Megan Paje 10/10/20

Positive Learning Communities in the Classroom

Parents send their children off to school in hopes that their student is “cared, valued,
inspired, and educated.” (Allred, 2008) The majority of the responsibility to apply that mindset
into the classroom falls on the educator. They determine how information is taught, how students
interact with them and their peers, and, in turn, how effective their learning community actually
is. A classroom environment should be welcoming and a safe space for children to educate
themselves without fear or hesitation in any learning process. Having their psychological needs
met in an academic setting will allow them to fully explore areas of their schooling they might
have never had the courage to look into due to hostility or chaos in the classroom. A good thing
about this concept is that “regardless of [a] student’s past,” a teacher can always “deliberately
shape the climate of [their] classroom” to accommodate positive changes accordingly. (Kamb,
2012) One way to implement these changes is through a code of conduct. This technique ensures
that all students are aware of the standard upon which they are held that they are all accountable
under the same set of expectations. There is less of a chance for any child to take advantage of
any privilege they might hold because the rules are already established and previously set in
writing with no room for exceptions. The use of intrinsic motivation can also provide a gateway
into the world of a positive learning environment. The idea behind this method is that children
learn to value their education on their own terms and for their own enjoyment. It promotes
inclusivity and allows students to feel good about participating because they truly believe it is for
the betterment of themselves and not just something they are forced to do.
Although it is up to the teacher to implement and create this positive environment, the
students must engage and participate for the situation to be entirely beneficial. An easy way for
teachers to know if what they are doing is effective of not is simply by asking their students. The
children are the main focus in the classroom, so it is important that an educator gages their
audience for feedback about what is working and what needs to be changed. An educational
environment should have a balance between academics and social behaviors. These factors may
not be explicitly shown among the chaos of everyday life. Having check-ins with students
through “one-on-one interviews or [asking] for written responses” (Kamb, 2012) can develop
that teacher-student connection and further solidify the idea of psychological safety in the
classroom. Giving a say to students will also “increase students’ sense of ownership in [their]
educational process.” (Allred, 2008) This encourages the use of intrinsic motivation and supports
the involvement of children in their academic careers early on in their lives.
The idea of a “positive learning environment” has developed into a place heavily focused
on academics. Students come ready to learn, go home to do more schoolwork, and wake up to
repeat the process again. It rarely focuses on students’ emotional or social needs anymore.
However, in order for education to be fully efficient and effective, it must work for every party
involved. This includes not only the school administration and staff meeting their educational
requirements, but also the students meeting their psychological needs, the parents meeting their
emotional needs of knowing their child is being taken care of while out of their presence, and the
teachers receiving validation for their hard work and preparation to ensure the smooth execution
of a school year. A “positive learning environment” is not linear, it is a multi-directional process.
 References

Allred, C. G. (2008, September). Seven Strategies for Building Positive Classrooms. Retrieved
October 11, 2020, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership/sept08/vol66/num01/Seven-Strategies-for-Building-Positive-Classrooms.aspx

Kamb, R. (2018, October 17). Key Factors in Creating a Positive Classroom Climate. Retrieved
October 11, 2020, from https://www.cfchildren.org/blog/2012/08/key-factors-in-creating-
a-positive-classroom-climate/