How are we getting on together?

Notes for further reading

Diagrams and figure 

Reflective Activities

Classroom Climate and Interpersonal Relationships

The reflective activities in this section suggest ways of looking at issues related to classroom climate and interpersonal relationships. Some can be done alone others require you to observe colleagues and/or talk with pupils. The first two activities focus on the classroom environment which is experienced by the pupils. The second two activities focus on ways in which adult behaviour can positively or negatively influence pupils’ feelings about themselves. The final activity in this section considers the possible effect of praise on pupils with low self-esteem.

 

Classroom Rules and Relationships

Having considered the ‘emotional climate’ of individual classrooms this section considers the wider issue of school ethos. The activities in this section constitute a number of suggestions about how a teacher can take account of the perspectives, feelings and position of children. The first activity aids reflection on one expression of the school’s ethos: school rules which are usually to be found in the school handbook. Whilst some classroom rules are overt there are many more which are tacit and the next four activities focus on identifying overt and tacit rules, on the issues of `fairness’ and consistency in teacher pupil relationships, and on how pupils feel about their teacher. The final two activities in this section explore the valuable information from children on the subject of how they feel about the classroom activities in which they are required to engage, and to monitor our own feelings, as teachers, which are an important factor in maintaining a positive working consensus.

• How do teachers respond to pupils' ideas?
• How far does the learning culture in your classroom influence pupils' behaviour?
• What can we learn from our classes as a group - why and how does pupil consultation work?
• What is the 'emotional temperature' in your classroom and how does it affect your pupils' behaviour?

 

Enhancing Classroom Climate

Children often feel vulnerable in classrooms, particularly because of their teacher's power to control and evaluate. The first activity considers how children experience school and their openness to new learning. Sometimes a child's successes may be difficult to identify and the next three activities are designed to encourage understanding and diagnosis of what a child is experiencing, to explore the quality and quantity of the praise given to pupils, and to identify any patterns in the quantity, quality, or purpose of teacher child contacts.

• What impact does classroom ethos have on pupil voice?
• Why should we be careful about how we praise our pupils?
• How do you use praise and encouragement in your classroom?
• How can pupil voice be used to engage ethnic minority pupils?
• What affects pupils’ confidence in their ability to learn?
• How can we ensure the feedback we give motivates pupils to learn?
• How can we help pupils see the importance of recognising when they don’t understand?
• How do we know which pupils are likely to work well together?
• How do you use written feedback to encourage your pupils?
• How can teachers and pupils create rules for group-work?