Teach Children Well: Self Reflection Journey #13: Safe Learning Evironment

My detailed analysis of the Massachusetts' Educator Evaluation Rubric continues with element 2B1: Safe Learning Environment. This is the element that often "makes or breaks" an educator. It is imperative that educators spend the time upfront before the school year creating a positive classroom framework. Then, at the beginning of the year, educators need to work with students to revise and refine that framework so that students understand the learning environment belongs to them, and that ownership brings both privilege of "choice and voice," and responsibility to act in accordance with mutually agreed upon behavioral and academic expectations with the common goal of positive, proactive learning and community throughout the year.

To reflect on this standard, read the standard, indicator, element, criteria, and key points. Then use the evaluation grid to reflect on this element's implications for your own education practice. At the bottom of the page there's a link to my self analysis which you may refer to if interested.

Standard II: Teaching All Students. The teacher promotes the learning and growth of all students through instructional practices that establish high expectations, create a safe and effective classroom environment, and demonstrate cultural proficiency

Indicator II-B. Learning Environment: Creates and maintains a safe and collaborative learning environment that motivates students to take academic risks, challenge themselves, and claim ownership of their learning.

Element II-B- 1: Safe Learning Environment

Criteria (exemplary)
Models and uses rituals, routines, and proactive responses that create and maintain a safe physical and intellectual environment where students take academic risks and play an active role--individually and collectively--in preventing behaviors that interfere with learning.

Key Points/Questions:

Uses rituals, routines, and proactive responses that create and maintain a safe physical and intellectual environment. What proactive responses, rituals, and routines do you employ to create a safe physical, intellectual environment?
Students take academic risks and play an active role. In what ways do you encourage students to take risks and actively engage in learning both individually and collectively.
Preventing behaviors that interfere with learning. How do you positively and proactively prevent behaviors that interfere with learning?

Educator Evaluator Analysis Grids

Element II-B- 1: Safe Learning Environment

Key Points	Question	Effective Efforts	Implications for Your Practice	Results
Uses rituals, routines, and proactive responses that create and maintain a safe physical and intellectual environment.	What proactive responses, rituals, and routines do you employ to create a safe physical, intellectual environment?	Create routines at the start of the year that support an engaged, active, risk-taking learning environment. Create rituals during the year that celebrate, affirm, and support optimal student collaboration and learning. Develop a repertoire of proactive responses in order to encourage, redirect, and support student learning. Use signage around the room to remind students and educators of your classrooms’ rituals, routines, and proactive responses. During the start of the year work with students with “what if” statements, then together discuss optimal responses and reactions to events that might occur during a learning year. Never blame students, instead support, encourage, and redirect. Use challenging situations as teaching moments. Make classroom routines, rituals, and responses predictable and explicit so everyone in the learning community knows what to expect.
Students take academic risks and play an active role.	In what ways do you encourage students to take risks and actively engage in learning both individually and collectively.	Include students in the classroom community decisions, routines, and rituals as much as possible. Create a “students first” classroom environment. Make sure that students are doing most of the talking, most of the activity--create an active learning environment. Engage students in decision making discussions throughout the year. Reward risk and use error and mistakes as learning stepping stones.
Preventing behaviors that interfere with learning.	How do you positively and proactively prevent behaviors that interfere with learning?	Make the time at the start of the year to establish positive routines, rituals, and responses. S L O W D O W N the start of the year so there is plenty of time for student choice and voice when it comes to creating, learning, and practicing classroom routines. Make rules for yourself as the educator, rules such as I will not embarrass a student, I will use a calm voice, I will respond to errors with a teaching/coaching attitude. . . If students’ behavior or learning profile continues to interfere with classroom learning, seek more help from leadership, colleagues or support professionals--don’t try to solve tough problems in isolation.