Classroom Climate

Synonyms
Classroom environment; school climate; educational environment; social environment; teacher
student relationship

Definition
There is a multiplicity of definitions for classroom climates that are quite varied and include a
range in emphasis from the study of just one variable too many variables that make up a
classroom environment. Generally the classroom climate is considered that milieu that consists
of the interactions of the educational, psychological, social, cognitive, organizational, and
physical variables that impact how students learn and function.

Description
The classroom climate is a conglomeration of many variables. Some of these variables have
been examined in isolation in order to show any distinct impact they may have on students
and/or teachers while the interaction effects on the classroom climate of two or more variables
have also been studied. The study of classroom and school environments had its roots in the
early study of organizational climates in the business world (1) and through initial work on
perceptions of the classroom environment (13). These early studies produced an emphasis on
the measurement of environments that has strongly influenced the study of classroom climate.
A number of instruments have been developed and used to measure the classroom climate.
These instruments usually require that a teacher, student, parent, or some more “objective”
individual complete the scale to determine what aspects of the climate are more effective than
others. Some examples of the instruments used include My Class Inventory (5); the Classroom
Environment Scale (5); the Learning Environment Inventory (5); the Individualized Classroom
Environment Questionnaire and the Modified Classroom Climate Inventory (5); The Classroom
Environment Questionnaire (15); The Children’s Classroom Environment Scale (7); the Barclay
Classroom Assessment System (2); and the Inventory of School Climate-Student (4). Others
scales and methods for measurement are informal and are often developed specifically for the
purpose of a particular classroom or school (see Freiberg’s book, 6).

The many components examined to determine the impact on and the constitutions of the
classroom climate are listed below as general categories most often seen in the literature. It
should be noted that this list specifies those variables related to classroom climate as opposed
to school environment. Assessment of the components of the school environment has some
distinctive differences from the study of the classroom climate and the two are often considered
separately in terms of their impact on students. Whether they should always be studied
separately is somewhat controversial as some researchers believe that the confluence of the
fields may be just as important as the impact of each separate area (5).

Teacher-Student Relationships

This area would include examination of variables such as positive emotional experiences;
degree of positive teacher support; types of personal/supportive language used with students;
students’ perceptions of teachers’ emotional support; sense of belonging; teachers’ tolerance
levels (as well as students’ perceptions of teachers’ tolerance); and student shared decision
making.

Approaches to Pedagogy

These approaches determine the type of instructional style being used and assess the impact on
climate and various student outcomes. Examples here would include authority versus
democratic approaches to instruction; invitational versus moral educational practices;
cooperative versus competitive structures; authority-supportive motivational teacher practices;
formal versus informal learning structures; whole-group versus individualized instruction;
explicit vs. implicit rule structure for academics and face-to-face versus digital/virtual
approaches (8).

Ecological Issues

The physical components of a classroom are considered an important part of the development
of classroom climate and would include areas such as physical size of the classroom space;
number of students in the class; air quality; lighting; acoustics; physical comfort; school subject;
grade level; and physical arrangement of the room (e.g. furniture, organization of desks).

Impact on Various Groups

In this category the literature has examined how classroom climates effect and are created by
issues related to gender, ethnicity, and disabilities, and the types of students that make up a
class.

Student-to-Student Relationships

A classroom climate may have an impact on how students interact with each other and a
climate may be developed based on the types of social interactions among students.
Behavior Management Practices

Although the above categories overlap with behavior management approaches (especially
those involving teacher-student relationships), more specifically issues such as a teachers
degree of conflict; emotional support with maladjusted behaviors in students; consistency of
behavior management practices; rules and procedures; and clarity of goals are all important.
Likewise, the types of student misbehaviors are important in their impact on classroom climate.

Student Self-Issues

Classroom climates can be developed by and have an impact on student “self-issues” such as
motivation; self-efficacy; problem-solving; and social- emotional competence.

Relevance to Childhood Development

Fraser( 5, p. 1) states that “….. (research presents) compelling evidence that the classroom
environment is such a potent determinant of student outcomes that it should not be ignored by
those wishing to improve the effectiveness of schools.” Much of the research on the impact of
classroom climate establishes very detailed connections between climate variables and
outcomes while others establish links between the quality of the climate and the effects on
students, teachers, and the overall efficacy of the classroom. Although not comprehensive in its
delineation of the impact of the classroom climate some of the major findings will be
summarized here.

In terms of teacher-student relationships it seems clear that the stability of the relationship; the
use of emotionally supportive language and practices; the provision of emotionally positive
experiences; and the evidence of more tolerance with less conflict have positive impact on
students. Some of the outcomes include greater academic productivity, higher student
motivation, and more productive teacher-student relationships. Similarly, behavior
management practices that are clear, consistent, tolerant, less punitive, and more emotionally
supportive, evidence less aggression, fewer behavior problems, and more prosocial behaviors
and create a classroom climate that is rated by students and teachers as being more positive
and productive.

Approaches to pedagogy have been shown to have significant influence on the classroom
climate. A combination of Moral and Invitational educational approaches produces classroom
climates that are conducive to growth and encourage students to make decisions regarding right
and wrong leading to more inviting and just classrooms (3). Although benefits have been shown
with both a competitive and cooperative approach, there are some suggestions that
cooperative approaches to learning may lead to a more positive shared experience and better
negotiation among students. An Autonomy-supportive motivational style of pedagogy appears
to lead to greater self-determination and a stronger teacher-student relationship (14).

Ecological and social variables have also shown positive student outcomes. Class size, learning
space size, acoustics and other physical variables help create a classroom environment that
improves academic engagement; prosocial behaviors; student and teacher satisfaction; and
overall learning (8). In the area of social improvements, classroom climates have been found to
be more productive when students improve in self-efficacy, problem-solving, and social-
emotional competence (10). Similarly, student-to-student relationships improve when the
classroom climate is marked by evidence that teachers are giving high quality emotional
support, respect, and evaluative feedback (16, 12). Finally, it appears that teachers who
understand equity/diversity issues create classrooms that are more equitable (9) and that
student perceptions of classroom climate may be more influenced by the group of students in
the classroom than by the teacher (11).

Understanding the multiplicity of variables involved in the constitution of a classroom climate is

crucial to those working and consulting in the schools. Being able to manipulate many of the
antecedent conditions inherent in the climate of a classroom may be more effective than trying
to change student and teacher attributes that may be less malleable. Most certainly, one must
also consider that a working knowledge of classroom climate could be beneficial in preventing
problems related to behavior, academics, and relationships.

References
1. Anderson, C. S. (1982). The search for school climate: A review of the research.
Review of Educational Research, 52, 368-420.

2. Barclay, J. R. (1983). Barclay Classroom Assessment System. Los Angeles: Western

Psychological Services.

3. Bennett, A. C., Novak, J. (1981). Looking for the inviting and just school environment.
Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research
Association in Los Angeles, CA, 1981.

4. Brand, S., Felner, R., Shim, M., Seitsinger, A., & Dumas, T. (2003). Middle school
improvement and reform: Development and validation of a school-level assessment of
climate, cultural pluralism, and school safety. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95,
570-588.

5. Fraser, B.J. (1986). Classroom Environment. Beckenham, Australia: Croom Helm Ltd.
6. Freiberg, H. J. (1999) (Ed.). School climate: Measuring, improving and sustaining
healthy learning environments (pp.48-64). London: Falmer Press.

7. Humphrey, L. L. (1984). Children’s self-control in relation to perceived social

environment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 178-188.

8. Hunley, S. (2008). Best practices for preparing learning space to increase engagement. In
A. Thomas and J. Grimes (Eds.), Best Practices in School Psychology V, (pp. 813-836).
Bethesda, MD: NASP Publications.

9. Kelly, C. A. (2002). Creating equitable classroom climates: An investigation of classroom

strategies in mathematics and science instruction for developing preservice teachers’
use of democratic social values. Child Study Journal, 32, 39-52.

10. Linares, L. O., Rosbruch, N., Stern, M.B., Edwards, M. E., Walker, G., Abikoff, H.B., & Alvir,
J. (2005). Developing cognitive-social-emotional competencies to enhance academic
learning. Psychology in the Schools, 42, 405-417.

11. Marsh, H. W., Martin, A. J., & Cheng, J. H. (2008). A multilevel perspective on gender in
classroom motivation and climate: Potential benefits of male teachers for boys? Journal
of Educational Psychology, 100, 78-95.

12. Matsumura, L.C, Slater, S. C., & Crosson, A. (2008). The classroom climate, rigorous
instruction and curriculum, and students’ interactions in urban middle schools.
Elementary School Journal, 108, 293-212.

13. Moos, R.H. & Lemke, S. (1979). Multiphasic Environmental Assessment Procedure
(MEAP); Preliminary Manual. In Fraser, B.J., Classroom Environment (p.5). Breckenham,
Australia: Croom Helm Ltd.

14. Reeve, J. M. (2006). Teachers as facilitators: What autonomy-supportive teachers do

and why their students benefit. Elementary School Journal, 106, 225-236.

15. Wheldall, K., Mok, M., & Beaman, R. Does the Individualized Classroom Environment
Questionnaire (ICEQ) measure classroom climate. Educational and Psychological
Measurement, 59, 847-854.

16. Zan, B., & Hildebrandt, C. (2003). First graders’ interpersonal understanding during
cooperative and competitive games. Early Education and Development, 14, 397-410.