The School Environment

Lesson 1

Introduction

Any setting in which learning is supposed to take place is called a learning environment.
This may be describe to a physical space like a classroom, laboratory, or any room. Bernard
(2012) conferred that this may also refer to a non-formal learning environment such as
distance learning and online or virtual learning where the teaching-learning takes place. Thus,
learning environment is more than just the physical components. This serves as the venue for
addressing student’s needs, active communication, and establish connections amongst
others to further effect learning.

According to Hannah (2013), environment plays a very important role for learning.
Learner’s attention toward their studies is affected when they are distracted with stuffs aside
from the lesson being taught. With this, to ensure learning, it is very vital to consider that certain
learner’s needs are met. Therefore, Abraham Maslov, a psychologist, strongly suggest two of
the basic needs – security and safety.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. determine the characteristics of a school environment that is safe, secure, and is supportive
of learning (PPST 2.1.1); and
2. reflect on a school environment that promotes learning and development;
3. suggest and make their own board display lay-out either through a hand-made drawing,
an electronic (computer) drawing, or a collage;
4. present their idea of a good school learning environment through a graphic organizer;
5. discuss how inclusive pedagogy promotes a fair learning environment;
6. explain how the classroom structure and activities affect the students’ participation;
7. cite strategies implemented by teachers to encourage students to participate in class;

Topic Outline
1. Exploring the School Campus
2. Observing Bulletin Board Displays
3. Fair Learning Environment
4. Management of Classroom Structure and Activities
5. Support for Learner Participation
6. Promotion of Purposive Learning
7. Management of Learner Behavior

1|Page
TOPIC 1: Exploring the School Campus

Try this!

SCHOOL CAMPUS FLASHBACK: Recall the school premises of your previous elementary
or secondary school (NOTE: Choose only either). Remember the different areas and facilities
that your school has. Fill out the given checklist. Check the column to indicate their availability
and give a brief description of those that were available. State how each has contributed to
your and other learners’ learning and development.

Name of the School Described: Talabaan Elementray School

Location of the School: Zone 4, Tabalaan, Zamboanga City
School Year Attended: 2013-2014

Will it contribute to the student’s

Facilities Description learning and development?
Why?
Upon entering the principal office, the Yes, it can contribute to the
Office of the Principal first thing that you can see is the students learning and
bulletin board and a receiving area. development because they will
On the corner you can see a shelves be motivated to do their best to
where in it is full of trophies and contribute also for the school’s
certificates. There is another door to achievement.
enter for you to be able to reach the
principal’s table.

Library

Counseling Room

The school canteen is in the same School cafeterias that are well
Canteen/ Cafeteria room for the HE because they are the thought out assist learning and
one who’s managing the canteen as student development. In order
well. The canteen is spacious and it to give students and staff high
can cater a lot of students. The foods levels of energy and to prevent
that can be found in our canteen are problems like obesity and
healthy foods and the feeding also anaemia, which are linked to a
takes place there. poor diet, they provide proper
nourishment.

Medical Clinic

Audio Visual/ Learning

Resource Center

Science Laboratory

Gymnasium

Auditorium

As you go to our garden you can Gardens are beneficial for

Outdoor/ Garden breathe fresh air, it is filled with trees, education because they are a
vegetables, and plants. The only color very direct and practical type of
instruction where kids can

2|Page
 that is dominant in this area is green experience the outcomes of
and it is refreshing for the students. their choices and activities.
Learning to cultivate healthy
food can boost self-sufficiency
and improve health, as well as
providing a means of support.
The home economic room and the In the Home economics room,
Home Economics Room canteen is only one room where it is the teenagers learn to apply the
spacious and well organized. The skills they picked up in class to
facilities are complete and clean. their own lives and fosters
responsibility. It teaches
teenagers to become more
responsible at home when they
learn how to care for their home
and themselves.

Industrial Workshop Area

PTA Office

The comfort room for boys are well It will contribute to the students
Comfort Room for Boys arrange and clean. This facility is learning because they learn
complete when it comes to child how to have a personal hygiene
necessities in the comfort room such for their self.
as clean water and soaps and it have
3 cubicles to cater the students.
This facility is well managed and It will contribute to the students
Comfort Rooms for Girls clean. The same with the boy’s learning because they will be
comfort room it has complete comfort trained to have a personal
room amenities and clean water and hygiene for their self.
have 3 cubicles.

Others
(Please specify)

Source: Field Study 1 – Observations of Teaching-Learning in Actual School Environment (Lucas et.al.,2020)

CLASSROOM THROWBACK: Picture out one of your previous classrooms (either during
your elementary or secondary years). Then write your personal observation report on the
space provided.

Class Grade/Year Level: Grade 6

Section: Section 1
Adviser’s Name: Amor Liza Jaloa

Guide Question Classroom Observation Report

1. Describe the community or The community that surrounds the school includes the fish
neighborhood where your pond, rice field, mosque, residential areas, church, school
school is found. supply stores and it is located away from the highways but
there is a barangay road near to it.
2. Describe the school campus. As I observe the dominant color in our school campus is
What colors did you see? blue because all of the fence are painted with color blue
What was the condition of that makes our school look alive. Some of our buildings are
the buildings? too old and some classrooms are already “maanay” that’s

3|Page
 why during our time some of the buildings are being
renovated.
3. What impression do you have During our time almost all of the buildings in our school are
to those offices found in your old enough and sometimes its dangerous for the students
school? to use it because some of the floors are cracked already
and some rooms are with “anay”.
4. Aside from the school halls, We have a huge outdoor garden wherein we utilize this
the library, and/or the place in our EPP subject. It’s a nice place because we can
cafeteria, what other breathe fresh air and some of the students are into
facilities that your previous gardening so it’s not difficult for us to plant vegetables and
school has? Describe these. we also plant trees in our school.
Source: Field Study 1 – Observations of Teaching-Learning in Actual School Environment (Lucas et.al.,2020)

1. Describe the walls of your classroom. What were posted on each of these walls?
What heroes, religious figures, lessons, visual-aids, and announcements do you see
posted?
➢ Our walls are filled with learning materials such as alphabets, the president, the
secretary of department of education, the Philippine flag, the national anthem,
Zamboanga hermosa hymn, the core values, the vision and mission, motivational
quotes, student’s outputs are hanged on its subject assigned bulletin board, birthday
chart, bulletin board for some announcement.

2. How were the pieces of furniture arranged? Where was the teacher’s table
located? How were the tables and chairs/ desks arranged?
➢ All of the furniture inside the room are well arranged and we really have a specific
place for each of them so that we can maintain the cleanliness of our room. The
teacher’s table is located at the back corner of the room so that she can monitor all
of her students with that position. For our chairs it is arranged just as the traditional
way because we don’t have enough space and we also consider the capacity in
our room.

3. What learning materials/ equipment were present?

➢ We have chalkboard, globe, illustration cards of our national heroes, we also have
illustration cards of the different places here in the Philippines.

4. Around how many students were occupying in one room? (Approximate number)
➢ For our batch we are around 50 students in our room.

5. Was the room well-lit and well-ventilated?

➢ Yes, our room has 4 lights and 3 electric fans inside to make sure that it is well
ventilated.

Source: Field Study 1 – Observations of Teaching-Learning in Actual School Environment (Lucas et.al.,2020)

Check ( ) the box that corresponds to the learning environment of your previous class.
The Learning Environment… Yes No Remarks
1. is clean and orderly.
2. has policies that ensure the safety and
security of students.
3. has space where students can play
4. displays work of students.
5. allows students to freely express their
thoughts and ideas.
6. gives students an opportunity to take part
in the formulation of classroom rules and
policies.

4|Page
 7. has teachers who are calm and
respectful.
8. encourages students to explore and learn
on their own.
9. gives students opportunities to correct
mistakes.
10. encourages students to resolve conflicts
peacefully.
Source: Field Study 1 – A Guide for 21st Century Student Teachers (Pawilen, et.al.,2019)

Think ahead!

1. How do the school campus and the classroom in particular impact the learning of the
students going to school? What are your conclusions?
The school campus and the classroom have a great impact for the student’s motivation in going
to school because if the school environment is interesting for them, they will be encouraged to go to
school every day. In addition, if the school is well-equipped with the facilities there are great possibilities
that the learners can learn effectively. Therefore, I conclude that the condition of the school campus and
classroom has a great impact for the students especially the learning materials that are found in a
2.classroom
How does this the
to cater relate toofyour
needs knowledge
the students ofand
to learn child and adolescent
motivated development? How
to go to school.
does this relate to your knowledge of facilitating learning?

Child and adolescent development and facilitating learning must be worked together to come up
with the very best learning approach that we can use in the teaching learning process because they must
be applied in the field in our rule as future educators.

3. In your opinion, how can the school’s learning environment be improved?

The school learning environment can be improved by providing the students a good social,
intellectual and emotional climate. The campus must be a good place for the students to be motivated to
learn by providing them their needs for learning. We should also provide an environment that is away
from any disturbances to keep our learners focus on their task.

4. How does Maslow’s theory explain the importance of security and safety in ensuring
that learning will take place?
In Maslow's hierarchy, the demand for security and protection is referred to as a safety need. Our
safety needs take precedence over our behaviours once our physiological needs for food and water are
met. These requirements are a result of our fundamental desire for a stable, organized environment that
we can control.

Read and Ponder

A physical environment conducive for learning is one that has consistent practices:
✓ keep the school safe, clean, orderly and free from distraction;
✓ maintain facilities that provide challenging activities;
✓ address the physical, social and psychological needs of the students.

5|Page
 Abraham Maslow formulated a hierarchy of needs which states that each level should
be fulfilled in order to progress to the next stage. Two of the basic needs identified by Maslow
are security and safety. Students should be in an environment where they are free to move,
talk, and interact with others without compromising their physical, psychological, and
emotional health. This can be done by making sure that routines are established, rules are
clearly defined, and policies are explicitly explained. Knowing what to expect provides
students an opportunity to manage behaviour as they deem fit in a predictable learning
environment (Burleson and Thoron 2014).

See if you can do this!

1. If you will become a teacher, would you like to teach in your previous school? Support
your answer.

➢ Yes, because I want to give back to my alma mater and I want to help in
improving our school environment and facilities to be able to cater the needs of
our students in learning. I want to help the youths in our community because I
want them to have a bright future.

2. What kind of school campus is conducive to learning?

➢ A campus that is conducive to learning is equipped with all the necessary
facilities and that the school is not a threatening environment for the learners
and a school campus which is organized.

3. What kind of classroom is conducive to learning?

➢ A welcoming classroom setting is one where children feel comfortable expressing

themselves. It also includes being well-stocked with educational resources and,
most importantly, having the greatest instructor possible.

4. How can you create a classroom conducive to learning in the future?

➢ By first planning and organizing the procedures and routines that will be used to
organize the class and create a supportive environment for learning. In order to
keep the students interested in what they are learning, I will use a lot of teaching
tools, like visual aids that will be posted on the walls. The teaching-learning process
in the classroom must be centered on the students.

6|Page