appendix two: Knowing me as their teacher

Power point on Ms Stoker

Dear Families,

September 9, 2013

Welcome back to school! I hope your first week of school went well and that you
are as excited as I am to get your students ready for the academic year ahead.
We have a wonderful group of smart and interesting students this year. I would
like to take the opportunity to thank you for allowing me to help shape their young
minds. I just wanted to get in touch with you and share some information.
About Me
I am very excited to be teaching your childs living environment class! I am new to
Fox Lane, but I have had previous teaching experience at Horace Greeley high
school where I taught AP Biology, Science Research, and Living Environment. I am a
graduate of Marist College and I will be working on my Graduate work at Mercy
College. In addition, I have a lot of field experience. I just returned from a shark
research trip through the South Carolina University Marine Science program, and I
have worked with several other research groups. This research allows me to enrich
the curriculum with a lot of hands on experiences.
About Our Class
We have a mix of very bright 9th and 10th graders. Our classroom culture is built
on respect and responsibility. I have sent home a copy of the class syllabus which
includes expectations, objectives and a supply list. I am highly motivated not only
to get your student ready for the Regents exam, but more importantly, I am
excited to be sharing my passion for science with each of my students. As many of
us remember, our high school years are some of the best times, and I want to
ensure that our young people look back with the fondest of memories, while still
maintaining a high level of academic excellence.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, or you just want to introduce yourself,
please feel free to call, email, or make an appointment to come in. You can reach me
at the school phone number, which is 914-241-6033. I am always happy to talk to
the families of my students. Lets work together to make sure your student gets
everything he or she needs to be successful this year!
Thank you,
C. Stoker
Appendix three

Clipboard
Appendix four
Scientific blunders

Appendix Five
Lab Roles
Names of Lab
partners:_______________________________________________________________
Project Director (PD)
Materials Manager (MM)
The project director is responsible for the
The materials manager is responsible for
group.
obtaining all necessary materials and/or
equipment for the lab.
Roles and responsibilities:
Roles and responsibilities:
Reads directions to the group
Picks up needed materials
Keeps group on task
Organizes materials and/or equipment
Is the only group member allowed to
in the work space
talk to the teacher

Facilitates the use of materials during

Assists with conducting lab procedures Shares
summary of group work and results with the
the investigation
class
Assists with conducting lab procedures
Returns all materials at the end of the lab to the
designated area
Technical Manager (TM)
Safety Director (SD)
The technical manager is in charge of
The safety director is responsible for enforcing
recording all data.
all safety rules and conducting the lab.
Roles and responsibilities:
Roles and responsibilities:
Records data in tables and/or graphs
Assists the PD with keeping the group
on-task
Completes conclusions and final

Conducts lab procedures

summaries
Assists with conducting the lab
Reports any accident to the teacher
procedures
Keeps track of time
Assists with the cleanup
Assists the MM as needed.
Each lab should have a person filling each role. Please keep this with your lab group in a
safe place. This will be collected at the end of the 4 labs.
Lab 1 _________________________
Lab 2 _________________________
PD__________________________
PD__________________________
MM__________________________
MM__________________________
TM__________________________
TM__________________________
SD____________________________
SD____________________________
Lab 3 _________________________
Lab 4 _________________________
PD__________________________
PD__________________________
MM__________________________
MM__________________________
TM__________________________
TM__________________________
SD____________________________
SD____________________________

Appendix six
Project
Appendix seven
Group work Rubric