Standard 2 - Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

Teachers promote social development and responsibility within a caring community where each student is treated fairly and respectfully. They create physical or virtual learning environments that promote student learning, reflect diversity, and encourage constructive and productive interactions among students. They establish and maintain learning environments that are physically, intellectually, and emotionally safe. Teachers create a rigorous learning environment with high expectations and appropriate support for all students. Teachers develop, communicate, and maintain high standards for individual and group behavior. They employ classroom routines, procedures, norms, and supports for positive behavior to ensure a climate in which all students can learn. They use instructional time to optimize learning.

2.1 Promoting social development and responsibility within a caring community where each student is treated fairly and respectfully 

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…” 

• model and promote fairness, equity, and respect in a classroom atmosphere that values all individuals and cultures?
• help all students accept and respect diversity in terms of cultural, religious, linguistic, and economic backgrounds; learning differences and ability; gender and gender identity; family structure and sexual orientation; and other aspects of humankind?
• engage students in shared problem-solving and conflict resolution?
• provide learning opportunities that encourage student-to-student communication with empathy and understanding?
• develop students’ leadership skills and provide opportunities to apply them?
• create a classroom culture where students feel a sense of responsibility to and for one another?
• help students to appreciate their own identities and to view themselves as valued contributors to society?
• develop activities that support positive interactions among students and that help students get to know each other?