Features of an Effective Learning Environment - Essay Example

10/22/07 Features of an Effective Learning Environment One of the most important tasks for a primary school teacher is the creation of an effective learning environment. If the classroom is an effective learning environment, students will achieve more, have more positive attitudes toward education, and have more solid basic skills throughout their lives. There are many factors that are involved in creating an effective primary learning environment. In an effective learning environment, teachers have thorough knowledge of their subjects. They are interested in the subjects that they teach, are usually able to show the need for their subjects, and they consider the success of their students important. Good teachers are able to assess learning effectively. They also are able to control their classes and treat all students equally. The Primary National Strategy supports improving most of these factors, but more needs to be done. A report of the success of the Primary National Strategy concluded that The National Literacy and Numeracy frameworks are still used by teachers as their core support in planning for progression in both English and mathematics. Schools are anxious to maintain the improved standards they have seen since the introduction of the NLNS. Many do not wish to risk losing these gains through too great a change. Although the strategies have improved the teaching of English and mathematics, teaching in both subjects remains no better than satisfactory in one lesson in three. Although provision of additional guidance and better targeted support has improved the quality of teaching in some schools, it has yet to raise the overall frequency and consistency of teaching that is good or better in all schools. One significant improvement in teaching is teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT), a consequence of increased guidance and support provided through the PNS. However, despite support for teachers in developing assessment for learning, improvements are slow in coming and weaknesses remain (Primary National Strategy: An evaluation of its impact on primary schools 2004/05, 2005). A teachers knowledge of their subject matter is very important factor in that teachers effectiveness. A teacher with a high level of knowledge can usually explain a subject better to students. They will rely less on simple memorization and they will be able to answer any unexpected questions by students. They will receive more respect from students. They act as a good role model for students as they can show that learning their subjects is necessary and possibly fun. A teacher should also be interested in their subject matter. Teachers that are interested in their subjects can spread their enthusiasm to the class and they will enjoy their job more. A uninterested teacher will probably cause more students to lack interest in the subject. Children are also more likely to learn a subject if the need for them to learn it is explained. Teachers should consider it very important that their students succeed. They should set high standards, and they should also be able to help any students that have minor troubles. They should use pedagogical strategies that are appropriate to the ages and capabilities of the students in their classes. Classrooms should be organized to allow any effective teaching strategies to be used effectively. A classroom should allow students to both work individually and work in teams. It should contain adequate materials and it should be connected to the internet so that online resources can be used. Effective assessments are necessary so that a teacher knows how well the students are learning. A teacher should know what the class is learning well and what they are having problems with. Teachers must also be able to maintain control over their classroom. If they fail to do this, most students will not be able to learn effectively. There also will be severe disciplinary problems, and some students might be threatened. All students should be treated equally. If teachers play favorites or practice discriminatory behavior, many students will dislike them, and the education of the students that are discriminated against will suffer. Discrimination by teachers can also lead to legal problems for the schools. A learning environment with all of these features can easily support the goals of the Primary National Strategy and Every Child Matters. The main goals of the Every Child Matters initiative are for students to "be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic well-being" (Every Child Matters:Aims and Outcomes, 2005). Effective teaching will help students achieve all of this. The main goal of the Primary National Strategy is to improve the general quality of teaching through teamwork between teachers and administrators and through effective planning. Effective assessments and highly competent primary school teachers will cause this process to be easier. Better-taught students will also enjoy education more, become more independent and successful as adults, be better-adjusted, and be more likely to make positive contributions to British society. The website for The Primary National Strategy contains many resources that will help teachers improve the learning of students. On of these resources is "Taking a Point of View:GM Foods." This unit has many good expected targets and outcomes. It contains both shared and independent work, and it contains some information that will help the teacher become more educated on the subject. It requires that students develop well-thought out arguments and defend them. It also requires that students improve their writing and research skills and become well-educated on a contemporary issue. Students are encouraged to write at a high level and in an organized manner. There is a large amount of emphasis on note-taking skills, which will help students in higher-level classes of any type. Although the fact that only one official source is mentioned in the unit could be a problem, students are provided with some examples of other arguments. However, using a greater variety of sources would be helpful, and a good teacher should do that. The unit gives the teacher the ability to do that. The way the concept is presented might also be a problem if this concept is applied to issues where it is easy to have a moderate opinion, or issues where there can be multiple opinions instead of two major ones. The opinions provided in the texts of the unit also do not provide many scientific studies and cite sources poorly. Some improvements to the unit are necessary. The goals of the unit are sound and will improve the ability of students to be good citizens and educated, successful individuals. Some goals in the unit are that students will be able to "adapt writing to be concise and clear, and use an impersonal style" (Unit 7 Taking a Point of VIew: GM Foods, 2001), that students will "write complex sentences, selecting and using a wide range of subordinators" (Unit 7 Taking a Point of View: GM Foods, 2001), and that students will be able to create a "balanced summary of arguments, written in role as a governmental advisor" (Unit 7 Taking a Point of View: GM Foods, 2001). These are some important abilities for students to have. Providing students with abilities similar to these will help advance the goals of the Primary National Strategy and the Every Child Matters initiative. The New Arrivals Excellence Programme is another program that will advance the goals of both the Primary National Strategy and Every Child Matters. This program is designed to provide effective teaching and support services for new immigrant children. Its goals are to make sure that "All new arrivals, including refugees, asylum seekers, and economic migrants from overseas have the right to enjoy a welcoming, safe, and stress-free environment within the school. They need to know that they are valued and that they belong even if their stay in your school is short" (New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guide, 2007). The program will help these children both achieve more and be better included in the classroom and in society. It will inform parents and the government of the achievements of ethnic minority and immigrant students and assess their performance before they enter school so that they can be taught effectively. It supports both the academic goals of the Primary National Strategy and the social goals of Every Child Matters. If immigrants achieve more and are more included in British society, Great Britain will benefit by having fewer social problems and cultural conflicts between immigrants and native Britons. Programs offered by the Primary National Strategy are generally examples of good teaching and good primary classroom environments, and they will help Britain achieve the goals of the Primary National Strategy and Every Child Matters. Schools and Education Authorities should plan to implement them to improve the quality of the primary schools in their areas . Reference List 2001, Unit 7 Taking a Point of View: GM Foods, The National Literacy Strategy, Primary National Strategy, Crown Copyright, Available at: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/teachingresources/literacy/nls_booster/year5/y5booster_point_of_view/nls_y5booster_viewpoint.pdf 2004, Excellence and Enjoyment: learning and teaching in the primary years, Crown Copyright, Available at: http://www.standards.dfes.gov. uk/primary/consultants/trainingpacks/miscellaneous/953833/pns_landt052004opps4learn.pdf 2004, Processes for Understanding and Using the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Principles, School Education Division, Available at: http://www.ltag.education.tas.gov.au/proflearn/getstart/ltap.htm 2005, Aims and Outcomes, Every Child Matters: Change For Children, Crown Copyright, Available at: http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/aims/ 2005, Primary National Strategy: An evaluation of its impact on primary schools 2004/05, Crown Copyright, Available at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=4117 2007, New Arrivals Excellence Programme:Guidance, Crown Copyright, Available at: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/inclusion/neap_guidance/ Arthur, Grainger & Wray Routledge 2006, Learning to Teach in the Primary Classroom, Routledge, New York Read More