Environment+of+the+Classroom

**Classroom Environment ** Importance of Implementing Gender Neutral Strategies Into the Classroom: ** In order to create a classroom which adheres to feminist pedagogy principles, both students and teachers must take an active role in the learning process (Cannon and De La Rosa; par. 2). This harmonious relationship thus enables students to feel comfortable voicing their opinion and integrating their prior knowledge and experiences into the classroom. **

How to Go About Achieving This Environment: ** Each teacher ultimately is responsible for structuring their classroom accordingly. The following [|link] provides teachers with strategies for obtaining gender equity in a science classroom. These strategies however are applicable to any classroom environment and are designed to further prompt teachers thinking about feminist pedagogy. **

Below we have compiled a list of strategies teachers may consider implementing in the design of their classroom environment:


 * ! **Allow students to actively participate in designing the look and feel of the classroom (Keller) 
 * -This includes having groups of mixed gendered students actively participate in creating décor for the classroom (i.e. posters, asking students what they want their classroom to look and feel like, and having students generate a list of classroom rules and responsibilities). Having students participate in creating their classroom environment will help them feel more comfortable.**

 **!** Encourage all students to apply their learning to both practical and everyday life scenarios (Keller)  may ask students to name/list examples of specific genres they have encountered in or out of the classroom.
 * - For example, if the lesson plan involves teaching students about various genres in literature, the teacher

-Teachers could also assign students the task of finding household items which apply to specific genres (i.e. recipes and instruction manuals as informational texts).**

 **!** Give boys and girls equal amounts of feedback (Keller) 
 * -Teachers should try to be cognizant of the ratio of boys to girls they call on/assist in everyday classroom practices. This awareness will help to dissolve gender favoritism and stereotyping.

! ** Integrate male and female role models into lesson plans (Keller)
 * -Teachers can help dissipate traditional gender role stereotypes by discussing/showing role models represented by both sexes (i.e. bringing male and female police officers, nurses and other inspirational speakers into the classroom)**

**!** Assess students learning using a combination of both open and closed ended questions (Keller) acquired knowledge into the classroom.
 * -Open ended questions prompt further discussion and allow students to integrate both prior and newly

-For example, instead of asking students if males can be nurses and females can be firefighters, you could ask students what their opinion of male nurses and female firefighters are and to justify their responses.**

**!** Design lesson plans to be relevant and applicable to everyday life situations (Keller)
 * -Give examples of how the given lesson may be incorporated into everyday life. For example, lessons involving icons such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King could be addressed then tied into the rights we have today because of their achievements.

! ** Encourage students to bring their personal life experiences into the classroom (Keller) ** -Encourage students to bring their personal experiences and prior knowledge into classroom discussion by creating a non-judgmental environment. Reassure them that their opinions and experiences are valued and appreciated. ! ** Teachers should be cognizant of not bringing their own gender based biases and assumptions into the classroom (Keller)
 * - Teachers should be aware of traditional gender stereotypes, and be cautious of perpetuating them. For example, special privileges should not be awarded to only one sex, one sex should not be assisted more than another, one sex should not be presumed to succeed more than another, assignments and questions should be equal in difficulty for both sexes (Keller), etc.

! **Implement peer teaching so that groups consist of both males and females (Keller)
 * -Allow students to benefit from the experiences of the opposite sex by pairing them together in groups. This may also include implementing male and female mentors into the classroom (Keller).

! **Use the same non-verbal cues (i.e. body language) when addressing male and female students (Keller) ! **Rotate the roles allocated to students in the classroom, and do not assign males and females solely to stereotypical gender roles (Keller)
 * -For example, a teacher should not smile when a male raises his hand to respond to a question and stare blankly ahead when a female raises their hand (or vice-versa). It is important that students feel that both genders’ participation is equally valued.
 * -Teachers should avoid having females engage strictly in duties such as cleaning the classroom and males in moving things around the classroom. Both sexes instead should be encouraged to assist in non-traditional gender roles, and their classroom duties should be rotated.

! **Provide students with information regarding job descriptions and their requirements (Keller) ** -Information should be provided to students regarding all career fields and illustrated as being occupied by both sexes. **  **!** Classroom décor should be gender neutral and should not favor one gender over another -**For example if the teacher provides students with individual folders, they should not all be pink or blue but vary in color selection. Posters should also be gender neutral and avoid perpetuating traditional gender roles. Here is an example of a gender neutral poster which could be used in our third grade classroom:**

The following [|link] is available for teachers to view and purchase posters for their own classroom

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Here is a second list of steps teachers can utilize while creating their learning community:

__Step One:__ **Begin by allowing the class to generate it's own ideas about how they would like the classroom run. Plan carefully to ensure that every child has classroom responsibilities that are within their capacity, match committee goals, and fit into the community vision. Also set aside class reflection time to be sure that the learning communities efforts are contributing to everyone's personal efficacy (Allman, Brophy 23).**

Example: The teacher should ask the class questions that will allow them to reflect on what type of environment they learn best in, what distracts them, what dedication means to them, who is a person that they know is dedicated, who is a role model, why is that person a role model, etc. After this, the students can be better adjusted to designing the look, feel, sound, etc, of their class.

__ Step Two: __** Next, create overall classroom goals that will cut across the spectrum of cognitive, socio-emotional, and moral development. **

Example: The teacher would ask the class what some learning goals are that they would like to meet over the course of the school year, the teacher could give examples by saying, "some of you may want to become better readers, or better at creating a plot in a storyline", the teacher would then write students comments down on a poster sheet which would be hung up in the classroom. The teacher could also create posters that represent the students ideas about what good classroom behavior would look like.

__Step Three:__ **Focus on the physical environment: creating and maintaining a classroom climate that features shared responsibilities, celebrates diversity, and provides the support needed for the realization of intended learning outcomes.**

Example: Classroom posters, books, and artwork should display the diverse cultures of the students. Classroom parties that celebrate a wide range of culture types is another way to provide support that is needed to create a community of learners.

__Step Four:__ **Build a learning community that includes the establishments of rules, norms, roles, and procedures. This includes communicating with parents to beginning the school day, managing individual and group work, resolving peer conflicts, and promoting appropriate behavior in the classroom and other areas of the school.**

Examples: Have a classroom schedule visible for all the class to see. Create classroom jobs where each child has their own specific job for that week of school. Create a list of classroom expectations that the class has contributed to and hang it up in the classroom. Have a weekly newsletter that goes home to parents at the end of each week which goes over what the class worked on for that week of school and what they will be working on in the following week.

__Step Five:__ **Create a vision for how all of this will function. Pose questions like, "What should our classroom look like to us?" "What should it look like to a bypasser?" "What should it sound like?", "Feel like?", Responses can be captured in words, pictures, and photographs to be displayed around the room as reminders of goals and self-monitoring aids for achieving them (Allman, Brophy 25).**

Example: Ask students what the classroom should look like, feel like, and sound like, then create classroom posters that show what students responses were to each of these questions.