By: Matthew Teel September 28, 2014 Classroom Design Practicum Class: First Grade Inside The Classroom: A Look At Design

Goals of designing an effective classroom: The goals of designing an effective classroom are to create an environment that promotes learning, and development, while meeting the needs of all students. In Mrs. Redavid’s first grade class, each of Steele’s six functions of the classroom setting are met.

Security and Shelter Security and shelter is a function that involves the physical and psychological elements of a classroom. Physical security is a precondition that must be met before the environment can serve students’ and teachers’ higher-order needs. Psychological security is an important element that creates a safe and comfortable feeling in the classroom.

Physical Security Psychological Security In Mrs. Redavid’s class, hard to reach storage areas and a wash station support the classroom’s physical security. Carpets and stuffed animals help create “softness” in the room, which encourages psychological security. Security and Shelter

Social Contact Social contact is the function that focuses on the arrangement of students’ desks in order to promote socialization and cooperation. Organizing desks into groups allows students to work together on assignments, share materials, and participate in group discussions. Organizing desks into rows often helps students work on individual tasks.

Social Contact In Mrs. Redavid’s first grade class, desks are organized into groups of 4 or 5. This supports social contact, and allows students to work together on different tasks, such as math activities and paired reading.

Social Contact Likewise, the designated reading area in the classroom encourages social interaction between the students and the teacher.

Symbolic Identification Symbolic identification deals with having items in the classroom that represent the people who work there. Within the classroom, there should be items that reflect the work, backgrounds, and accomplishments of the students and the teacher.

Symbolic Identification In Mrs. Redavid’s class, students’ artwork hangs from the ceiling, and is placed on cabinets around the room. There is a word wall illustrating students’ names, and words that are studied. Also, there are photos of the teacher’s past classes.

Task Instrumentality Task instrumentality focuses on how the classroom environment helps students and teachers carry out important tasks. A classroom’s design should help facilitate lessons and activities in various ways, such as making frequently used materials accessible, providing students with a place for their belongings, and positioning the teacher’s desk to support interactions.

Task Instrumentalit y Mrs. Redavid’s desk is positioned at the far end of the classroom, which allows her to both interact with students at her desk, and move freely around the room. Students are able to hang their belongings in a cubbyhole, located at the room’s entrance. Also, frequently used materials are stored in labeled containers, which are accessed by students.

Pleasure Pleasure is a function that deals with the attractiveness of the classroom. Having a pleasing atmosphere will help students, and teachers, feel comfortable while working. It may even increase productivity. In Mrs. Redavid’s class, pleasure is addressed by using a variety of warm and cool colors, and by decorating walls, tables and shelves.

Growth The final function, growth, deals with promoting children’s development within the classroom setting. The classroom should have a stimulating environment that fosters cognitive development as well as academic achievement.

Growth In Mrs. Redavid’s class, growth is promoted by having a literacy center filled with a variety of reading materials, both fiction and non- fiction. Also, a math center is located in the room where students can explore games, puzzles, workbooks, and manipulatives.

References Weinstein, C. S., & Romano, M. E. (2015). Elementary Classroom Management: Lessons from Research and Practice (6 th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.