IDEAL CLASSROOM DESIGN

Grade One No Subject

As a future educator, designing your Ideal Classroom with no rules, restrictions,

administers, curriculum, or guidelines that are embedded in your contract gives an
unpractised teacher an open and overwhelming decision. I can hear a small voice (that
sounds a lot like Jesse) saying the fact that I am unpractised will benefit this assignment by
not being stuck in my old ways; however, my initial feeling was that I was unqualified to
redesign education. This inexperience of educational practices and teaching strategies
gives me an unaltered perspective on the modern education world; however, when
knowing the focus of education and teaching shows the need for a paradigm shift towards
learning and now I know that I can influence this shift.
In the ideal classroom I would use self-reflection and self-correction as a center
focus in the process of learning. Self-reflection promotes learning, resiliency, and as well as
emotional intelligence. Being afraid to make mistakes is hindering students want and
ability to take risks in the classroom. Learning from mistakes builds resiliency. Students
who accept imperfection and accept that there is a place for not knowing will be better
learner. Teachers need to change the way students view mistakes. By rethinking the way
we approach being wrong and not knowing in the classroom we are better able approach
learning. In my ideal classroom, I will value students self-corrections teach the students to
be independent problem solvers (Forbes 2004). I want students to rethink their mistakes
and be specific about their errors. If students critically think about why something was a
wrong and why they dont understand something is more important than just accepting
something as wrong. Students need to be more open about their mistakes to develop a
better relationship with the action of making mistakes.
When considering what is important for students to learn and what is essential:
reading, writing, simple math skills, and simple technology skills. I believe, that students
also need to learn life skills as well. How do we apply the need to learn these aspects using
the MUSIC model of motivation? Early Elementary is an important time for the
development of children as well as affecting their outlook on learning. So how to teachers
transition their roles from educators (dictators) to facilitators of learning in the classroom?
This question would be the driving focus of my ideal classroom shifting the paradigm away
from the modern education.
My decision to make the focus of the grade a no subject class in an elementary
classroom is because I would like to incorporate the power of I dont know. By using
positive language as well as motivating behaviors in the classroom will promote student
effort, the use of different strategies, and essentially grow our students brains. The power
of, I dont know will change the way education will promote students to ask questions and
find the answers themselves. By making I dont know a comfortable term and the start of
discovery can empower students to take ownership of their own actions. So when choosing
a focus subject would be based on my students interest to get them engaged and exciting
about the learning process. When the student are interested in what is being studied they
are more motivated to learn the steps of learning. My grade one class would be
incorporated around a unit or theme that students will discover the necessary skills they
need. Examples of these themes could be animals, lemonade stand, hockey, fireworks,
Christmas, etc. This idea of centering around a theme would get students engaged in their
learning; however, students will still be engaged in their literacy, numeracy, and
technology skill development.
A classmate introduced me to the three Rs of teaching language: reinforcing,
reminding and redirecting (Gersten 2014). The power of language in the classroom has the
ability to support or hinder childrens learning. Language is a tool that needs to be used
mindfully to get the most from all students. Reinforcing is an idea that builds on students
success and strengths rather then focusing on a childs weaknesses. Reinforcing not only
highlights skills and work but also students efforts and attitudes in the classroom.
Reminding is a strategy to use before students start a challenging task or has to make a
decision helping students stay on track. An important application of reminding is the
expectations that are presented to the students as well as giving students opportunities to
make their own well-informed decisions. Finally there is redirecting language; this type of
specific language is used when students have lost the ability to self-control. Using clear and
concise words in a neutral way can redirect students to what is expected of them. It is
ignorant to believe that classrooms are unneeded of management tactics, even in an ideal
classroom, so using redirecting language is an effective and simple strategy that keeps
control in the classroom without becoming frustrated or having highly escalated issues.
My ideal classroom would embody the facilitation of learning. To do this we must
first think about the physical environment children are learning in and this is greatly
affected by the classs sizes. Bruwiler and Blatchford (2011) found that smaller class sizes
found a significant increase in math and literacy skills. Students who had different learning
challenges tended to benefit in a smaller sized class showing an increase in academic
success (Bruwiler and Blatchford 2011). With increased funding into education, a class size
could be 10-15 students and in addition having an Educational Assistant. My EA would
have specialized qualifications for students who have coding, speech therapy, physical
therapy, and other challenges. This support staff would work directly with students or
small groups of students to deliver activities or other educational needs. The EAs can
increase academic success for a group of students that have learning disabilities or
difficulties that the specific EA is trained for essentially promoting learning for all students
(Farrell et.al 2010). This ideal class does depend on funding and support given to education
by the government. If the government puts a higher value in education then this proposal
of a smaller class size and EAs to coded students could be a reality. This environment
would allow more one-on-one time between the teacher and students and a simpler way to
use formative data to drive instruction to fit the individuals of the class rather than the
whole.
The small class size will also consider the importance of classroom community and
building an environment that will encourage learning. When students have the feeling of
belonging and of membership within the classroom students are more likely to achieve
learning goals. There is a major role of the sense of belonging in education, which gives
students the feeling of being safe in a classroom as well as feeling supported and having the
students the motive to achieve. Having a sense of classroom community also regulates
students emotional control, their conflict resolution skills, and social skills within the
classroom. Not only does classroom community reduce bullying, creates leadership
opportunities in the classroom but also increase academic readiness and academic
success (Parker 2014). By successfully incorporating community building into a
classroom, and into my ideal classroom, will then promote a safe learning environment.
 When building a community the facilitator (me) needs to consider how young
students absorb information and get motivated to learn. By using the MUSIC model
developed by Dr. Jones I would consider the aspects of eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success,
Interest, and Caring in my ideal classroom. The MUSIC model motivates students
intrinsically rather than motivating children extrinsically which will increase student
learning. Student who are feeling empowered will have some control over their learning
and choice of what they are learning, how they learn, and have their opinions considered
(Jones 2009). The most important of all components is of all is caring, which encompasses
many different aspects of learning and the education system. This concept would be used in
my ideal classroom to connect the community of a classroom and relationships that are
built within that community. This includes the teacher showing their care for the
achievements and failures of all students as well as listening to them. Giving attention to
students failures connects back to the role of self-correction in the classroom. By
recognizing that a student has made a mistake in a positive light and re-direct the student
to use a strategy to work through the problem encouraging them to be an independent
thinker. Students can then be comfortable with their own opinions and focusing on the
material rather then the right answer.
Another aspect I would integrate in my classroom is developing a growth mindset,
which then would promote creativity in the classroom. I want to include and effectively
incorporate the practices of stretching our brains. Instead of congratulating students on
being smart or worse, congratulating effort without considering if learning has occurred
but use words to foster children as the work through their learning (Dweck 2015). It is
guiding students to work hard or try new strategies when they are facing a challenge,
which they dont have a comfortable solution to. Dweck argues that to properly build
growth mindsets in the classroom and the teacher needs to embody the growth mindset
ideals themselves (2015). If we are reacting to mistakes negatively we are being more
harmful to students mindsets rather than promoting this growing mind. I would
embodying a growth mindset without making fixed mindset a swear word in the
classroom. We are always saying you are fixed or growth mindset rather than explaining to
students that all people are a mixture and giving strategies on how we can implement our
growth mindset when we face challenges. Dweck research showed the positive effects of
adapting a growth mindset to increase resiliency both in academic achievement but also
peer interactions (Yeager & Dweck 2012). Approaching difficult situations with a belief that
your intelligence is malleable students are more likely to bounce back after failures
(Schroder 2017).
Finally, I must discuss assessment (which is a constraint in a classroom); however,
in my ideal classroom I would use assessment as only feedback to reflect and correct on. In
early elementary it is less important for the red pen and more important for the learning
experiences. In my ideal classroom, I would shift away from summative assessment and
use formative assessment to track students progress rather then a focus on the end goal. By
using formative strategies as our sole way of assessing I would better be able to check for
understanding, guide instructional decisions, and provide feedback for students to improve
upon. If teachers use this information and track students progress we are better able to
gauge students development of a certain skill. When considering assessment we need to
think of the purpose of the assessment. If the aim is promote learning and development
we must shift our understandings and application of assessment (Huber & Skedsmo 2016).
 I believe that using a combination of all these aspects will promote learning and
creativity in the classroom. Students today are afraid to try something new, be creative, and
think in a different way (Tugend 2011). By allowing students to take risks and showing
students that mistakes are apart of the learning process students will have a better
functioning classroom and more authentic learning experiences.

REFERENCES
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competency on classroom processes and academic outcome. Learning and
Instruction, 21, 95-108.
Denton, Paula. (2013). The power of our words: Teacher language that helps children learn.
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Dweck, C. (2015). Carol Dweck revisits the growth mindset. Education Week, 35(5), 20-24.
Farrell, Peter, Alborz, Alison, Howes, Andy, & Pearson, Diana. (2010). The impact of
teaching assistants on improving pupils academic achievement in mainstream
schools: a review of the literature. Educational Review, 62(4), 435-448.
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