Kelly Hahn Map and Questions How does the classroom environment demonstrate expectations and beliefs about

t children?

Week 7

o This classroom environment is inviting to children. The room is big and open. The walls are painted warm colors and the childrens work is hanging from the ceiling and walls. The environment demonstrates high expectations for the children in the sense that they need to be organized and tidy with their work. The room is always organized and everything is put away neatly. Another expectation given off by the environment is teamwork. The children sit at tables instead of individual desks, share supplies in the middle of the table, and have bins that contain the childrens workbooks and notebooks by rows (on the rug). A belief given off from the environment is that teachers and children are on a more equal level. This is because the teachers desks are put off to the side of the classroom, instead of being in the front of the classroom. Focus is another expectation given off by the room because of the division with bookshelves (particularly on the lower left hand corner of the room). Dividing the room into different areas helps the student focus on the tasks at hand. Other ways the areas are divided is by the rug. Having a rug in the bigger area (top by windows) shows division from the floor where the tables are, to the reading area. What are the environments strengths and limitations? o One strength of this environment is the hexagonal tables. Each table has six children at it, which means the children get their own side of the table. I think

this is helpful because the children have their own designated space (so to say). It is also helpful to have tables instead of desks because the children learn to work with one another. The children also share supplies, which create an atmosphere of cooperation and shared respect for classroom supplies. Another strength of the environment is the size. The room is large and open. There are 30 children in the classroom so the room size is key. One limitation of the room is that when the children are separated into their groups (LA and math), the teaching is going on at the same time. Because the teachers share a room, it is hard to pay attention to the lesson at hand (it may be difficult for me because I am not used to it yet). The children seem used to the idea that there are two teachers teaching at the same time. It must be something they have gotten used to. The closet space is also limiting because there seems to not be enough space for the childrens backpacks and coats to fit nicely. Overall, the room is inviting, practical, and sends messages of teamwork and organization.