Learning Environment

In focusing on how Mrs. Saunders manages her class and what sort of environment she creates for her students, a few things have stood out to me:

How does Mrs. Saunders encourage a positive classroom community?
I have seen firsthand how excited Mrs. Saunders's students are to be in class. Of course there are students that would rather be at recess, but I think that applies to any class in any grade. Mrs. Saunders is very big on respecting others, especially classmates. If students begin to show disrespect for a classmate, she will take time out of her lesson to remind the students the importance of being kind to one another.

What clear routines does Mrs. Saunders have that promote a productive learning environment?
Mrs. Saunders starts each day the same way. When I arrive at around 9am, the students are writing in their journals. In their journals, students will respond to writing prompts from the teacher, or just reflect on what they are learning. If there is something the students would like Mrs. Saunders to know about, they can bring their journals to her desk and she will read the journal entry to learn what the student would like her to know. She also has classroom jobs that rotate periodically. The students know that they are expected to help in the classroom and understand what each job requires of them. Because the students know what to expect each day, they are able to focus on learning the content of the lessons instead of worrying about when an activity will be done.

How does Mrs. Saunders make each student feel loved and safe?
Mrs. Saunders takes the time to chat with students from time to time and she will joke with them. She will listen to them when they have something to share. She will give praises when something is done well. She trusts the students to know the answers to questions and so she will allow the classroom to have discussions rather than having the students listen to her lectures.