Introduction

This policy acts as a guide to the type of learning environment expected in a TMS school classroom. In this regard, this policy ensures a shared understanding of a positive and constructive learning environment, and ensures consistency throughout all TMS schools. Teachers and learners are expected to value and respect classroom environments which contribute to the values, ethos and standards in The Millennium Schools.

Aim of the Policy

TMS classrooms should support and enrich the learning of all learners. As well as being rich, vibrant and welcoming, the classroom environment is a learning tool, a way of engaging learners, promoting and building the class and school climate for learning. Furthermore, TMS classrooms are places which create a sense of ownership and are used to support and promote learning, as well as celebrating learners’ learning achievements.

In order to realise these ambitions and make our classrooms comfortable and encouraging learning environments, everyone is expected to abide by the following policy statements.

General

Everyone in a classroom should be treated with courtesy and respect
Biased or prejudicial language of any kind should not be tolerated
Classrooms are places where learning conversations happen. As such, teachers should provide support for discussion and dialogue which is structured, where everyone is listened to and everyone has chance to contribute
Punctuality is important. Ensure that everyone is on-time for class.
There are no breaks during lessons, except for comfort breaks with the express permission of the teacher
Except where they are being used as a resource in a lesson, mobile phones should be put on silent or turned off. In the case of an emergency, the teacher and, where necessary, school management, should allow mobile use but only outside of the classroom

The Classroom as a Resource

With thought and planning, an effective classroom environment is used as an interactive resource supporting teaching, learning and assessment. The classroom as a ‘learning environment’ in this policy includes:

The visual (display) environment
The learning activity organisation (e.g. tables and chairs, book and other equipment storage, ICT resources (e.g. interactive whiteboard) etc.
The whole environment, what is frequently referred to as management of learners and activities within the classroom i.e. is the classroom environment well-managed by the teacher for learning
The level of light, especially natural light – the classroom should be clean, well-lit and with open (uncluttered) window areas

For all TMS classrooms, the following policy statements apply:

All classrooms should be bright, stimulating and welcoming for learners, teachers and visitors
Displays need to be tailored to the specific needs of learners, taking account of any additional needs of individual learners
The classroom should be an environment to celebrate learner’s achievements in all areas of the TMS curriculum, but especially in writing, in order to boost learners’ self-confidence
There should be examples of writing, including quotations, for learners to aspire to
All teachers should view classrooms as interactive resources to support teaching and learning effectively, therefore displays and decorations should not be fixed, but should change regularly
Teachers should ensure that classrooms are environments which support learner’s learning by providing prompts, models, good examples and information which they can use within their learning on a daily basis
Teachers need to ensure that the prompts and examples provided in classrooms are referred to, and added to regularly, so that they do not become ‘invisible’
Teachers should always work to develop learner’s ownership of their classroom by involving them in the development and relevance of their working environment
The classroom should be seen as a learning environment in school which enables learners, teachers and visitors to gain an insight into the learning taking place in classrooms
Within a school, the learning environment of each classroom should be consistent across all classrooms so that the school’s priorities for high-quality learning are visually evident
Classrooms should reflect the learning that is taking place, showing work in progress as well as finished work

Expectations of Classroom Use

All classrooms should provide the following at an appropriate level for the age of the learners working in the classroom:

Learning objectives, learning outcomes and key questions are to be displayed and referred to in lessons (using, as appropriate, learner’s books/ the classroom displays/ IWB/ whiteboard)
Good examples and ideas that are generated during lessons are displayed and referred to as a means to support on-going learning; in this regard, teachers should see the walls of the classroom as ‘working walls’ as part of on-going learning during lessons – ‘working walls’ are short-term, dynamic and well-planned uses of the learning environment
Prompts should also be placed around the classroom which support learners’ learning about learning. Such prompts should support learners’ talking and thinking about their learning
The teacher should see the classroom learning environment as an opportunity to provide a particular focus on literacy and numeracy. For example, modelled examples of types of writing, examples of learners’ writing, comprehension questions/ideas, word problems, visual models, prompts etc.
Learners’ work should be used to affirm features of accomplishment that are desired for their work, particularly the priorities for learning
Vocabulary relevant to the focus of learning should be evident in all planned areas of learning
There should be an interactive element to displays in the classroom, where learners have the chance to interact with displays either during the main teaching in a lesson or as an activity in their lesson or informally to extend their learning beyond the lesson
Interactive aspects of classroom displays should enable learners to use a range of learning styles, for example adding drawings, writing in speech bubbles, etc.
Learners work does not need to be mounted, as it is expected to develop rapidly and change frequently
Handwriting on wall displays should not contradict the schools Nelson handwriting scheme.

Learners’ Collaborations in Class

The following guidelines are examples of acceptable collaboration between learners in classrooms:

To clarify vague or misunderstood points in handouts, textbooks or discussions
Discussing or explaining the lesson material
Discussing homework to better understand errors made
Working on separate tasks to complete a group activity

Attendance and Participation

Class attendance and participation need to be encouraged and managed; all teachers should strive for learners’ active class participation and discussion in all lessons.

Class participation is a very important part of the learning process. A key understanding for TMS teachers if that it is the quality of learners’ contributions and insights that is of true value, rather than the quantity of contributions from learners.

Use the following points to ensure quality contributions:

Each learner’s contribution in class should offer a different, unique and relevant perspective to the discussion point
Learners’ participation should always be moving discussions, or analysis of answers to questions, forward
All contributions should build on other comments
Learners’ contributions should always demonstrate some reflective and/or critical thinking

Expectations of Behaviour and Discipline

Teachers should use the following guidelines to create a comfortable and productive learning environment in their classrooms:

Lessons should start and end class on time
Homework (reinforcement activity) should adequately cover the material and meet the learning objectives
Teachers should ensure that learners come to class on time
Plan lessons which support ALL learners to be attentive and engaged in class
Provide a classroom environment where learners are comfortable to seek help when appropriate

Teachers should set clear rules for learners’ participation and behaviour. These include, but are not limited to:

Raising a hand before speaking
Listening to others
Staying on task
Listening to instructions
Cooperating with others
Not interrupting other learners’ learning
No defacing of school property
Clean up after activities and keep the classroom tidy
Learners should be expected to be organised and prepared for class
Respect all ideas given in class
Do not criticise anybody’s ideas or thoughts

Use of videos and recordings

At TMS we must ensure that time spent by learners in pursuit of an education is wisely and efficiently used. Movies, movie clips and other audiovisual materials are important tools in the educational process that teachers have access to. However, the use of such materials should be limited so that they are appropriately and effectively used in achieving educational objectives that supplement the curriculum being taught.

General selection criteria should include the following:

Quality of the overall recording being used
Fair and accurate representation of the facts/ principles
Any recordings or movie clips used in the classroom should be reviewed before the class and should not include inappropriate language, depictions of violence or any inappropriate behaviour
Movies shown in their entirety are not allowed except with prior approval of the School Head
Teachers should not show movies as a reward during regular instructional time
When such materials are used in a classroom during instructional time, there should be a pre-activity and a written post-activity for learners
Ensure age appropriateness

Time Limitations – Teachers should be careful with the use of audiovisual materials and should weigh the value of the AV material against the instructional time it consumes

The Classroom – Display as Celebration

Learners’ work should be celebrated by being displayed in corridors, communal spaces and other shared areas. However, it is expected that the central topics learners are studying will be clear and in evidence within classrooms. This involves display of pupils’ work in core subjects and ICT. To display learners’ work:

Work displayed should be named and dated
Paintings and photographs should be mounted, as well as written work
Captions to explain the learning process, pose questions or provide contextual information should be part of the celebration display. Captions and titles should also be mounted
Using boxes, stands and other additions to make parts of the display three-dimensional should be considered as these enhance displays
Each class is expected to maintain the display boards that are in corridors within the vicinity of their classroom
Displays as celebration of learners’ work should change at least termly. Writing should take priority so that children can see good examples and know that this is valued
Displays should belong to the learners and not be ‘fixed dressing’ created by teacher
Learners’ work that reflects process does not always have to be the finished product. A good display will stimulate discussion and curiosity and should be changed regularly to maintain this level of interest
TMS classrooms should be corporate and consistent. Although it is expected that teachers bring their individualism to classrooms and to learners’ learning, classrooms should represent The Millennium schools’ standards and priorities and not those of individual teachers.
Colours should be chosen carefully. Any background mounting should complement a piece of work, not distract from it.
Display boards should be edged with border roll or other edging and contain a clear title.
All teachers are expected to evaluate their classrooms and whether they are successful as learning environments. Ask: ‘Has the display worked?’ ‘Are the learners using displays or talking about them?’ ‘Is it a useful tool for teaching?’ ‘Has it made learners feel proud?’
Monitoring of the implementation of this policy forms part of the lesson observation process conducted by school heads and subject leads.