HTSB Standard 3: Learning Environments – Rationale

To satisfy and meet standard 3, the artifacts that I present are: a) email collaborations
with other instructors/staff, b) collaborative teacher feedback, c) 504 Plan, and d) student self-
reflection/progress tracker. Article a) demonstrates a collective commitment between me and my
colleagues to ensuring that students have access to environments that support individual and
collaborative learning that encourages active engagement. For instance, the communication
(emails) between my colleagues allows me to effectively understand how to create mutual
learning environments that encourage self-directed learning and group responsibility for quality
work—demonstrated by my student’s eagerness to partner (positive partnership) with her peer to
motivate one another in the learning process. As a result, I am able to recognize the value the
role of learners promoting each other’s learning. Evidence b) is collaborative teacher feedback
for a particular student that we share. The feedback highlights the academic challenges,
strengths, and general concerns each subject-teacher associated with our student. Thus, the
feedback helps me collaborate with my student to establish a safe and productive environment
that includes expectations, daily routines, and an organized structure to streamline her learning
and the learning of others. Artifact c) is a 504 plan document underlining the accommodations
that a specific student of mine is entitled to. This document exhibits my commitment to working
with colleagues, families, and communities to establish a positive and supportive learning
environment for my student. Moreover, it supports a fostering of respectful communication
between me and all/any members of the learning community that have my student’s best interest
in mind. Evidence d) is a combination of tracking student progress and their self-reflection
regarding our lesson on slopes. The lesson on slopes that I implemented involved a peer-review-
cards group activity where students partnered together to review and support each other’s
learning. After each card in the peer-review, they were able to track their progress and self-
reflect on their knowledge of the topic. Therefore, the activity encourages a learning experience
that builds upon self-direction and collaboration to take ownership of their learning.
Furthermore, the activity motivates student interaction of ideas through an equitably engaging
environment that inspire my students to seek out purposeful learning.