Cummings 1

Ashlyn Cummings

Reflection #1

SPED 310

2 October, 2015

Aggie Honor Code:

On my honor as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic

work.
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Reflection #1

The significance behind classroom arrangement, teacher movement, and routines is that

they all influence the environment and learning capabilities of the students. These three topics

develop the atmosphere and climate of the classroom. The impact they have can determine

whether students focus, get the help they need, and even how they behave in the classroom. For

classroom arrangement, modifications are made not just to fit the teachers needs, but more

importantly to meet the needs of the students. Teacher movement illustrates the benefits of

student and teacher interaction. Finally, routines demonstrate the impact of rules and procedures

on student behavior. All three factors strengthen the classroom environment and the capabilities

of the students when they work together.

Teachers have a difficult decision to make when arranging their classrooms. The setup

has to be accessible to all the students, as well as arranged in a way that the teacher can navigate

through with ease. Classroom arrangement has a direct impact on a students ability to focus and

participate in class. For example, if a student has his back to the smart board and the teacher does

most of her teaching there, then the student loses out on the opportunity to not only participate,

but also to be actively engaged in learning. Classroom arrangement is also extremely important

in providing modifications for those who are physically unable to move freely around the

classroom, or for the students who have severe behavior problems. In the Jones article titled

Tools for Teaching, he states, in the classroom, eight feet is the difference between prevention

and remediation whenever you are standing in the front of the classroom (Jones, pg.40). The

article conveys the importance of having eight feet in between the desks to help decrease

unwanted behavior in the classroom. Jones goes on to emphasize the importance of having five

feet in between the teacher and the students, so that the teacher is able to manage any disruptions
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or problem behaviors in the classroom (Jones, pg.40). Both statements discuss how to build a

classroom arrangement that is both flexible and comfortable to interact in. Classroom

arrangement provides the avenue for teachers to correct behaviors that are unwanted, and allows

the students who need modifications to be included in the classroom activities.

Teacher movement is another aspect that has a great impact in a classroom. Teacher

movement can determine whether a student is actively engaged in an activity or understanding

the material that was taught that day. Effective teacher movement provides a way to connect to

students and manage the classroom environment. As we have learned in Dr. Fogartys class

discussions, teachers who have effective movement are able to correct any behavioral challenges

that might be occurring and even help students feel more involved in class (Fogarty, 2015). Each

point presented by Dr. Fogarty, demonstrated the crucial impact teacher movement has on

teaching because it allows students to feel more connected with the teacher. In the Jones article

titled Tools for Teaching, he shares how teacher movement is connected to room arrangement.

He states, The objective of room arrangement is to create walkways in order to make mobility

easy. I do not mean little, narrow walkways, I mean boulevards (Jones, pg.41). This articulates

the need for teachers to be able to move throughout the classroom easily. For example, during the

field-based experience, the teacher had several desks pushed all the way up against the walls.

This made it is very hard for her to move around the classroom and reach every student. In

addition, during the classroom discussions in SPED 310, Dr. Byrns shared the importance of

students being able to see and hear the teacher (Byrns, 2015). If the students were closed off, the

teacher would not be able to see or know if a student was struggling (Byrns, 2015). This is very

important to the overall classroom experience, and is something a teacher can easily change to be

more effective. This describes another aspect of how room arrangement directly affects teacher
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movement, and why it is important to make sure that they are both effectively used in the

classroom. Effective teacher movement provides an environment that promotes positive

behavior, student engagement, and overall student learning.

Routines are the foundation for establishing an effective classroom. Routines can

determine whether a day will be a good one or bad one. Routines are the foundation of a

classroom because they are the first things that teachers discuss with students: where to put their

backpacks, where to put their folders, how they walk in the hallway, their voice levels, etc.

Routines help substitute teachers and students when the teachers are not there by providing

consistency. This also allows the students to have a constant procedure that happens throughout

the day to keep them organized. Lemov in chapter 10 discusses the importance of a strong start

to the day by stating, It sets the tone for everything that comes after. Classroom culture is not

static from day to day. It is shaped by the opening minutes of a lesson- whether you intentionally

engineer them or not (Lemov, 356-357). The classroom discussions in SPED 310 touched on

classrooms where there are no routines at all. The discussions described how the classes are

hectic and chaotic, as well as completely distracting from the learning environment (Byrns,

2015). Routines are important because they take care of the constant chatter and are reminders

between teachers and students of what is expected of them. From the field-based experience,

there have been several examples that demonstrate this. Each student knows that they put their

folder in the bucket when they walk in to class and immediately start bell work. They do not

have to be reminded to do this or instructed to do this. The students understand this routine due

to the practice that the teacher established during the first weeks of school. This has also been

demonstrated as they walk in the hallways or in the cafeteria, when there was no set routine. For

the past few weeks, the students have been placed on red or yellow during lunchtime. The
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teacher felt that this was unacceptable and immediately began to start eating with them at lunch

and make them practice the desired behaviors and have a routine. This example provides insight

into the importance of routines and why they are essential to student execution and learning.

Overall, many things affect the classroom. Each piece plays an important part of both a

child and teachers day, which can be the breaking point between a bad and good day. If there is

proper classroom arrangement, it allows easy access to students, as well as provides a more

functional classroom experience for the students. If effective teacher movement is in place, then

the teacher is able to minimize unwanted behavior, as well as increase student engagement and

learning. Lastly, routines demonstrate the desired and expected behavior for each student. They

are not only beneficial to the start of the day, but are continuously useful throughout. If routines

are not in place, the classroom has no structure. Routines become the true glue of the classroom,

affecting not only how the day goes, but also how well the students behave throughout the day.

Effective classroom arrangement, teacher movement, and routines all play a part and work

together to make the best possible classroom experience for both the student and teacher.
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References:

Fogarty, Melissa (2015). Class Discussions.

Byrns, Glenda (2015). Class Discussions.

Jones, F. (2007). Arranging the classroom in Tools for teaching: Discipline, instruction,

motivation. Santa Cruz, CA: Frederic H. Jones & Associates, Inc.

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a champion 2.0:62 techniques that put students on the path to

college (p. Page #s). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.