Running head: CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 1

Creating an Inclusive & Equitable Learning Environment for All Learners

Samantha Hall

University of South Florida

Learning Environment and Learners

School Context

My internship school is in Riverview Florida. There are 1,087 students currently enrolled

in the school, and the population of the school is very diverse with a minority rate of 61%. The

breakdown of the ethnicities are as follows: 2.21% are Asian, 17.66% are Black, 35.79% are

Hispanic, 0.18% are Indian, 7.64% are Multi-Racial, and 36.52% are white. The two majority

groups of students currently enrolled in the school are white and Hispanic, with just a .73%

difference between the two groups. Approximately half of the students are labeled as

economically disadvantaged. The school’s grade is currently rated at a B for the 2017-2018

school period, however, over the past few years, there has been a fluctuation between a C and B

rating. The school has only received an A rating in the 2013-2014 school year.

The school’s mission statement is “to instill a love to learning, hold the students to high

expectations, use advanced instruction, create a strong

communication with parents and involve both the families

of the students and the community surrounding the school”.

The school fulfills its mission statement through a “meet

and greet” with parents in the beginning of the year and by

hosting fall festivals, science nights, and parent

conferences. The school also uses weekly newsletters to

keep parents informed about events in the school and

classroom. On Fridays, the school helps the students in

need by sending home backpacks filled with canned food for the students and their families. The
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 3

school also offers ESE specialists to assist students who are struggling due to any disabilities or

to work with students who are gifted, and ELL specialists to work with those students learning

the English language.

Classroom Context

My collaborative teacher (CT) teaches fifth grade students and departmentalizes in

teaching English and Language Arts. The CT switches classes with a math and science teacher

halfway through the day. There are 23 students in my

homeroom, whose ages range from 9 to 10 years old,

with diverse ethnicities: six Hispanic, five White,

three Indian, six African American, and three

multicultural. Of these students, five have IEPs,

seven are below level in writing, and eight of the

students are below level in reading. Multiple students

have been diagnosed with ADHD, two students are

on the autism spectrum, four are ESE gifted, five

have ESE disabilities, and a few of the students have

processing issues which have been diagnosed through testing. There are 3 students who are

gifted students and excel in both English and Language Arts, one of which is also on the Autism

Spectrum. Out of all of the homeroom students only seven of them are in early or mid-grade 5 in

their reading diagnostic.

Learning Environment
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The classroom showcases student work and pictures of the class throughout, as well as

posters outlining the expectations for the students in different settings. The white board displays

the morning message, the bellwork task, the objectives for the day, and the homework for that

night. The front of the classroom contains a small table,

which holds the teacher’s laptop, the connected

projector, and the elmo. The student’s desks are set up

in groups of three to four students, and each group is

spread out to allow them to have their own space

without bothering their classmates. The grouping of the students’ desks has a student-centered

set up, which allows students to work with their table mates to get support on assignments.

Having desks spread throughout the classroom can be challenging because of most

classroom dimensions and the other various supplies in the room. My classroom is bigger and

has two extra tables, as well as multiple extra chairs, that students can use in different stations.

To the front, left side

of the classroom is

the CT’s desk, which

allows the CT to see

everything occurring in the classroom. In the back of the classroom is a computer section, which

has one desktop computer and two laptops for the students to use at any time to look up words or

to find evidence needed for their papers. Permission is given to use these computers through a

hand signal.

In the front, right corner of the room, there is a small “independent reading” rug next to

the two bookshelves that line the walls, which are filled with books for the students to read.
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 5

Beside the bookshelves is a box filled with eleven clipboards, which the students can use either

to fill out their reading logs as they read or as a table to write if they choose to move to the front

of the room during class. In the back of the classroom there are shelves, cabinets, and other

storage items for the class book sets, student worksheets, textbooks, and other materials. There is

also a desk by the door containing the “while you were out” binder where all the student work

that’s been missed due to an absent is placed.

Learner Needs and How the Environment Supports Their Needs

The students in my classroom have a range of needs as learners. Strategies that are

embedded within their learning environment that cater to these needs include: independent work

spaces, one-on-one work with the teacher, reading to students who have difficulty with reading,

providing graphic organizers for the students

who need more support, using charts with the

answers cut apart for students to put place

answers where they belong with help from a

partner (graphic organizer), and creating

chants or songs for the students to remember certain skills or content being taught. By working

one-on-one or in small groups with those students who need more attention in the classroom,

they can focus on their work and receive immediate feedback from the teacher. This also

provides a sense of validation for them without disrupting the class.

The classroom also allows for independent workspaces at a separate table, and students

can go to it when there is group work or “table-talk” happening. This separate space can also be

used for one-on-one time with the teacher. There is a specific group which meets at this table to
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 6

complete assignments using a graphic organizer (shown above). This graphic organizer is cut

into sections and the group must place each section where it belongs on the graphic organizer. A

quiet work environment is needed for those students who have trouble focusing and need an

independent work station, as well as the students who need one-on-one time with the teacher, so

they can work without losing focus.

Some students need extra space to work because they know they get distracted. In the

beginning of the year my CT requested an extra table from a room that was not being used.

There are students who needs to get up and walk around to stay awake during class and to help

them focus, and the table was placed at the back of the classroom to provide these students with

an extra space to prevent distractions in the classroom.

My CT often reads instructions or text aloud to students who struggle with

comprehension. This allows the students to focus on listening and deciphering the meaning of

the content, rather than becoming frustrated when they do not

understand the assignments because they struggle to read them.

Students who struggle with assignments are often allowed to

work with a partner while other students are independently

working. Group work is also used in the classroom to provide

students with the opportunity to discuss the assignment with

each other and to strengthen their collaboration skills. The use

of chants or songs is beneficial for the students when it comes to content they are having

difficulty remembering.
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One aspect of the learning environment which fails to meet the needs of the learners, is

the limit to the number of workspaces provided to them. When students working in groups are

having difficulty focusing, there are only two tables they can move to. If there are already

students at these tables, there is nowhere else for them to move to. Recently, the same students

have been going to these tables at the beginning of class, so the students who have trouble

focusing on their work must sit in the louder group setting. Another aspect is when the students

are in their centers. Students are separated into groups of five, however there are only three

computers. This is if the laptops are charged, which isn’t always the case. If the laptops are

charged, this leaves at least two students without a computer to complete their assignment,

however there are usually more than two. The last thing I feel does not benefit the learners is

when the gifted students are repeatedly helping the below-level students, and they never have

time to increase and develop their learning. These students cannot strengthen their skills, or

develop new skills, and they cannot progress in their education because they are spending their

time helping others. The only benefit that comes from this is the students are able to reinforce

what they have learned.

Philosophy of Management

Belief #1

I believe that it is crucial for teachers to form a relationship with their students in order to

understand their needs in the classroom. When a teacher understands each of their students’

backgrounds and experiences, they have the advantage of being aware of possible underlying

reasons for misbehavior. Albert discussed the following reasons for why students misbehave:

seeking attention, power, revenge, or to avoid failure (Charles 1989). The only way to discover
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 8

what makes the students misbehave is through connecting with them. It is also important to

connect with the students in order to learn their limitations and to discover the steps needed for

growth. It allows a teacher to see every students’ potential, which I believe is crucial in a

classroom.

I believe every student has potential, and a classroom should avoid limiting the students

to certain expectations through its assessments, projects, and teaching methods. When a teacher

gets to know their students, they can

not only plan the best ways to help

them grow in their education, but

also in their life. The teacher is also

able to push students to their full

ability, showing them they can do

great things. Eventually the students

will believe this, it just takes the

teacher pushing them and not letting them give up.

As the teacher, I would motivate my students, I would communicate with them that I

believe in them, and I would “recognize and validate real effort” (Levlin and Nolan, 2014, pg.

127). Students often give up because they assume they cannot do it because they have either

been labeled as having a disability or they have been told in the past they cannot achieve success.

This can only be discovered through talking to the students and getting to know them as people,

not just as students. Knowing a student’s background will allow the teacher to put pieces

together to encourage and help the student in the ways they need. Albert uses referent authority,

which means the teacher and the students care for each other and have respect for one another,
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 9

and I believe a collaborative teacher influence is important in a classroom (Charles, 1989).

Students should feel as though their opinions and thoughts matter and should take part in

creating the environment they are going to be in for at least 7 hours a day, 5 times a week

throughout the school year.

Belief #2

I believe students should develop a sense of community and trust in the classroom to

allow them to create a sense of belonging. This allows them to gain the most out of the

classroom. When students are in a classroom, they are there for approximately five days a week

for six and a half hours, which means they are spending time around the same kids for the

majority of their week. Over time, the students will get to know each other and may even get to

know each other deeply. If the students feel like they are in a safe, trustworthy community, they

will experience more from the class than academics. Students will work better together, create

positive learning environments, encourage one another, and build and grow from each other to

become higher achievers.

Albert expresses how students need a sense of belonging in the classroom and need to

feel like they are important (Charles,

1989). This coincides with my belief

that the students need to feel like they

belong, which is needed in the

classroom to build community.

Students in the classroom should feel

free to share anything they want

without worrying about being judged because there should be trust and respect instilled in the

classroom. This would ensure every student respects one another, as well as accept every student

no matter their background, ethnicity, disability, or culture. When these beliefs are enacted in a

classroom, students have respect for one another, they accept everyone as they are, and they can

hold and participate in conversations throughout the day.

Beliefs Enacted (Looks and Sounds)

My educational philosophy focuses on students feeling accepted and free to speak about

the things occurring in their lives. There should be a collaborative community, such as that

portrayed in Albert’s model, where the students and the teacher work together to develop the

rules and procedures which will be used in the classroom. This allows students to feel as though

they are “contributing members of the class” and will lead to them taking pride in their class

(Charles 1989).

Community can be created by the teacher through the facilitation of routines, procedures

and rules. At the start of the school year, the students and I worked together to create rules for

the classroom. When creating the rules, I would guide the students to create an environment that

would allow other students to feel safe and would develop a desire to learn. I would have

community building activities, like a morning meeting, to allow the students to build strong

relationships with each other. Implementing morning meetings in the classroom gives students a

safe environment which provides the students with a sense of trust, allows the students to feel

important, and encourages respectful learning (Kriete & Davis 2017). The students would use

these activities to learn about their classmates and their teacher on a deeper level.
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These activities can be controlled in order to prevent any students from being talked over,

or from feeling like they never have a chance to speak, through management routines and

conversation levels. I could also implement “read-alouds” to encourage students to read. Some

students struggle with reading but want to read series that are above their reading level. By

reading these books out loud, students can hear the proper ways to read different words and learn

harder vocabulary words.

Another thing I can do that will increase the students’ social skills and success is to

provide the students with times to have celebrations. These celebrations can be through book

parties, where the students can share their books with one another, or through movie parties,

where they can read a book from a

class set, and, after they have

finished the book and passed their

test, they can have a movie day. I

would also use the referent

authority to foster relationships

with the students through the community building activities to allow students to learn more about

myself and other students in the class. I can do this through a class game-day at the end of each

semester and create a way for it to be earned through grades being above a certain percent. By

celebrating the students, it increases their confidence and, in time, their self-esteem. It also

encourages the students to continue getting good grades and to achieve their full potential.

Beliefs Enacted (Student Results)

The topics discussed previously align with my philosophy on teaching through focusing

on my students and having a

student-centered teaching belief.

This is shown by creating

opportunities for the students to

build relationships with one

another and having an

environment that benefits the

students. The students would

know they had a community that was built through a positive learning environment, trust,

relationships, and acceptance. When they are in the classroom, they know that they always have

resources and help from their teacher and their classmates. If at any point a student is struggling

with their work, this would allow them to feel comfortable asking a classmate or the teacher for

help. The community would make students want to see their classmates succeed and want to

celebrate their successes. It would also allow for the students to discuss any issues they were

having, whether at school or at home, and they would feel safe coming to me and trust that I

would do what I could for them.

Alignment Between Your Philosophy and Enactment

Impact of My Actions on Learners

As an intern, I have been facilitating certain routines every week, such as homework

review, dismissal to lunch, dismissal to specials, dismissal home, implementations of read-

alouds, facilitation of small groups, and facilitation of rotation workshops. These routines were
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almost all routines my CT created and

completed daily. When I would facilitate

small groups, I had the chance to experience

helping and guiding students to the right

answers through thinking and evaluation

tactics. In the routine, I convey high

expectations to my students through my

words, the tone of my voice, and by my actions. I also convey respect and acceptance for all

students, holding them to the same standard. When I facilitated the assistance needed group, the

students struggled with putting the points, evidence and support sections in the correct boxes.

After clearing it with my CT, I wrote what each statement was at the end in parenthesis. When

they still appeared to be struggling with their organizers, I began to encourage them. I expressed

how they were skilled, talented, and intelligent individuals who could complete the organizer in

no time. The students began to work and every time they got something right I gave them a high

five and told them good job. After they completed this exercise the students were able to

individually complete another one without the labels.

Academic Objectives

When I am in the classroom, I focus on the students who tend to need the most help, who

typically raise their hands. I circle around the room answering questions and helping the

students. During this, I practice proximity control, which keeps the students on task because they

know I am walking from group to group. I also provide my CT with extra support for the

students. I clarify any misunderstanding the students have, provide feedback on papers or

paragraphs, walk through questions with them, and help students see the capability they have.
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 14

I am able to interact with the students and strengthen their skills academically, and I am

able to set goals with the students. One

student in particular recently earned his

safety patrol belt, which was a goal he set

in his writing. The very next week, his

writing, which is normally off task and

short, was focused and lengthy. Every week

since, he has elicited high scoring papers. Seeing the progression of the students academically

has encouraged me to continue pushing the students to produce the best work they can.

Social Objectives

When in the field, I try to talk to every student and to have deep meaningful

conversations with them. I try to get to know more about the students and let them ask me

questions, which allows the students and I to build relationships. They shared things they did

over the weekend, things about their siblings, trips they are taking, events they are going to, or

sports they are involved in. They also shared with me their book logs, summarizing what they

read. This is also an academic objective because they get to share the connections they have to

the book. These connections provide them with a topic to talk about, and it gives them an answer

for their reading logs. After a while, the students came to me with issues they were having with

classmates, siblings, or classwork.

Alignments of Actions with Philosophy

My philosophy aligns with my enactments in the classroom through the daily routines I

facilitate, the relationships I have established with the students, and all the book conversations I
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 15

would complete with them when they would enter the classroom. During dismissals, I held small

conversations with the students. I also conversed with them on the playground, when they did

not want to play, and I talked with them in the beginning of class when they arrived early. In the

beginning of the internship I introduced myself to the class and for the next few weeks I told the

students a new fact about me. In return I asked them a simple question that could be answered

through the raising of hands like “raise your hand if your favorite color is blue” or “raise your

hand, showing with your fingers, how

many siblings you have” that way it did

not take up too much time. As time went

on I began to ask the table groups of

students open ended questions, so they

could share deeper answers with me, and I could make connections with those answers to show

my interest in their lives. I also held the students to high expectations, using the management

skills I had learned over the semester to convey them. Some of those management routines I

implemented were planned ignoring, proximity control, name dropping, nonverbal cues, and

removing items that cause distraction to prevent students from continuing with undesired

behaviors.

If all my management routines, beliefs, and enactments in the classroom are not

producing the desired outcome of a community instilled with trust, respect, and acceptance I

would add community building activities. Some of these activities are morning meetings, read

alouds, journaling and sharing, and community games. A community game that I believe my

class would enjoy is the human knot. I would divide the class in half and begin to instruct the

students to link hands with their classmates across the circle. They would not be allowed to link
CREATING AN INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS 16

with the same person or a person directly next to them. This game focuses on communication

and trust, which are crucial in building my desired community. Journaling and sharing adds an

academic based aspect to the community building because my class is ELA, and the students

would be sharing aloud their responses to different writing prompts. The sharing of the students’

responses requires for those sharing to have a level of trust in their classmates. These routines

being implemented in my classroom coincide with my beliefs and would begin to create an

environment that aligns with my beliefs.

References

Charles, C. (2002). Linda Albert's 'Cooperative Discipline'. In In Building Classroom Discipline

(pp. 67-84). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Kriete, R., & Davis, C. (2017). The morning meeting book: K-8. Turner Falls, MA: Center for

Responsive Schools.

Levin, J., & Nolan, J. F. (2014). Principles of Classroom Management; A Professional Decision-

Making Model, Seventh Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.