Enriching Learning Environments

Schools face countless challenges on a daily basis but the environment is a major component.  With school communities composed of many unique individuals, it is difficult to balance the needs of each of these.  It requires a balance of school-wide and classroom  focused efforts.  At Southwest Elementary school, the population unlike any other presents its own array of needs.

Jensen shares in his text that schools should focus on five main factors, SHARE, support of the whole child, hard data, accountability, relationship building, and enrichment mindset (2011).  SWE though successful in several areas, could benefit from improvement in others.  Southwest excels in high expectations and finds the necessary resources to support the students in achieving those.  However as a successful school with low rates of poverty, it does not have high levels of testing continuously occurring and therefore does not have a strong level of hard data.  The school could benefit from the increase of data records beyond testing and poverty but deeper into attitudes, mindsets, and personal needs of the community members (Jensen, 2011).  SWE has some data but beyond interim assessments and EOGs is not frequently shared or utilized for growth.
The enrichment mind-set and final factor of Jensen's SHARE would also be alternative focus that could enrich the environment of SWE (2011).  A school like Southwest Elementary has a very low turnover rate which in itself has positives and negatives.  However for environment purposes it contributes consistency yet it has also evolved into stale attitudes within the seasoned faculty.  The mind-set of the population must shift from what's wrong to what is right.  If the faculty would focus on all the students can do and then do what is necessary to get them there, students would be enriched rather than remediated (Jensen, 2011).

The responsibility to enrich the learning environment does not end at the school, each teacher must then continue the efforts within his/her individual classroom (Jensen, 2011).  With expanding budget cuts and wider ranged student needs, the responsibility to meet the exceptional child while challenging the academically gifted all during the execution of the curriculum is greater than ever (Mulrine, 2007).  

Technology's modern expansion has opened countless doors within education.  Teachers can create materials and tutorials for students to watch and complete independently.  These materials can be used ahead of time or during instructional time (Mulrine, 2007).  Due to the increasing challenge to meet all students needs, it is nearly impossible to teach a whole group lesson that meets and challenges each individual.  Through small group instruction combined with teacher-made materials, the teacher can work hands-on with different student groups throughout the day while other groups are still being taught and challenged.  This new environment is the virtual environment.  The combination of podcasts, videos, photos within thematic units can strengthen the classroom environment by providing the teacher with the opportunity to meet with each student at his/her level.

Southwest Elementary does not utilize technology as often as could be.  Students have computer lab once a week in which all students complete the same activity.  Through the increase of technology use within their individual classrooms, teachers would discover the endless possibilities that await in teacher made artifacts such as podcasts and virtual field trips.  Very few classrooms incorporate these materials for individual use but would find great success in these (Mulrine, 2007).

In the words of Jensen, it is foolish to continue to complete the same actions yet expect different results (2011).  Even a school of great success in several areas such as Southwest Elementary has areas in which to improve.  Through the incorporation of school-wide data reflection, action and a shift in mindset taking form in the classroom, students would experience a greatly enriched learning environment. 




Resources:

Jensen, E. (2011). Teaching with poverty in mind, what being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: Assn for Supervision & Curriculum

Mulrine, C. F. (2007). Creating a virtual learning environment for gifted and talented learners. Gifted Child Today, 30(2), 37-40. Retrieved from http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10436.aspx