Purpose

•  To describe a healthy classroom environment

•  To reflect on the "triangle of artful teaching."

•  To discuss a series of questions with your team members about the concept of a "healthy classroom environment."

Sessions: One

 

Activity

Prior to the session, read Chapter 4 in the text and review the chart on page 16 of the text.   In the beginning of the chapter, the author describes the "Triangle of Artful Teaching."  Briefly write in your Response Journal your own definition of the meaning of this Triangle.  Follow this by reading what it is like for students in a healthy classroom, the nature of the content in a similar classroom, and finally the behaviors of the teacher in a healthy classroom.  Go back to page 16 and review the characteristics of a traditional classroom compared to a differentiated classroom.  Participate in the following discussion with members of your team using the questions listed below as a framework for the discussion.

•  What doe it mean for a teacher to be a leader and learner in the classroom?

•  Choose one or two behaviors listed in "Creating a Healthy Classroom Environment" and discuss your comfort level with these behaviors.  Hopefully, the team will draw on different behaviors to give breath to the discussion.

•  What makes sense to you? What does not?

•  Has the discussion caused you to think differently about your own classroom?

Resource Materials

•  The Differentiated Classroom, Chapter 4 and page 16.

•  Response Journal

Outcome

•  Completion of the Response Journal

•  Participation in team discussion