Seven Keys to a Positive Learning Environment in Your Classroom

by Tom Hierck

Creating a positive classroom learning environment is a complex but necessary task if a teacher wants to cultivate a new, productive classroom culture. By fully realizing the seven keys the author highlights, teachers can establish clearer expectations, enhance instruction and assessment practices, and foster quality relationships with students, thereby maximizing the potential of all students. The book includes helpful stories from teachers, as well as classroom strategies to consider in implementing the keys. With this book, teachers can clearly define the misunderstood concepts of differentiation and enrichment and know how to use these strategies to help all students succeed, no matter their needed level of support.
Introduction
1. Classroom Culture and Positive Precursors to a Positive Learning Environment
2. Classroom Expectations
3. Targeted Instruction
4. Positive Reinforcement
5. Data-Driven Decisions
6. Differentiation and Enrichment
7. Collaborative Teams
8. Connecting to the Schoolwide System
Epilogue
References and Resources
Index

Genres: Education

176 pages, Perfect Paperback

Published October 28, 2016

Reviews

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being in Special Ed, most of what was discussed in this book was known, especially when it comes to relationship building, engagement, and behavior management. My biggest complaint with this book was that I felt that it was very repetitive, especially the last chapter. The importance of collaboration and the school wide behavior system always make me laugh. As it states that forcing teachers to collaborate is not effective rather than resentful, which in my case I am placed in a random group to collaborate with. With the behavior, we spoke about teaching and showing the students how to act ... and yet I can only picture the disaster of the lunch room (secondary). As CASEL and SEL shares the importance to make our students successful in and outside the classroom and incorporating all these "activities" but not "time" or the regulation of following the curriculum (especially scripted program) gives little wiggle room in doing such things (again Special Ed in secondary 40 minute session). Relationship building, I agree, is important, and I agree, but freedom without time constraints is another to expand.