Competency 006
DOMAIN II-CREATING A POSITIVE, PRODUCTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
The teacher understands strategies for creating an organized
and productive learning environment and for managing student behavior.
Defense
Conflict occurs quite often within the learning environment, but
some are not as easily seen. There are many types of conflict, such
as sociopolitical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and the like. Students
need to see that conflict can be resolved and that the environment is positive.
When a student misbehaves the students need to see that the student will
be treated the same as any other student who had done the same thing and
that the environment will not change. It is important for students
to see their teachers working together to make the environment positive.
Part of creating a positive environment for students is resolving conflicts
that can prevent learning from taking place. Most conflicts are on
the surface, however; there is a type of conflict that is hidden deep below.
I have created a name for the type of conflict that comes from within, the
intrapersonal conflict. Intrapersonal conflict is a conflict with ones
own conscious, feelings, thoughts, or any other source that may cause an
internal conflict. What I have learned is that internal conflict is
not just in the students, but in the teachers as well. How many teachers
have trouble at home and then come to work? Most teachers have some
form of internal conflict that elicits thoughts and feelings that can hinder
or even bias us at work. Part of creating a positive, equal environment
is learning how to resolve these intrapersonal conflicts so that it does
not prevent learning in the classroom.
I remember having a desire to call into work because I needed to get my apartment
clean and my husband was not helping me. Like a good teacher, I went
into work, but my head was filled with all kinds of thoughts and attitudes.
Although rare, I can see how I was tougher on the behavior of the men’s behavior
than I was on the women’s behavior when it was the same offense. Because
of this bias posed by my intrapersonal conflict, I now make a conscious effort
to not bring my home life to work. Students are also guilty of the
same types of behavior. One thing that must be realized is that we
are humans interacting with each other and there never will be perfection
on any ones part in the classroom.
Samples: