WGU D186 TASK 1: CREATING A SUPPORTIVE LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT | ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
Department of Education, Western Governor’s University
D186: Learning as a Science
A. Describe how you could develop a culturally responsive environment that
fosters each of the following elements, supporting your description with a
professional source for each element.
, learner expectations:
One of the important components of a culturally responsive learning environment is to
be mindful of the diverse backgrounds of each student and their unique perspectives.
Classroom and learner’s expectations should be set within the first week of school with
the clearly defined class syllabus and the moment my students walk in the door. My
syllabus is designed to set high expectations and while offering support before and after
school for students. The second way is to have a clean classroom to learn in with
appropriate décor that celebrates a diverse range of authors and historic figures,
quotes, and prior student success stories. Ben Solomon from Edutopia states that we
cannot expect our students to want to be incredible students if we ourselves [teachers]
are not excellent in our jobs. He continues to point out that every student requires a
positive learning environment that includes how it LOOKS as much as it feels when you
walk into it. In fact, they are often one and the same, implying that the first time a
student walks into your class can define the expectations a student has on their ability
to be ‘excellent’ in a classroom. “Excellence is a habit that is cultivated. When we model
this every day, we communicate to students that excellence is the expectation,”
(Solomon, 2014). Setting the learner expectation with a syllabus that clearly defines my
expectations and a classroom that is inviting, organized, and celebrates learning, fosters
a culturally responsive learning environment.
emotional safety
A student’s emotional safety includes their feelings of being supported, heard, and
respected in the classroom by their peers and their teacher. Again, my classroom
syllabus outlines in clear detail my expectations of respect and dignity in the classroom.
ENVIRONMENT | ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
Department of Education, Western Governor’s University
D186: Learning as a Science
A. Describe how you could develop a culturally responsive environment that
fosters each of the following elements, supporting your description with a
professional source for each element.
, learner expectations:
One of the important components of a culturally responsive learning environment is to
be mindful of the diverse backgrounds of each student and their unique perspectives.
Classroom and learner’s expectations should be set within the first week of school with
the clearly defined class syllabus and the moment my students walk in the door. My
syllabus is designed to set high expectations and while offering support before and after
school for students. The second way is to have a clean classroom to learn in with
appropriate décor that celebrates a diverse range of authors and historic figures,
quotes, and prior student success stories. Ben Solomon from Edutopia states that we
cannot expect our students to want to be incredible students if we ourselves [teachers]
are not excellent in our jobs. He continues to point out that every student requires a
positive learning environment that includes how it LOOKS as much as it feels when you
walk into it. In fact, they are often one and the same, implying that the first time a
student walks into your class can define the expectations a student has on their ability
to be ‘excellent’ in a classroom. “Excellence is a habit that is cultivated. When we model
this every day, we communicate to students that excellence is the expectation,”
(Solomon, 2014). Setting the learner expectation with a syllabus that clearly defines my
expectations and a classroom that is inviting, organized, and celebrates learning, fosters
a culturally responsive learning environment.
emotional safety
A student’s emotional safety includes their feelings of being supported, heard, and
respected in the classroom by their peers and their teacher. Again, my classroom
syllabus outlines in clear detail my expectations of respect and dignity in the classroom.
