The two aspects of the effective pedagogy statement from the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007) that I will focus on are creating a supportive learning environment and making connections to prior learning and experience. These are two aspects that resonate with me and I consider them to be significant factors in effective teaching practices.
Creating a supportive learning environment is important for a teacher to consider because it sets the foundation of the classroom, both physically and emotionally, between all members of the classroom community. For a teacher to be effective positive relationships need to be developed, not just with the students, but also with the wider school community, such as parents so that …show more content…
This can be done by creating positive relationships with the students and also the parents because of the unique knowledge they have about their children. Teachers would not have a strong understanding of their student without establishing a relationship with the parents. This will help the teacher to cater to the needs of each student. The teacher also needs to encourage positive relationships between students as well, so there is a strong chemistry in the classroom. As Killen (2009) states, “a positive emotional climate strengthens learning” (p.39). The reading by Kluth (2010) about the role of the teacher highlights the importance of an inclusive and non-discriminatory learning environment, which are contributing factors to a supportive and positive learning environment. The reading discusses the importance of recognising diversity. “Recognising, however, and doing our best to really understand how differences affect students ' lives and educational experiences, helps us to better know and serve each individual learner.” (Kluth, 2010, p.44). If the students in the classroom community are able to understand each other and how everyone comes from a different background and recognise diversity then it will help to preserve student dignity, which is another factor which Kluth (2010) states as important. If students are able to work with each other and understand each other then it allows everyone to feel positive and can create positive relationships in the classroom community, including parents, which is a strong factor in creating a supportive learning