what is an effective school environment essay

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A school environment is a crucial component of student’s life. Schools should provide students with a safe environment in which to nurture and grow emotionally, behaviourally and academically; and at the same developing relationships with others. Each and every student requires structure, respect, stability, limitation and boundaries and safe environment or an environment. In the school environment, there are things that positively influence students’ performance. Such things include having good friends within the school, perceiving that teachers are caring and supportive, believing that discipline is efficient and fair, participating in extracurricular activities, being a part of a school and having a sense of belonging. Students become incorporated in their environment when they perceive that the adults in the school mind about them as individuals and their learning.

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Role of effective school environment

Students who perceive to be connected to their school environment are less likely to be involved in risky health behaviours such as drug use, early sex, violence, cigarette smoking, suicidal attempts and thoughts and do better academically. An escalating connection between the students and their environment reduces fighting, bullying, vandalism, and absenteeism while enhancing education motivation, academic performance, completion rates and school attendance. Students are more prone to prosper when they feel a connection to the school. Students who view their school administration and teachers as creating a well-structured learning environment in which expectations are high, fair, caring and clear are more likely to be linked to the school and succeed.

Ways to develop an effective school environment

Regardless of other circumstances, an effective school environment could have a positive impact on the achievements of students. There are several ways to develop an effective school environment. Firstly, create an organised and safe place. An effective school environment must first be a place where students can perceive themselves as emotionally and physically safe. It has to be a supportive community where teachers and kids from all backgrounds can exclusively focus on learning. To attain safe environment where students are free to reach their potential academically, schools have to concentrate on hindering misbehaviour through the implementation of school-wide positive behaviour intervention. These interventions must stress emotional learning and social skills to educate students on cultural understanding and conflict resolution.

Secondly, the school should have a relatable leader. In an efficient school environment, the principle should be a leader of leaders. The principal should not only be an authority figure but also be a partner, cheerleader and coach. Also, the principal should also realise that he or she must not operate in a top-down authority structure but realise that the best and appropriate solutions arises from a collaborative effort.

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Essay on School Environment

Students are often asked to write an essay on School Environment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on School Environment

Importance of school environment.

A school environment plays a crucial role in shaping a student’s life. It is a place where we learn, grow, and develop essential skills.

Physical Environment

The physical environment includes classrooms, libraries, labs, and playgrounds. It should be clean, safe, and conducive to learning.

Social Environment

The social environment involves relationships with teachers and peers. A positive social environment promotes respect, cooperation, and understanding.

Academic Environment

The academic environment focuses on learning and intellectual growth. It encourages curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

In conclusion, a good school environment nurtures and inspires students to reach their full potential.

250 Words Essay on School Environment

The importance of a school environment.

A school environment plays an instrumental role in shaping a student’s academic, social, and emotional growth. It is not just a physical space where learning occurs, but a complex ecosystem that encompasses various elements, including teachers, students, curriculum, and infrastructure.

Physical Aspects of School Environment

The physical aspects of a school environment significantly influence students’ engagement and learning outcomes. Well-ventilated classrooms, clean surroundings, and access to facilities such as libraries and laboratories foster an atmosphere conducive to learning. Moreover, the availability of sports and recreational facilities promotes physical well-being, contributing to holistic development.

Social and Emotional Aspects

The social and emotional aspects of a school environment are equally crucial. An environment that encourages respect, inclusivity, and collaboration nurtures a sense of belonging among students. It fosters positive relationships, builds self-esteem, and promotes emotional intelligence.

Role of Teachers

Teachers play a pivotal role in creating a positive school environment. Their teaching style, attitude, and interaction with students can either motivate or demotivate learners. Teachers who establish a supportive and responsive classroom environment encourage students to actively participate in the learning process.

In conclusion, a positive school environment is a cornerstone of effective learning. It not only enhances academic performance but also fosters social and emotional development. Therefore, schools should strive to create an environment that is physically comfortable, socially nurturing, and emotionally supportive.

500 Words Essay on School Environment

The essence of a school environment.

Schools are not just brick and mortar structures where academic knowledge is imparted. They are dynamic ecosystems where young minds are nurtured, shaped, and molded into responsible citizens. The environment of a school plays a pivotal role in the holistic development of a student, fostering not just intellectual growth but also social, emotional, and moral development.

The Impact of Physical Environment

The physical environment of a school is the first aspect that influences a student’s learning experience. A well-maintained, clean, and vibrant infrastructure can create a positive ambiance that enhances the learning process. Classrooms, libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, and even the school cafeteria contribute to the overall physical environment. These spaces must be designed and maintained in a manner that encourages curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. The physical environment should also cater to the safety and health of students, ensuring adequate sanitation, ventilation, and emergency preparedness.

The Role of Social Environment

The social environment of a school, shaped by the interactions between students, teachers, and other staff members, is equally crucial. A respectful, inclusive, and positive social environment fosters a sense of belonging among students. It encourages them to participate actively in school activities, express their ideas freely, and develop healthy relationships. The social environment also plays a significant role in shaping a student’s behavior, attitudes, and values. Schools must therefore prioritize building a supportive and respectful social environment that celebrates diversity and promotes mutual respect.

The Importance of Emotional Environment

The emotional environment of a school is often overlooked, but it is a vital aspect of a student’s school experience. A positive emotional environment is one where students feel safe, valued, and understood. It promotes emotional well-being and resilience, enabling students to cope with stress, overcome challenges, and develop emotional intelligence. Schools must therefore create an environment where students’ emotional needs are acknowledged and addressed, and where mental health is given the same importance as physical health and academic achievement.

The Influence of Moral Environment

The moral environment of a school shapes the character and values of its students. Schools have a responsibility to instill in students a strong moral compass, guiding them towards ethical behavior and responsible citizenship. This can be achieved by integrating moral and ethical education into the curriculum, promoting community service, and setting a good example through the behavior of teachers and staff.

In conclusion, the environment of a school is a complex and multifaceted entity that significantly influences a student’s development. It is the collective responsibility of school administrators, teachers, parents, and students themselves to create and maintain a positive and conducive school environment. Such an environment not only enhances academic achievement but also contributes to the development of well-rounded individuals who are equipped to face the challenges of the future.

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The Five Attributes of Successful Schools

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Students across the globe need effective schools. While the American school system as a whole may be falling behind international standards, there are still some schools that stand out.

Sure, the context of schooling will impact attributes that contribute to effectiveness in specific schools. But at the same time, there are attributes that contribute to effectiveness across schooling contexts. If we understand the attributes of effectiveness, we can observe which attributes exist at successful schools.

There are five common attributes that make up an effective school.

1. Leadership

The first attribute is quality leadership. Students perform better when the principal and school board members provide strong leadership. Effective leaders are visible, can successfully convey the school’s goals and visions, collaborate with teachers to enhance their skills , and are involved in the discovery of and solutions to problems.

2. High Expectations

The second attribute is having high expectations of students as well as teachers. High expectations of students have repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on student performance. Students are somewhat dependent on the expectations placed on them during this period of their lives, as they are still shaping their personal sense of ability and esteem. Teachers who are expected to teach at high levels of effectiveness can reach the level of expectations, particularly when teacher evaluations and professional development are geared toward improving instructional quality.

3. Ongoing Evaluation

The third attribute of a successful school is the ongoing screening of student performance and development. Schools should use assessment data to compare their students with others from across the country. Effective use of assessment data allows schools to identify problematic areas of learning at the classroom and school levels, so that teachers can generate solutions to address the problems.

4. Goals and Direction

The fourth attribute of a successful school is the existence of goals and direction, According to research, the successful school principal actively constructs goals and then effectively communicates them to appropriate individuals (e.g., students, teachers, and the community at large). School principals must also be open and willing to incorporate innovation into goals for school processes and practices. So it’s important to invite input from all stakeholders in the process of developing school goals. Student performance has been shown to improve in schools where the entire school community works toward goals that are communicated and shared among all in the learning environment.

5. Secure and Organized

The fifth and final attribute of a successful school is the extent to which the school is secure and organized. For maximum learning to occur, students need to feel secure. Respect is a quality that is promoted and is a fundamental aspect of an effective and safe school. Successful schools also have a number of trained staff and programs, such as social workers, who work with difficult or troubled students before situations get out of hand.

Apart from the five attributes of a successful school already mentioned, the size of the school seems to be an attribute in the school’s effectiveness. Research has found that the smaller the school, the better students perform, especially in the case of older students. This is the rationale behind the concept of schools-within-schools. Students in smaller learning environments feel more connected to their peers and teachers, pass classes more often, and are more likely to go to college. Schools-within-schools involve creative use of the same teaching workforce to provide additional opportunities for learning for smaller groups of students or specialized teaching to students who require extra attention.

This environment could be created in the form of divided streams for mathematics education. Students who want to pursue studies in the humanities would need a mathematical education grounded in statistics and graphical representation, because this focus will be more relevant and prevalent during their postsecondary education career.

Students who intend to pursue a career in engineering or applied physics, for example, would have completely different needs, such as a greater focus on calculus and highly theoretical mathematical concepts like number theory. Creating schools-within-schools for these students would have lasting and measurable benefits for them, as well as benefits for the teacher, who could teach smaller groups of students and offer greater individual attention to student queries and difficulties.

A number of school districts view preschool education as an attribute that will influence overall effectiveness across all schools located within the district. Evidence suggests that children with preschool experiences fare better academically and socially as they enter kindergarten and beyond. Experiences in literacy and numeracy among early learners not only prepare preschoolers for a kindergarten curriculum that has heightened expectations of prior knowledge, but also help identify early learners who need additional support to ensure they have positive learning experiences later.

Additional attributes that influence effective schools include time to learn, teacher quality, and parental trust. Research supports the view that the more time a student spends learning, and the more efficiently that time is used, the higher their achievement. Schools that find creative ways to extend learning time will likely be more effective. Furthermore, schools with high-quality teachers also tend to be more effective.

Schools able to hire teachers from high-quality teacher education programs are more likely to be effective. But school effectiveness can also be influenced by the frequency, relevancy, and quality of the teacher professional development offered by the school or school district. Teachers who haven’t had the opportunity to attend prestigious teacher education colleges still have several opportunities to develop after embarking on their professional career. Support for these initiatives at a school or school district level tends to improve overall teacher quality, regardless of their college of origin.

Trust and parental participation are also features of a successful school. Trust between all parties of the school community is vital for enhancing the school’s effectiveness because it supports the prospect that parents and teachers believe in each other’s motives and actions. Parental participation is also important because it sends the message to students that the adults in their lives--both teachers and parents--believe in the importance of education and are willing to make time to support students’ educational experiences and efforts.

How well does your school embody the five attributes of a successful school?

The opinions expressed in Education Futures: Emerging Trends in K-12 are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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How to Create a Positive School Climate

If you’re a school leader, you have problems to solve: bullying, teacher burnout, disengaged students, casual vandalism and litter, and cultural and socio-economic differences, among others. Big issues that affect a lot of people.

Researchers have found that a positive school climate can help solve a lot of those problems. Studies find that it decreases absenteeism, suspensions, substance abuse, and bullying, and increases students’ academic achievement, motivation to learn, and psychological well-being. It can even mitigate the negative effects of self-criticism and socioeconomic status on academic success. In addition, working in this kind of climate lessens teacher burnout while increasing retention. All really good stuff!

But here’s the catch: Creating a positive school climate is really, really hard to do, as any principal will tell you. People have minds of their own, and you can’t make them feel peppy and optimistic on command. It takes elbow grease and much care to implement, simply because human motivations and needs are so complex. Here are some research-tested tips to get you started.

What does it look like?

Let’s take a moment to paint a picture of positive school climate. When you walk onto a school campus, you can immediately get a sense of the school climate by watching the interactions between people and noticing the school’s physical environment. 

Do the teachers, students, and school leaders seem happy to be there and are they treating each other with respect? Is the school clean and orderly? Are the bulletin board displays sending out positive messages? Are students engaged in their learning?

In 2007, the National School Climate Council spelled out specific criteria for what defines a positive school climate, including:

• Norms, values, and expectations that support social, emotional, and physical safety.
• People are engaged and respected.
• Students, families, and educators work together to develop and live a shared school vision.
• Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits gained from learning.
• Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the physical environment.

So while creating a positive school climate is not easy, it’s also not impossible.

Three steps to a positive climate

When building a positive school climate, it’s important to remember that there is no magic formula—much will depend on the leaders’ values and vision and how much everyone else gets on board with those things.

It starts with trust , which researchers say is an essential prerequisite to a more positive climate. The following steps are in part designed to build trust, mainly by giving teachers, staff, and students some say in the process—and leaders who guide the process must never miss an opportunity to prove themselves trustworthy and to facilitate trust-building between stakeholders.

Here are some research-based suggestions for school leaders on how to start cultivating a positive school climate:

1) Assess the current climate. You have to know where you’re starting from in order to know where to go. And for those on your staff who might be less-than-enthusiastic about creating a positive school climate, asking them about their current experience will help get them on board because they’ll feel like their voice is being heard. Also be sure to include everyone’s voices: teachers, other school staff, students, parents—and your own.

There are a number of ways to assess your school climate. The Safe and Supportive Schools website provides a list of validated survey instruments —some of which are free. However, I would caution against relying on just a survey.

According to Edgar Schein , one of the foremost organizational psychology experts, a survey will not reveal people’s underlying assumptions and beliefs which have a profound effect on the school climate—and those are what you need to understand in order to effect real change. On surveys, people can interpret the questions differently. For example, the statement, “I believe this school is headed in the right direction” could be interpreted in a myriad of ways. Also, it is very difficult to know which questions to ask on a survey and how deeply a person feels about a particular area.

Schein suggests meeting in small groups to examine together the school’s climate. He outlines a simple method in his book The Corporate Culture Survival Guide that is easily adaptable to schools. (Note: researchers consider climate and culture to be two different constructs. However, the National School Climate Council’s definition above combines the two.)

Individual interviews are also another way to get a sense of the school climate, and should be conducted by someone outside the school to ensure honesty and impartiality, e.g., a consultant or local grad student in organizational psychology.

2) Create a shared vision—but start with personal visions. Research suggests that bringing everyone together to create a shared vision of the kind of climate they want increases the likelihood that the vision will actually be carried out. But according to Peter Senge , director of the Society for Organizational Learning that originated at MIT, a shared vision must emerge from our personal visions—otherwise people won’t be committed to the shared vision.

Senge defines personal vision as “a specific destination, a picture of a desired future” that is rooted in a person’s values, concerns, and aspirations. For example, part of my personal vision is wanting schools to be socially and emotionally healthy places for everyone which comes from my deeply held belief that human beings thrive in positive environments.

So before creating a shared vision together, ask everyone to write down their personal vision. You might even have them read the section on personal vision in Senge’s book, The Fifth Discipline . To ensure student participation, have teachers guide students through this process.

When you’re ready to create a shared vision, it’s important to create a safe space where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas. I highly recommend using a positive approach to discussion such as World Café or Appreciative Inquiry . That way, positive emotions are generated, which will help to cultivate trust amongst group members and also make everyone’s thinking more creative and flexible. Be sure to include the students in whatever way possible.

3) Work together to carry out the shared vision—and make it fun! Creating a positive school climate is an ongoing process that never really ends, but it’s a joyful one. However, if you find your school off to a slow start, you might try one of these simple motivating ideas that will give a quick boost of positive emotions:

• “ Behind Your Back .” This is a fun twist on gossiping that can easily be done at the start of class or before a staff meeting. One participant at the Greater Good Summer Institute for Educators told us that when her school did it at a staff meeting, some long-held grudges between staff members were healed.
• Gratitude Board. Provide places in the hallways and the teachers’ lounge where people can post notes expressing their gratitude for each others’ actions. Gratitude has the wonderful effect of helping us feel more connected to one another and also gives us a boost in our own self-worth—both important aspects of a positive school climate.

While it may seem like a lot of work, the tremendous benefits of a positive school climate far out-weigh the time and effort required. And, while researchers haven’t measured it yet, I would guess that a positive school climate can also bring the joy and fun back into teaching and learning. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a school like that?

Throughout this next school year, watch for articles on more specific, research-based ideas for building a positive school climate.

About the Author

Vicki Zakrzewski

Vicki Zakrzewski, Ph.D. , is the education director of the Greater Good Science Center.

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The psychosocial school environment

This brief examines the impact of the psychosocial school environment on student learning outcomes. It provides suggestions of how educational planners and decision-makers can ensure a positive learning environment for all.

A positive psychosocial school environment helps to create a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning. It relates to ‘the dynamic relationship between psychological aspects of our experience (our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors) and our wider social experience (our relationships, family and community networks, social values, and cultural practices)’ (INEE, 2016: 8). Key elements contributing to the psychosocial school climate include the quality of personal relationships at school, methods used in the process of learning, classroom management and discipline, students’ and teachers’ well-being, prevalence of school-based violence, and social and emotional learning (SEL). 

Key aspects for a nurturing psychosocial environment include:

• People – friendships and relationships that students create with peers and teachers in schools; this also links to effective parental involvement, positive teacher attitudes as well as collaborative practices.
• Process – a fun and engaging atmosphere that allows students and teachers to be creative, collaborative, and free to learn without the fear of making mistakes. This also relates to useful, relevant, and engaging learning content and reasonable workload.
• Place – a warm and friendly school environment with more open classrooms and colourful as well as meaningful displays (UNESCO Office Bangkok, 2016) ( more on the physical school environment ).

Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) recognizes the importance of the psychosocial school environment. Implementation target 4.a aims to ‘build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability, and gender-sensitive and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all’. Thematic Indicator 4.a.2 was adopted in 2018 to measure progress towards this target and to account for the ‘percentage of students who experienced bullying during the past 12 months, by sex’.

What we know

Students’ social and emotional experiences influence learning processes and in turn affect learning outcomes (UNESCO MGIEP, 2020). Schools that prioritize students’ well-being have a higher chance of improving their academic achievements (UNESCO Office Bangkok, 2017). Numerous variables related to school climate have been positively associated with better student performance in reading in OECD countries (e.g. growth mindset of students, greater support from teachers, teacher enthusiasm, greater co-operation among peers, students’ sense of belonging at school) (OECD, 2019). Attending to the social and emotional needs of students and teachers is key, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many students have missed out on social interactions and support from teachers and peers (Yorke et al., 2021). 

The prevalence of school violence (physical, psychological, and sexual), as well as bullying both in-person and online, is a key obstacle to a positive psychosocial school environment (UNESCO, 2017). School violence has a significant impact on the physical and mental well-being of learners, their ability to learn and their educational outcomes. Victims and witnesses of school violence are more likely to miss school, have lower grades, and/or drop out of school entirely. School violence also contributes to their lower self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2015; UNESCO, 2017; Attawell, 2019). PISA 2018 and TIMSS 2019 data demonstrate that greater exposure to bullying was associated with lower performance in reading and mathematics and science respectively (OECD, 2019; Mullis et al., 2019).

Plan International estimates that at least 246 million children suffer from school-related violence every year (Greene et al., 2013). Studies using Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) and the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) estimate that, globally, almost one in three students report having been bullied over the past month (Attawell, 2019), but the prevalence and types of bullying vary between regions. According to the End Corporal Punishment initiative,  corporal punishment is still not fully prohibited in schools in 64 countries, and in some of them, it is widespread. A number of surveys established that ‘the proportion of students who had experienced corporal punishment at school was 90% or more in nine countries, 70–89% in 11 countries and 13–69% in 43 countries’ (Attawell, 2019: 20). 

Certain pupil characteristics may place them at a higher risk of experiencing school-based violence. These include physical appearance (e.g. being overweight or underweight), nationality, race and colour, socioeconomic status, gender, indigenous status, sexual orientation, disability, migrant status, HIV status, and orphanhood (UNESCO, 2017). Based on GSHS data, globally, physical appearance is the most frequent reason for bullying (with female students more at risk of being bullied for this reason) followed by bullying based on race, nationality, or colour (Attawell, 2019). However, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression is also often a reason for bullying; data show that a large proportion of LGBT students experience homophobic or transphobic violence in school (UNESCO, 2016). Moreover, indigenous children are particularly vulnerable to school-based violence due to ‘a confluence of factors’ associated with the social exclusion of these groups (UNICEF et al., 2013).

Both boys and girls experience school-based violence. However, while boys are more likely to experience or perpetrate physical bullying, experience harsh discipline, and be involved in physical fights, girls are more subject to psychological bullying such as social exclusion and the spreading of rumours (UNESCO, 2017; Attawell, 2019). Some studies indicate that girls are also at greater risk of cyberbullying (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2015). Comprehensive global data on the prevalence of sexual violence within schools are missing, as related incidents are often under-reported or not disaggregated by sex. Nevertheless, although both female and male children experience gender-based violence, ‘girls are the main victims of unwanted sexual touching and non-consensual sex attempts perpetrated by classmates and teachers, respectively’ (Global Education Monitoring Report team, 2020: 52). 

A number of studies proved the effectiveness of evidence-based SEL programmes to support students’ academic achievements (CASEL, 2020) and reduce bullying and violence in schools and communities (INEE, 2016). By developing competencies such as resilience, self-awareness, collaboration, empathy, and respect, SEL also contributes to students’ pathways beyond education (Yorke et al., 2021). SEL programmes may ‘improve school attendance, engagement, and motivation; reduce negative student behavior … benefit the mental health of staff and students by lowering stress, anxiety, and depression; improve health outcomes by reducing teenage pregnancies and drug abuse; lead to better staff retention and higher morale’ (INEE, 2016: 12). School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic proved the importance of SEL in helping students cope with difficult situations, practice empathy, and manage anxiety and loss (CASEL, 2020). SEL is especially important for disadvantaged children who received limited support during the pandemic (Yorke et al., 2021) or to help those in conflict settings to re-engage with learning (EducationLinks, 2018). 

Lack of governance and accountability mechanisms: Some countries still do not have comprehensive policies to protect students from school-based violence, while others have adopted these laws recently and many remain poorly enforced. In many contexts, effective channels to report violence are missing (UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; Global Education Monitoring Report team, 2020). Legislation to prevent violence occurring online is in even earlier stages of development (Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and UNESCO, 2019).

Conflicting priorities: Schools face many challenges in managing logistical, pedagogical, organizational, and technological issues to accelerate academic learning; these issues have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic (CASEL, 2020). In the context of an increasing emphasis on academic results, it is difficult to keep the focus on socio-emotional skills and school-based violence (Attawell, 2019).

Lack of data: Accurate, reliable, and comprehensive data are needed on the prevalence, nature, and causes of school violence and bullying to inform policy, planning, and budgeting. They are also important to identify perpetrators and hold them responsible for their actions, as well as to protect victims. However, this information is often missing at national and international levels as school-based violence is frequently under-reported and collecting this data is particularly controversial and challenging (Greene et al., 2013; UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; UNESCO, 2017). This is due to the nature and sensitivity of this information, especially when it comes to violence against children perpetrated by adults in a position of power. Consequently, challenges emerge in terms of incorporating related questions into regular school censuses and obtaining reliable national statistics.

There is limited evidence on which strategies are the most effective to reduce school-based violence and improve student well-being. Few policies have been evaluated and existing studies differ in their methodology and rigour (UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; OECD, 2017; Attawell, 2019).

Unprepared teachers: Teachers are often ill-equipped to attend to the social and emotional needs of students, and to manage classrooms and conflicts effectively as well as teach SEL. There is also a lack of teacher development programmes on learner well-being and happiness in education (UNESCO Office Bangkok, 2017; UNESCO MGIEP, 2020).

Social and cultural norms might discourage victims of violence from reporting incidents. They also make it more difficult for some actors (e.g. teachers, policy-makers) to openly speak about issues of violence. Differentiated expected gender roles remain persistent in many contexts, and violence in schools reflects them (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2017).

Poor SEL implementation: SEL programmes are often fragmented, short, and marginalized if not part of the core curriculum. Limited knowledge on how SEL can be infused into academic subjects is also an issue (UNESCO MGIEP, 2020).

Policy and planning

Developing comprehensive national and school policies or laws on school-based violence as well as codes of conduct, digital safety guidance, or other related frameworks for staff and students is a priority for national governments (Greene et al., 2013; UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; UNESCO, 2017). Policies specifically targeting identity-based bullying (e.g. bullying based on race or sexuality) are needed (UNESCO and French Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, 2020).

Improving data collection: Systematic monitoring of the prevalence and type of school-based violence, including violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, is key to addressing related challenges (UNESCO, 2016). This could be done by adding related questions to the annual school census or other data-collection tools that feed into education management information systems (Cornu and Liu, 2019). However, it may be difficult to obtain reliable statistics through this channel, especially when it relates to violence perpetrated by adults against children. Alternative ways to gather this information include large-scale assessments and other specific surveys, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) programmes. Data-collection channels need to be child-sensitive and confidential. Moreover, rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of existing programmes (e.g. anti-violence or bullying, SEL, students’ well-being) is critical in order to adjust activities appropriately (Attawell, 2019). Results from some large-scale student assessments (e.g. Third Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study on Education Quality, TERCE; Programme for the Analysis of Education Systems, PASEC) could be used to identify the most effective strategies in specific contexts (Dunne et al., 2017).

Ensuring adequate teacher training: Teachers need to be prepared to equip students with knowledge on how to prevent and respond to school-based violence (UNESCO, 2017), teach SEL, contribute to students’ social and emotional development, recognize and address schoolwork-related anxiety, and manage classrooms effectively (OECD, 2017). Disciplinary issues in classrooms were associated with poorer reading performance in OECD countries (OECD, 2019). Successful countries focused on preparing teachers to use positive approaches to classroom management (Attawell, 2019) and providing them with a range of alternative classroom discipline strategies (Turner and Hares, 2021). Allocating female teachers was a successful strategy to reduce school-based violence in some Latin America countries (Dunne et al., 2017). 

Developing appropriate curricula: Specific curricula can prepare students to recognize and challenge school-based violence and act when it takes place (UNESCO, 2017). Curriculum entry points include ‘civics education, life skills education and comprehensive sexuality education’ (UNESCO, 2017: 39). Moreover, life skills education may play an important role in developing the social and emotional skills that students need to prevent violence (UNESCO, 2017). More generally, it is important to define education outcomes that include SEL and overall student well-being and then monitor them from early grades (INEE, 2019). Analysis of a number of SEL programmes found that the most successful among them were sequenced and focused, used active forms of learning, allocated sufficient time, and had explicit learning goals (INEE, 2016). Appropriate textbooks and learning materials promoting healthy, safe, equal, and non-violent relationships should support the curriculum (UNESCO, 2017).

Cross-sectoral approach and partnerships: Collaboration among education, health, and the youth and social welfare sectors is essential to effectively address and respond to school-based violence, and gender-based violence more specifically (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2015). Addressing school violence also requires coordination among different actors, such as civil society organizations, advocacy groups, academic and research institutions, professional associations, the private sector, and the media (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2015). At the school level, related programmes need to bring together headteachers, teachers, other staff, parents and students, local authorities, and professionals in other sectors (Attawell, 2019). Incorporating anti-bullying strategies within social programmes proved to be very effective in Latin American countries (Dunne et al., 2017). This kind of collaboration is also key to implementing holistic SEL programmes (UNESCO MGIEP, 2020).

Reporting mechanisms: Clear, safe, and accessible channels for reporting and monitoring school-based violence are key to reacting to the act of violence, assisting victims, and measuring the extent of those incidents (Cornu and Liu, 2019). Examples of reporting mechanisms include ‘telephone helplines, chat rooms and online reporting, “happiness and sadness” boxes, and school focal points such as teachers’, as well as using girls’ clubs as ‘safe spaces’ to report sexual violence (UNESCO, 2017: 45).

Whole-school approach: Anti-bullying programmes that work at multiple levels in the school (e.g. teacher training; school management, rules, and sanctions; mediation training; appropriate curriculum; information-sharing and engagement with parents/communities; counselling for victims, bystanders, and perpetrators) proved successful in developing countries (Global Education Monitoring Report team and UNGEI, 2015). A whole-school approach is also needed to address other types of school violence (Turner and Hares, 2021) and integrate SEL into school operations (UNESCO MGIEP, 2020). Strengthening school leadership and ensuring support from the provincial education authorities is important to make sure policies are implemented, codes of conduct enforced, reporting system monitored, and action taken as needed (Beadle and Bordoloi, 2019).  

Plans and policies

• South Africa : National School Safety Framework (2015)
• Seychelles : National Anti-Bullying Policy and Strategy for Primary, Secondary Schools and Professional Centre (2018)
• Malta : Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy (2015)
• Guatemala : Protocolo de identificación, atención y referencia de casos de violencia dentro del sistema educativo nacional (2012)
• UNICEF Child-Friendly Schools Manual (2009)
• WHO School-based Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook (2019)
• Safe to Learn Global Programmatic Framework and Benchmarking Tool (2021)
• UNESCO LGBTQI Inclusion Index (2018)
• UNESCO and UN Women Global Guidance on Addressing School-related Gender-based Violence (2016)
• Raising voices Good School Toolkit (2014)
• UNGEI A Whole School Approach to Prevent School-Related Gender-Based Violence: Minimum Standards and Monitoring Framework (2019)

Attawell, K. 2019. Behind the Numbers: Ending School Violence and Bullying. Paris: UNESCO.

Beadle, S.; Sujata, B. 2019. Ending School-related Gender-based Violence: A Series of Thematic Briefs. New York: United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI).

Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development; UNESCO. 2019. Child Online Safety: Minimizing the Risk of Violence, Abuse and Exploitation Online. Geneva: Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.

CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). 2020. An Initial Guide to Leveraging the Power of Social and Emotional Learning. Chicago: CASEL.

Cornu, C.; Yongfeng, L. 2019. Ending School Bullying: Focus on the Arab States. Paris: UNESCO.

Dunne, M.; Delprato, M.; Akyeampong, K. 2017. ‘How can learning surveys inform policies to close the learning gap due to bullying?’ IIEP Learning Portal (blog), 9 October 2017.

EducationLinks. 2018. ‘ Social and emotional learning in crisis and conflict settings’. Education in Crisis and Conflict (blog), 22 October 2108.

Global Education Monitoring Report team. 2020. A New Generation: 25 Years of Efforts for Gender Equality in Education. Paris: UNESCO.

Global Education Monitoring Report team; UNGEI (United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative). 2015. School-related gender-based violence is preventing the achievement of quality education for all. Policy Paper 17. Paris: UNESCO.

Global Education Monitoring Report team; UNGEI (United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative). 2017. Let’s decide how to measure school violence. Policy Paper 29. Paris: UNESCO.

Greene, M.E.; Robles, O.; Stout, K.; Suvilaakso, T.; Sussman, A.; Mandhane, R. 2013. A Girl’s Right to Learn Without Fear: Working to End Gender-based Violence at School. Woking: Plan International.

INEE (Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies). 2016. INEE Background Paper on Psychosocial Support and Social and Emotional Learning for Children and Youth in Emergency Settings. New York: INEE.

INEE (Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies). 2019. Achieving SDG4 for Children and Youth Affected by Crisis. New York: INEE.

Mullis, I.V.S.; Martin, M.O.; Foy, P.; Kelly, D.L.; Fishbein, B. 2020. TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science. Boston: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2017. PISA 2015 Results (Volume III): Students’ Well-Being. Paris: PISA, OECD Publishing.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2019. PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives. Paris: PISA, OECD Publishing.

RTI International. 2013.  Literature review on the intersection of safe learning environments and educational achievement. Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development.

Turner, E.; Hares, S. 2021. ‘Violence in schools is pervasive and teachers are often the perpetrators. Here are five ways to prevent it’.   CGD Blog (blog), 10 May.

UNESCO. 2016. Out in the Open: Education Sector Responses to Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO. 2017. School Violence and Bullying: Global status report. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO Office Bangkok and Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific. 2016. Happy schools! A framework for learner well-being in the Asia-Pacific. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO Office Bangkok and Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific. 2017. Promoting learner happiness and well-being. UNESCO Asia-Pacific Education Thematic Brief. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO; French Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports. 2020. International Conference on School Bullying: Recommendations by the Scientific Committee on preventing and addressing school bullying and cyberbullying. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development). 2020. Rethinking Learning: A Review of Social and Emotional Learning for Education Systems. New Delhi:UNESCO MGIEP.

UNESCO; UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women). 2016. Global Guidance: School-related Gender-based Violence. Paris: UNESCO.

UNICEF; UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women); UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund); ILO (International Labour Organization); OSRSG/VAC (Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children). 2013. Breaking the Silence on Violence against Indigenous Girls, Adolescents and Young Women. New York: UNICEF.

Yorke, L. Rose, P.; Bayley, S.; Wole Meshesha, D.; Ramchandani, P. 2021. The Importance of Students’ Socio-emotional Learning, Mental Health, and Wellbeing in the Time of COVID-19’. Oxford: Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE).

Related information

• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
• UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP)
• Child-friendly school (CFS)
• Learning environment

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How To Write A Strong Essay On An Effective School Environment

Just about everyone has spent a significant portion of their lives in school, some a considerably larger portion than others. We all don’t graduate with the same qualifications and this can largely be attributed to the environment which does not only mean the buildings and compound. Many factors contribute to an environment and in this article I will attempt to outline six factors that will assist you in writing a strong essay on an effective school environment:

• The facilities

Some will say that learning can be done anywhere and this is mostly true. However, in an educational institute, the availability of equipment and space can play a vital role in the ability of a teacher to inform students about a particular topic, for example, proper use of a microscope. So while knowledge can be imparted from one person to another without the need of expensive gear, in some cases it is impossible to do so without.

Many students derive much of their motivation because of the relationships they form with their tutors or peers. Studies have shown that fostering teamwork can greatly improve performance and learning. If a school has the ability to create positive and productive relationships, chances of success are much higher.

Too often we make the mistake of branding one person as “gifted” while the others are just average. Though this is true in some cases, it doesn’t mean that others don’t posses the ability to perform just as well given the right encouragement. With proper morale uplifting practices, the average pass rate of an educational institute can rise significantly.

• Role models

Human beings have been known to perform better when a clear goal or desire exists and role models can provide clear representation of a person’s personal goals. However without role models, young people can lose sight of the person they want to be in the future.

• Competition

The ability of students to compete on even ground with those of other schools can be a good way of promoting a sense of prides in the student body which can serve to improve overall performance.

• Societal needs

Some schools are forced to focus more on a particular subject area because of the demands of the society closest to the establishment. This can lead to a one sided system that ignores the needs of different, less in demand areas of study.

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John Dabell

Every Day Is A School Day

11 Characteristics Of Effective Schools

Researchers, and more recently teachers themselves, have been debating what are the key characteristics of effective schools.

Despite decades of mulling over what works and what doesn’t, we keep on coming back to the same old, same old.

When I look back over studies from the last 30-40 years then we are still talking in the same territory today as to what makes a difference although having said that, ‘data’ wasn’t such an obsession then as it is now and many would put that smack bang in the centre of things today.

So, when it comes to all things primary then Mortimore et al (1988), Alexander et al (1992), Sammons (1994) and Reynolds et al (1996) all identified the following factors as critical to the success of schools:

• purposeful leadership by the headteacher; • the involvement of the deputy headteacher; • involvement of teachers; • consistency amongst teachers; • structured teaching sessions; • intellectually challenging teaching; • a work-centred environment; • limited focus in teaching sessions and the reduction to three or four at most in the number of activities/curriculum areas taking place simultaneously in classrooms; • maximum communication between teachers and students; • increased whole class interactive teaching; • parental involvement; • record keeping; • a positive climate in the school.

It’s funny how the above list are things we see as ‘givens’ in any school environment. There’s more…

Brighouse and Tomlinson (1991) suggested seven key characteristics of effective schools:

1.  Leadership at all levels: strong, purposeful, adoption of more than one style. 2.  Management and organisation: clear, simple, flatter structures. 3.  Collective self-review: involving all staff and leading to developing new practices. 4.  Staff development: systematic and involving collective and individual needs. 5.  Environment/building/uplifting ethos: visually and aurally positive, promoting positive behaviour, high expectations. 6.  Teaching and learning: creative debate amongst teachers and curricula and pedagogy. 7.  Parental involvement: parents as partners in education.

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Then Sammons et al (1995) and Reynolds et a. (1996) identified eleven factors of effective schools:

• shared leadership (firm purposeful, participative – the leading professional);
• shared vision and goals (unity of purpose, consistency of practice, collegiality and collaboration);
• a learning environment (an orderly atmosphere and attractive environment);
• concentration on teaching and learning (maximisation of learning time, academic emphasis, focus on achievement);
• high expectations (all round, clear communication of expectations, providing intellectual challenge);
• positive reinforcement (clear and fair discipline, feedback);
• monitoring progress (monitoring pupil performance, evaluating school performance);
• pupil rights and responsibilities (high pupil self-esteem, positions of responsibility, control of work);
• purposeful teaching (efficient organisation, clarity of purpose, structured lessons, adaptive practice);
• a learning organisation (school-based staff development);
• home-school partnership (parental involvement).

Reynolds (1995) summarises research as indicating seven major factors in creating effectiveness:

1. The nature of the leadership by the headteacher (setting the mission, involving staff).

2. Academic push or academic press: high expectations of what students can achieve, creating large amounts of learning time (including homework) and entering large numbers for public examinations.

3. Parental involvement (parents as partners in and supporters of education).

4. Pupil involvement (in learning and other aspects of the school).

5. Organisational control of pupils (reinforced by cohesion and consistency in the school together with collective ownership of practices and effective communication).

6. Organisational consistency across lessons in the same subjects, different subjects in the same years and across years.

7. Organisational constancy (limited staff turnover).

Given the above ‘key’ factors, would you be able to place these in any sort of order as being the most important or do they all interact together and stand side by side?

I think some of the features above can be ranked as without strong leadership many of the other aspects don’t just magically happen by themselves. But if we take this as occupying number one spot, what next and where are schools expected to channel their energies?

It is a pretty impressive school that can work on all of these areas and keep all the plates spinning throughout the year to remain effective. As soon as one of the plates smashes then someone has to pick up the pieces.

Alexander, R., Rose, J. and Woodhead, C. (1992) Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools. London: Department for Education.

Brighouse, T. and Tomlinson, J. (1991) Successful Schools. London: Institute of Public Policy Research.

Mortimore, P., Sammons, P., Stoll, L., Lewis, D. and Ecob, R. (1988) School Matters: The Junior Years. Shepton Mallett: Open Books.

Reynolds, D. (1995) The effective school: an inaugural lecture. Evaluation and Research in Education, 9 (2), 57–73.

Reynolds, D., Sammons, P., Stoll, L., Barber, M. and Hillman, J. (1996) School effectiveness and school improvement in the United Kingdom. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 7 (2), 133–58.

Sammons, P. (1994) Findings from school effectiveness research: some implications for improving the quality of schools. In P. Ribbins and E. Burridge (eds), (1994) Promoting improvement in schools: aspects of quality in Birmingham. In P. Ribbins and E. Burridge (eds) (1994) Improving Education: Promoting Quality in Schools. London: Cassell.

Sammons, P., Hillman, J. and Mortimore, P. (1995) Key Characteristics of Effective Schools: a Review of School Effectiveness Research. Report by the Institute of Education, University of London, for the Office for Standards in Education.

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An Effective Learning Environment

One of any teacher’s essential tasks is creating an environment where students feel safe to be and safe to learn. Many factors must be considered.

8. Fostering a Cooperative Spirit

It’s unreasonable to expect students to be “friends” with everyone in the class. However, if students are going to be successful, they must learn to accept each other, to work together, and to support each other. Two of the most important steps you can take to make this happen are to have students learn each other’s names and to address the benefits of working together.

Learning Names

Here are some ways students can learn each other’s names:

• Have students interview each other and then introduce each other to the class. They might include their name, something they like to do in their spare time, and something they would like the class to know about them.
• Students go up one by one to the overhead, write their name, and write a food they like that starts with the letter of their first name. For example, “I’m Frank, and I like French fries.”
• Students go around the room and “pack a suitcase” for a trip. Students take an object that starts with the first letter of their first name. For example, “I’m Terry, and I’m taking toothpaste.”

How I will have my students learn each other’s names

 _______________________________________________________________________________

The Power of Working Together

When students laugh at others who make mistakes, who have a physical impairment or speech impediment, or who behave inappropriately, the success ratio in a classroom plummets! Students must be aware of the power that comes from sticking together and working together. Here are two possibilities for introducing this concept:

• Take one toothpick and give it to the strongest child in the class. Tell the child to break the toothpick and then report back how hard it was to do. (It’s simple!) Then give the same student a bunch of toothpicks. Ask the student to break the whole bunch in half—at one time—and then report back how hard it was to do. (It’s impossible!) Discuss the lesson to be learned from the toothpicks. (If students stay together and work as a team, nothing can break them down or keep them from being successful.)

How I will teach the importance of “sticking together”

9. civility in the classroom, expectations for your students.

You have the authority and the obligation to set an expectation for civility and propriety in your classroom. This includes what is acceptable in what students say (not only to you, but also to each other), and what they write. Once the standard has been set, you need a “catch” word or phrase to use as a reminder when they stray. Here are some possibilities to consider:

Years ago, bus stations were always in the worst part of town. They never represented the best that any town or city had to offer. Hence:  Stay out of the bus station!  —Roberta Ford

Whoa!  —Hollie Drake

Easy!  —Steve Smith

A stream usually starts out relatively pure and becomes more and more polluted as you get further downstream. Hence: Stay upstream!  —Eric Pear

To further support the spirit of civility, you must let students know that you expect them to use the words “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” in their interactions with each other and with you. Also remind them that “shut up!” may be OK for TV reality shows, but it’s one of your pet peeves and is unacceptable in your classroom. Model that behavior when you are working with them!

My cue for propriety/civility

Note: Do not be swayed by stud ents’ claims that “No one else cares what we say,” etc. We’ll c over the issue of their pleas, challenges, and alib is later in “ Excuses! Excuses! ”

It’s vital that students learn an effective way to deal with you about conflicting viewpoints or concerns. Whether it’s a question about the way you enforce classroom rules or grade a paper, the keys are timing  and demeanor ! Here are some suggestions.

• Do not use class time to answer individual questions about grades on assignments or tests. Have students politely write their question(s) on the paper and turn it in to you at the end of class or at a specifically designated time and/or place.
• Discuss the adage that, “You get more flies with sugar than you do with vinegar.” (Students are more likely to get the results they want if they approach you sweetly and gently—and at an appropriate time.)
• Scene 1: While “teacher” is giving direct instruction, “student” storms up, throws the paper in the “teacher’s” face, and loudly announces, “You made a mistake on this paper, and I want my grade changed now !”
• Scene 2: At a quiet moment, “student” approaches the “teacher” on his/her knees, gently puts the paper on the “teacher’s” desk, and says in a soft sweet voice, “Dear overworked underpaid teacher, I know you have more than enough to do, but I was wondering if you would be so kind as to look at the answers I circled on my paper. I think you made a tiny mistake in the points you gave me.”
• Acknowledge the obvious exaggeration in the second example and then discuss the relative effectiveness of both approaches.

How I will teach the right way to deal with conflicts

Expectations for yourself.

If we expect students to treat each other in a civil manner, we teachers must model that same civility when we deal with students. We must treat them with respect as we conduct the business of school. This respect is shown most clearly in our approach to classroom management. (I deliberately choose the term “classroom management” rather than “discipline” because the former has the implication of helping students change their behavior—always our goal—while the latter suggests punishment.)

Effective teachers have and incorporate a gradually escalating hierarchy of interventions for dealing with student behavior issues. Effective teachers always try to keep the students in the classroom and learning. Effective teachers know that the key is to start with the lightest corrective touch possible but have firmer alternatives if that doesn’t work. Here is an example of one such hierarchy.

• General expectations
• Specific rules that expand the general expectations
• Friendly, nonverbal interventions
• Friendly, verbal interventions
• Formal Behavior Remediation Plan

*May or may not incorporate a Behavior Modification Plan

The next section will help you develop your own hierarchy.

Note: Please keep in mind that you may have to skip steps in the sequence depending on particul ar situations. Also, when you become aware that certain students will challenge your ability to change their behavior, it is a wise move to alert their deans or designated admini strator to the situation. Explain what you have done already and what you p lan to do as the need arises. That way there are no surprises if those students eventually show  up in someone’s office.

10. General Expectations

Students must know your general behavior expectations. These should be brief (No more than five!) but cover all possible situations. Furthermore, they must support your philosophy and goal(s) so that you have a clear answer for those students who ask, “Why?” Here are some examples:

4 P’s: Polite, Prompt, Prepared, Participate —Martha Riley

Respect. Responsibility. —Noel Reck

Show respect for yourself. for others. for the environment. Be on time. Be prepared. Do your job. —Roberta Ford, Mary Dove, & Lou Baldelli

Note: Some teachers like to work with students and have them develop these expectations. Others simply tell them to students.

My general rules

11. specific rules.

It would be wonderful if general guidelines were enough, but many students also need specific rules—and there definitely will be more than five! Here are some examples to consider. Put a √ beside the ones that you will address.

__ All electronic devices are banned from view, hearing, or vibrating.

__ Food/beverages/containers are banned.

__ Passes from the teacher are required for leaving the room.

__ Stay seated during direct instruction.

__ Gum is banned.

__ Class is not dismissed until the teacher gives the official signal.

__ “Egging on” and saying, “Shut up!” are banned, even with friends.

__ Pick up the grummies (any trash on the floor) before leaving.

__ Stay in seats, not lined up at the door, until dismissed.

__ Hats, worn or visible, are banned.

__ Intimidation of any kind and/or fighting are banned.

__ “Making baskets” with trash is banned.

__ Weapons (real, looks like, used as) are banned.

__ Harassment, sexual or otherwise, is banned.

Others to include

Note: Many teachers stat e all rules in positive terms. Also be aware that having rules is on e thing, but enforcing them is another. Be consistent in your expectations!

About the Grummies…

Because I believe that students should show respect for themselves, for others, and for the environment, I expect them to tidy up the room before they leave. This includes picking up all the little bits of paper and trash that have accumulated during the period. It helps to give this refuse a friendly name. I use the term “grummies.”

Of course, there are always those students who say, “It’s not my trash!” or “I didn’t put it there!” By reading to them the Grummy Will on the next page, I put a permanent end to those arguments in a positive way. “Goodbye!” debates; “Hello!” clean room.

If you share a room with other teachers, I encourage you to ask them to participate in the clean-up procedure.

Grummy Will

12. Friendly Signals

Silent signals.

Of course, it will be necessary from time to time to give friendly signals to students who stray from the expectations and rules. How do you do that and not interrupt instruction? The answer is by using immediate silent cues that let you keep teaching and send a message at the same time. Here are some suggestions. Put a √ by those you will use.

___ Give “the look.”

___ Walk closer to student(s).

___ Drop off pre-written sticky notes.

___ Put your hand on a student’s desk.

___ Peer over your glasses.

___ Give specific students pre-arranged signals.

___ Stop talking and calmly stare at them.

___ Walk to a designated spot in the room.

___ Put a check mark on the board.

Note: Make sure you discuss an d “translate” your signals for letting students know that they need t o “ get back in line. ” Many students are inept at reading body language and subtle signs.

Spoken Signals

If silent cues don’t work, switch to spoken ones. Here are some suggestions. Put a √ by those you will use.

__ After looking around the room and noting how many students not with you, tell them, “I am waiting for (the number of) people.” Keep counting until all of them are with you.

__ Call the student’s name, go to the posted behavior expectations, and point to the rule that applies.

__ Call the student’s name and ask, “Is what you are doing helping me or making my job harder? Please stop.”

__ Give students an unappealing alternative. Example: “Would you rather complete the work here in class or in the dean’s office?”

__ When you speak respectfully to a student and get disrespect back, this is very effective, especially if you do not know the student. “Excuse me. Many students complain that teachers don’t show them respect. I could have yelled at you or immediately referred you to the dean, but I didn’t. Do you think I deserve the reaction I received from you?”

__ When a student escalates a situation, begin with, “I’m asking  you to (what it is). Are you refusing to do what I am asking  you to do?” If the student still resists, then you, “I’m telling  you to (what it is). Are you refusing to do what I am telling  you to do?” If the student still resists, a referral is in order. Be sure you specify all the you tried in working with the student.

Note: Elementary teachers prob ably will have a designated administrator to work with rather than a dean.

13. Contracts

Students’ success on both a personal and an academic level requires a partnership that ideally involves teachers, students, and parents.

Contracts are a perfect instrument for emphasizing the need for such a partnership and for specifying the commitment that each “partner” will make.

Note: Beginning a contract with what you will do is a unique and positive s tep. Also, the optional parent statement at the end of the contract will give you invaluable insights into the parent(s) wi th whom you will be working and will help you avoid negat ive issues involving individual students’ learning and health needs.

Following is a sample contract.

Commitment to Academic and Personal Success

√ Part One: Teacher Commitment

In order that students can attain personal and academic success in my classroom, I pledge that I will:

• Provide instruction that supports state standards.
• Be available to give extra help as needed.
• Treat students with respect.
• Keep grades up to date on the computer.
• Maintain a classroom atmosphere conducive to learning.
• Follow a due process plan for classroom discipline.

Step 1: Private conversation with student, documentation of concerns, and plan for remediation

Step 2: Phone call home/possible formal Behavior Modification Plan

Step 3: Referral to dean

Teacher’s name printed: _________________________________________

Teacher’s signature: ____________________________________________

√ Part Two: Student Commitment

In order to attain personal and academic success in this class, I pledge that I will:

• Show respect for myself, for others, and for our school.
• Be on time.
• Be prepared.
• Do my job (including attending school regularly).

Student’s name printed: __________________________________________

Student’s signature: _____________________________________________

√ Part Three: Parent/Guardian Commitment

In order to encourage my child’s personal and academic success in this class, I pledge that I will:

• Support the student behavior expectations listed above.
• Regularly monitor my child’s grades online.
• Monitor my child’s attendance.
• Be available at this/these phone number(s):

home: ______________________ work: ________________________

• Be available at this/these email address(es)

home:_________________________________________________________

work: _________________________________________________________

Parent/guardian’s name printed: ___________________________________

Parent/guardian’s signature: ______________________________________

√ Part Four: Optional Parent/Guardian Statement

Please list any information, especially health or learning concerns, that you would like me to know about your child.

14. Due Process

A formal behavior remediation plan.

If the most basic attempts to help students correct behavior are unsuccessful, or if the frequency with which you have to deal with the same annoying behaviors increases, then it’s time to implement a formal Behavior Remediation Plan.

A formal Behavior Remediation Plan has several advantages. First of all, it provides documentation for students, parents, and administrators to show that you have already tried several times to help the student improve. Second, the process of gradually filling up a page gives students a very graphic indication of just how much more “room” they have left before the matter is turned over to a higher authority. Generally speaking, these plans follow a similar pattern such as the one that follows:

• Friendly conversation with student to document concern(s) and plan what you and the student will do to improve the situation
• Call home/possible Behavior Modification Plan (See pages 24 and 25 for information on this)
• Detention or other consequence
• Referral to the dean or designated administrator

Following is a sample Behavior Remediation Plan.

Sample Behavior Remediation Plan

(Please attach this documentation sheet to any formal referral.)

Student’s name _________________________________________________

Class _____________ Time/Period ____ Teacher _______________________

1. Level One: Private conversation with s tudent

Date _______________

Issue(s)  ________________________________________________________

Plan for remediation

Teacher will _____________________________________________________

Student will _____________________________________________________

I am aware that the next step is a contact with home, and that I probably will have to make that contact myself under teacher supervision.

Student signature _________________________________________________

2. Level Two: Home contact

Date________ Time_______ Phone or email__________________________

Spoke to/contacted ________________________________________________

Consequence(s) at home ____________________________________________

Consequence(s) at school

__Lunch detention __Extra time before or after school

__Behavior Modification Plan __Weekly behavior progress reports

__Immediate referral __Other _________________________

3. Level Three: Referral to dean/designated administrator 

Date ________

Reason(s) ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Behavior Modification Plan

As you work through your Behavior Remediation Plan, you may find some students who fall into a unique category when it comes to dealing with behavior issues. These are the students who just don’t respond to the usual intervention steps. Frequently they are students with diagnosed special needs, but they can be regular education students as well. These are the students who require a very special management approach—a behavior modification plan. In my experience, this kind of plan has the following characteristics:

• It is a specific, sequenced, consistent, and escalating process.
• It incorporates some kind of graphic reminder or tangible indicator that clearly brings behavior issues to a student’s conscious level.
• It is silent so that the teacher does not verbally engage with the student.
• If unsuccessful, it results in a student’s behavior becoming an issue for a higher authority. For that reason,   teachers must enlist the cooperation of the dean/designated administrator before actually starting the plan.

Note: Do not underestimate the suitability of a Behavior Modification Plan for older students, even high school age.

Please see the following for one example of an effective plan. Special education staff members in your building should have other options for you to consider.

Paper Clip Behavior Modification Plan

Step One: At the beginning of class, the teacher puts three paper clips on the student’s desk. For each inappropriate behavior, the teacher silently removes one paper clip. Clips can be earned back with corrected behavior. When the period ends, the teacher collects the remaining clips (if any) and records the number. The count accumulates from day to day. When the student reaches an agreed upon total, the student gets a reward. Repeat the process. If this does not work, the student goes to Step Two.

Step Two:  The student gets two paper clips. As before, the teacher silently removes one clip for each inappropriate behavior. When the second clip is taken, the student is sent out into the hall (in view of the teacher) for two minutes and then returns. The process is repeated as needed throughout the period. If this does not get immediate results, the student goes to Step Three. Remember: You must have a prior agreement with the dean/designated administrator to make Step Three work.

Step Three:  The student still gets two paper clips, but when they are gone, the student is sent immediately to the office of the dean/designated administrator for whatever part of the class period remains, even if the period is almost over! The student may return the next day and try again. Repeated offenses then become an issue between the dean/designated administrator and the student. (In elementary schools, teachers will need to find an alternative for the “rest of the period.”)

Please make sure you enlist the cooperation of the dean/designated administrator before actually starting the plan!

15. Dealing with Bad Days

All of us have bad days. If you don’t teach students how to cope with their bad days, their distress will carry over into your classroom and sabotage not only their own success but that of the entire class. Also, teaching coping strategies to students gives them techniques they can use the rest of their lives. Here are two ways to help your students cope with bad days:

• Provide pieces of paper with the outline of a suitcase. Students who are having a bad day take one of the papers as they enter the room, write what’s bothering them in some kind of code that no one else could read, decisively crumple the paper, and then throw the paper away.
• Put a door mat at the entrance to the classroom. Students who come with problems wipe their feet on the rug and “leave their worries” there. (Great for teachers to use, too!)

How I will have my students deal with bad days

Note: Keep an eye on students who enter with obvious baggage. If their concerns cont inue, you can follow up with a personal inquiry and/or off er of help. “Do you need to see your counselor?” or “Do you need to see your dean?” or “Do you need to take a short persona l time-out?” Consider having a “standing” personal time-out pass for those students who are dealing with specific issues. The pas s can be kept in a folder on your des k or in the front of the room. Establish clear rul es for using the pass. Often just knowing they can get up and leave briefly if they have to gives stude nts enough of a safety valve to stay in class.

16. Eliminating Students’ Excuses

You must address the excuses students give for not doing what they are supposed to be doing—either in terms of behavior or class work. Years ago, my colleague Diana Stevens taught me an approach that she had developed after learning about “The Three Cons” in a class taught by Barbara Coloroso, internationally recognized author and speaker. (For the original Three Cons, please see pages 157-165 in Kids Are Worth It by Barbara Coloroso or visit her web site at www.kidsareworthit.com.) Through the years, I have enhanced what Diana taught me. Here is what I now share with my students when we discuss favorite excuses for “not doing.” I thank Barbara Coloroso for kindly giving me permission to use her “Three Cons” as the inspiration for my “Excuses! Excuses!”

1. Copping out

• I left it in my locker.
• You lost my paper.
• I’m not the only one who…
• Everyone else is…
• I was absent.
• I didn’t understand.
• You hate me!
• I hate you!
• It’s not fair!

3. Rescuing

• Puh-leaaaase give me another chance!
• Here’s a note from my mother.

My approach for addressing student excuses

Note: “Fair” does not mean equal or doing the same for each child. Fair means doing for each child what each child needs.

Following is a handout of “Excuses! Excuses!”

Right...from the Beginning Copyright © 2002 by Roberta Harman Ford is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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13 Ways to Create a Positive Learning Environment in Your Classroom

Written by Joshua Prieur, Ed.D.

Teachers! Get more ways to promote positive learning with Prodigy Math, a game-based learning adventure for grades 1 to 8.

• Teaching Strategies
• What is a positive learning environment

Why is a positive learning environment important?

13 ways to create a positive learning environment in your classroom, create a positive learning environment to help students love learning.

Consider for a moment where you work or learn best. 

Where are you? What does the room you’re in look like? What are the things you do to set yourself up for success? 

All of the things you surround yourself with — a great cup of coffee or an up-tempo Spotify playlist — play a part in how you work or learn. They’re all tied to the environment you choose to best prime yourself for success.

As an educator, the same thing applies in a school or a classroom. Your goal is to create a positive classroom and school environment that will set your learners up for success.  

But there are a few challenges. How can you help students to feel safe, valued, and respected? What can you do to help set the framework for positive relationships to flourish?

Read on to find out 13 strategies that’ll help you build a positive learning environment that students and fellow staff members alike are excited to be a part of.

What is a positive learning environment?

Having a positive learning environment takes much more than having a classroom with positive posters on the wall ( although that’s one of the many strategies that can be used! ). It means truly understanding and supporting the needs of students and colleagues in multiple ways.

For example, having clearly established classroom rules will help set the tone for a healthy learning environment where students know what is expected of them. Having that structure in place will help students feel safe, allow you to really understand their needs, and promote positive well-being. This applies to students at all levels — elementary, middle, and high school, too!

One thing to keep in mind is that creating a positive learning environment isn’t something you create once and leave as-is . It requires renewed attention every school year. 

What is the difference between a positive and negative learning environment?

To really dig into the differences of a positive and negative learning environment, let’s start with some positive learning environment examples:

• Students feel safe to come to school without feeling like they have to act like someone else for acceptance
• When students feel safe in their environment, they’re more willing to take risks in their learning without fear of failing– sometimes we learn best when we fail!
• A true community exists. Students and staff members alike are more engaged and excited to interact with one another under positive circumstances.

In a negative learning environment, you’re going to see more undesirable behaviors such as:

• High levels of student frustration , likely leading to increased disciplinary rates. This could be mitigated by clear classroom management strategies .
• A disconnect between members of the community (ie. staff, students, and parents/guardians), leading to tension and less involvement from parents/guardians in the school environment. High levels of parent involvement have a direct impact on positive learning environments.
• High levels of stress for teachers leading to burnout and anxiety, which research has shown can even cause a physiological anti-stress hormone response in students. Practicing self-care techniques can be a great way to de-stress.

Read on to find out even more about why having a positive learning environment is crucial!

Having a positive learning environment in place takes a great deal of thought and consideration, but there are major benefits that’ll pay off for the hard work that goes into it. For example:

• Research has shown that academic performance is likely to increase
• Students will be more likely to support other students with disabilities
• There will be an increase in positive interactions between students, staff, and parents/guardians
• Stakeholders will appreciate that you take mental health just as seriously as you take student achievement
• Students are more likely to take ownership of their learning experience (also known as self-regulated learning)
• You’ll set the tone for a great school year from the very first week as you build an environment conducive to student development

What can you do to help jumpstart your work in this area? 

Keep reading to learn some strategies that you can easily implement to create an environment that’ll build a tightly-knit school community with a positive learning environment at the center of it all.

As an educator, you’ve likely already taken several steps to build a positive environment in your classroom and your school. Read on for 13 steps that can help take that work one step further!

1. Build positive relationships with students and parents

Building positive relationships with students and parents is critical, and it starts on the first moment of the first day of school each year. 

This means getting to know each of your students’ unique personalities including their likes, dislikes, strengths, and areas of opportunity. Putting the time in early will help you support students both individually and as a whole group.

One strategy to build rapport with students is to greet them as they arrive in the classroom each day. While it takes a bit of extra work on the front end to make sure the lesson is ready-to-go (including an activity for them to start up on the board!) greeting students as they arrive shows that you care and helps you to read their body language from the moment they arrive each day.

To help build a strong relationship with parents, take the time to communicate with them about the good and the bad that you see in the classroom. There are tons of awesome apps for teachers that you can use, like Remind to easily share information. 

Sending a quick note about the success that a child had in class that day can go a long way to let the child know that you see the great things they’re doing and also help parents/guardians feel like they’re in the loop for their child’s life at school.

2. Foster student connections

There are lots of great ways for you to help foster positive student connections as a way of helping improve students’ sense of belonging, increase engagement , and establish a caring classroom culture.

 Here are two quick strategies that you can implement with relative ease:

• Listen to the chatter going on between students before class . They’ll often talk with one another about things they’re passionate about. That information can help you learn things to ask them about that will help you forge a really strong bond. If by listening you learn that a student does ballet, you can ask the student more about it the next time you see them.
• Implement highly-personalized lessons to help students feel special. For example, if you’re creating a sample response to a writing prompt, you could opt to include a student’s name and the hobby you know they like. This strategy works really well as a way to highlight and motivate and engage learners who are often reluctant to participate!

3. Outline classroom rules for positive behavior

Having high expectations for your students is so important as you shape the norms for student behavior and lay the foundation for student success. To do this, you’ll need to have clear classroom rules and techniques at-the-ready from the first moment of the first day.

One pro tip is to frame your classroom rules in a positive manner. For example, instead of saying “don’t disrespect other students” you instead say, “All students in class will be respected at all times.” This positive framing, while small, can make a huge difference as you are showing that the expectation is tied to positive behavior.

4. Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a great way to build intrinsic motivation and help promote positive student work habits. 

There are two great strategies that you can use here:

• Recognize when students put forth a ton of effort, even if they don’t show 100% mastery. Sometimes failing is when we learn best, so praising students’ effort to persevere can go a long way to help them build the muscle not to give up in the face of a challenge and implement problem-solving strategies.
• Take the time to celebrate even the smallest of wins for learners who are sometimes reluctant to participate in class. Providing praise for a job that’s well done goes a long way towards building trust and helping students feel seen. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood that they’ll do it again.

5. Ensure content is culturally relevant

Every class is unique thanks to the cultural diversity that each student brings to the group.

Since each student has a different lived experience and cultural background, teachers can honor those differences by implementing culturally responsive teaching strategies . These include: integrating relevant word problems, using media that positively depict a range of cultures, and bringing in guest speakers from different backgrounds.

A recent research study found that when teachers implement contextual learning strategies test scores can improve by more than 44%.

6. Keep a positive mindset

Anyone who has been a teacher knows just how exhausting the job can be. 

Taking time for yourself can be a real challenge with the demands that exist both inside and outside of school. That said, it’s highly recommended that you work to find some time, even just a few minutes to implement some self-care techniques as a means of helping you maintain a positive mindset.

Finding time each day, even just a few minutes when you first arrive at school, can make a huge difference and prepare you to face any challenges that come your way head-on and with a positive mindset.

7. Create a comfortable physical environment

Having a positive classroom environment for your students to learn in (and for you to teach in!) goes a long way towards helping build an awesome classroom climate. The physical environment includes everything from the way things are organized to what is on the walls.

Add a splash of color to your classroom with posters that include positive messages that can both motivate students and encourage positive behavior. For example, a poster that reads, “Expect to be accepted for who you are” reinforces the notion that all students belong in the classroom community you’ve created. It’s also a great reference point to draw students’ attention to if the behaviors you’re seeing aren’t aligned to that principle.

Are you a teacher who travels from classroom to classroom with a cart? Many teachers who travel opt to cover the front or sides of their cart with a poster that includes positive messaging. That gives you the opportunity to add a personal touch to any classroom you share and reinforce the beliefs you want to prioritize.

8. Stay informed on educational research

As a scholarly practitioner, it’s great to keep up-to-speed with research that could help to inform your practice and provide insights you can use to create a positive learning environment.

  For example, researchers recently outlined findings that show that the level of parent participation had a direct impact on positive learning environments. One strategy to implement would be to strategize with colleagues or school administration about additional ways to get the parent and guardian community engaged with activities at school. 

You may even consider participating in events like PTA meetings or events if you aren’t already as a way to contribute to a positive and collaborative school climate (which also has an impact on student motivation and achievement! ).

Doing this can also help you to stay in the know with emerging areas of best practice for you to take advantage of as you build your yearly professional growth plan . A recent study shows the link between professional development, teachers’ practices in class, and student achievement. 

An easy way to stay updated on education research outcomes that could help shape your learning environment is to sign up for Edutopia’s newsletter called " The Research Is In" .

9. Prioritize social emotional learning 

The well-being of students and teachers alike has been pushed to the forefront recently– and for good reason. While perhaps easier said than done, having positive mental health is critical. 

Social emotional learning (or SEL for short) can help students understand emotions and navigate an uncertain world.

There are some wonderful resources available for teachers to implement SEL strategies in their classroom. For example, building mindfulness activities into the classroom is just one of 25 different SEL strategies that can be implemented without a ton of lift — but with huge benefits for students in class.  

Helping students learn and navigate new emotions will help them to bring their best self to the classroom and contribute positively to the learning environment.

10. Plan lessons with motivation in mind

Building lesson and unit plans with student motivation in mind helps spark excitement and joy into the learning environment. That’s why Prodigy believes so firmly in our philosophy of education, “Motivation First!” . 

Weave topics that students are passionate about, or finding ways to make topics that aren’t the most exciting much more fun and interactive.

Integrating game-based learning activities like Prodigy Math can be a great way to help have fun and engage with you and their peers in class while they learn how to multiply fractions. Leverage students’ natural inclination for games and integrate learning right into it!

11. Provide personalized feedback on assignments

Going that extra mile to show students that you truly care about their performance and effort can help to motivate students and foster a positive connection. Personalizing feedback for students is a great way to take a moment and highlight some of the great work students do and the areas for improvement.

Let’s say for example students have completed a short writing assignment for you. You’ve spent some time correcting the spelling and grammar of the work, and left some great notes in the margin. To take it one step further, write a personalized note in the top corner of the assignment by using their name, “Dear Jack, …” and highlighting some of the great things they did and some areas for improvement. Leaving a personalized note instead of a plain grade increases the likelihood that they’ll look at what you said and internalize the feedback you’ve given.

12. Share the love

There are lots of incredible things happening in your classroom each and every day. But unless you’re in the room, it’s tough to know what’s happening (ever asked a kid, “what did you do in school today?” when they come home? They seem to always have a tough time remembering …).

To help keep parents/guardians updated, you can take to social media or your classroom website to help share the amazing things that you’re doing with your students. Be sure to keep in mind your school/district’s policies and permission from parents/guardians to use their child’s photo online. As long as you’re aligned with those policies and know which students have permission, you’re a-ok to share snapshots of the cool things you’re doing to help parents/guardians see what’s going on in class.

Bonus tip! Want to foster a positive environment among your colleagues? Leave a handwritten note for personnel on staff at your school (ie. other teachers, administrative assistants, administrators, custodians, etc.) and place it in their mailbox. Who doesn’t love getting mail with a little kudos? 

The two minutes you’ll take to write the note will help others feel so appreciated. Perhaps they’ll even start doing it for others!

13. Find time for fun!

Sometimes, the pressure to focus solely on purely academic material can mount (here’s looking at you, testing season …) and it can lead to burnout.  

Find some time to use some games in your classrooms that include learning and naturally weave in some fun in a way that your students will definitely appreciate. There are few things more fulfilling than hearing students laughing while they’re having fun and working together while learning at the same time.

Having a positive learning environment in your classroom and at your school will set your students up to thrive. In fact, you’ll be setting the stage to help every student to love learning– which is our mission here at Prodigy Education. 

Taking a few steps to expand the great things you’re already doing to create a positive learning environment (including leveraging game-based learning tools like Prodigy Math ) could go a really long way to help build a learning community that’ll transcend the walls of your school.

Prodigy Math helps make learning an adventure for students with game-based skill practice for grades 1 to 5. Plus, your free teacher account comes with tools that help you differentiate for every student and find more ways to support their learning. 

The Importance of Positive School Environments

Giving compass' take:.

• Amelia Harper explains the benefits of positive school cultures: teachers report less stress and students take more ownership of their work.
• What role can you play in supporting efforts to improve school culture?
• Learn about  social and emotional learning .

What is Giving Compass?

We connect donors to learning resources and ways to support community-led solutions. Learn more about us .

Tracey Smith, principal of Brookwood Elementary School in Georgia, shared with eSchool News her strategies for helping teachers take ownership of their work and helping students take control of their learning by creating a more positive learning culture.

Working to create a more positive school culture may seem like a waste of time to some school administrators who face a host of more pressing issues at school. However, creating a happier place for people to work and learn can help prevent some of the more pressing issues from occurring in the first place. In fact, some states see school climate as such an important matter that they have included school climate surveys in their ESSA plans.

A positive school atmosphere encourages student attendance, a factor that helps cure many school woes. It also helps reduce stress in teachers and students and boosts a more positive mindset in everyone involved. Some studies even suggest that school climate is a key factor in student achievement and teacher retention.

Read the full article about the importance of school environments by Amelia Harper at Education Dive.

More Articles

Improvements in school culture can address student absenteeism, education dive, apr 29, 2023, student-led school culture change, sep 2, 2022.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

School environments and elementary school children’s well-being in northwestern mexico.

• 1 Programs of Master and Doctorate in Psychology, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico
• 2 Programs of Master and Doctorate in Social Sciences, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico

School environment refers to the set of relationships that occur among members of a school community that are determined by structural, personal, and functional factors of the educational institution, which provide distinctiveness to schools. The school environment is an important factor when evaluating student well-being. Previous findings have shown that variables such as physical, academic, and social dimensions influence school environments. This research seeks to explain the relationship between school environment and the well-being of primary education students. To carry out this research, a total of 405 students from four public elementary schools in northwestern Mexico were selected to participate. The instrument used to measure the variables and the relationship of school environment and well-being is based on the three dimensions of school environment proposed by Kutsyuruba et al. (2015) : Physical, social, and academic. Statistical analyses were carried out to determine the reliability and validity of the measurement scales using SPSS V20 and EQS software. Confirmatory factor analysis models were tested to determine the construct validity of each scale; then, an analysis via structural equation modeling was made to form an explanatory model obtaining acceptable practical and statistical indicators. Among the relationships in this study, our research identified the variable of school environments as an outcome determined by physical, academic, and social factors. School environment and student well-being variables were also found to be correlated.

Introduction

The study of the physical, social, and academic (curricular) conditions of the environment and the administrative organization of schools have been related to school environments and the well-being of students ( Corral-Verdugo et al., 2015 ). Nowadays, it has become more common to find empirical studies that identify the impact of school environments on student well-being. For example, safe school environments and student well-being have been found to be significantly and strongly interrelated variables on research of various kinds of students’ needs ( Kutsyuruba et al., 2015 ).

Primarily, research of positive school environment is focused on physical conditions: density, privacy, activity areas, open spaces, and, even, green areas. Some of the most researched effects from physical elements have been the ones resulting from noise, lighting and colors, temperature and humidity, decoration, and furniture, since they contain properties that have effects on people’s behavior; nevertheless, despite having found evidence of these effects, the results are not considered entirely conclusive ( Olivos and Amérigo, 2010 ). The quality of these conditions in school infrastructure can have direct effects on the behavior and cognitive, social, and emotional development of children ( Prescott and David, 1976 ; Wohlwill and Heft, 1987 ; Moore et al., 2003 ). In other words, the school space is considered a didactic agent that helps to offer optimal physical conditions for the development of the teaching-learning process. Likewise, it allows for the creation of an adequate environment for the development of students’ abilities, fostering their autonomy as well as teacher motivation.

Romañá (1994) focused on the role that the environment takes as an object of attention for learning. There are three ideas about how it has been addressed: (a) conceiving the environment as an educator: the nature of physical elements of the environment as socializing agents themselves; (b) considering it as an educational object for the valuation and conservation of the environment, and (c) and conceiving it as an educational or didactic resource; in other words, as a pedagogical utility factor.

Olivos and Amérigo (2010) performed a historical review and background check on the study of the connection between environment and education and identified that it had been studied in the fields of pedagogy, where it had been called “environmental pedagogy” ( Göttler, 1955 ) or “mesological pedagogy” ( Zaniewski, 1952 ); and psychology, under the term “classroom ecology” ( Sommer, 1967 ; Weinstein, 1979 ). Other authors have also underlined how the emotional dimension is an important component in the development of evaluation competences, such as for example, the aesthetic evaluation experience, and we argue that this component could also be relevant for the evaluation of school environments (e.g., Mastandrea, 2014 ; Mastandrea and Crano, 2019 ).

At the end of the 20th century, environmental psychology focused its attention on the study of school environments, specifically on aspects of practical conditions such as ergonomics and architecture, considering particular physical aspects of the school environment and its role in the process of teaching learning and even associating it with academic performance ( Holahan, 1986 ; Gump, 1987 ; Bell et al., 1990 ; Gifford, 2007 ; Amedeo et al., 2008 ).

However, there are always challenges for the design and management of educational spaces and they overcome the traditional difficulties of improving the teaching-learning process in conflictful conditions resulting from social interaction within school environments. A wide range of studies has found a reduction of negative or violent behaviors that are usually present in schools are due to management changes in physical environments ( Bosworth et al., 2011 ; Steffgen et al., 2013 ; Cornell et al., 2015 ). Current trends in educational intervention consider the promotion of positive personal interactions as a priority and as a cause or consequence of harmonious activities of the school with its environment, putting integration into practice ( Corral-Verdugo et al., 2015 ).

It is in the second decade of the 21st century when special attention was paid to the study of school environments ( Bernardes and Vergara, 2017 ), school climate ( Wang and Degol, 2016 ; Maxwell et al., 2017 ) and its connection with student well-being ( Bird and Markle, 2012 ; Borkar, 2016 ).

Currently, research on physical aspects in school environments has gained attention as a result of the theoretical relevance of the human-environment link, the new conceptions about the importance of social interactions in the educational environment, and questions about the objectives of education in the modern world ( Aldridge and McChesney, 2018 ; Lundberg and Abdelzadeh, 2019 ).

In existing literature, this has been an extensively investigated subject in an attempt to depict a complete model of school environments. We have not only taken into consideration the contributions of Thapa et al. (2013) , who identify five dimensions that converge in security, social relations, teaching/learning, institutional environment (both physical and administrative), and process of school improvement; but also the ones from Bradshaw et al. (2014) , who suggested that there are three elements that affect the formation of safe and supportive school models, including the variables of commitment, safety, and environment. Both reflect the evolution of research in this area; and, despite their success in the identification of some relevant dimensions of school environment, they still suffer from a lack of variables to consider.

Particularly, as a basis for this study, we reference the contributions of Kutsyuruba et al. (2015) which, as a result from an exhaustive review of published empirical evidence, conclude in a common axis categorization of the school environment named “dimensions of the school climate” that consists of three main categories: (a) physical, refers to the condition of school facilities, the environmental quality of schools, and their relationship with the educational performance and behavior of students; (b) academic, where it is mentioned that the personal skills and characteristics of teachers serve as factors for the development of their students; and finally, (c) social, this specific category suggests that the quality of relationships between members of the school community is fundamental in the configuration of the school climate. These categories shape a conceptual framework that can be regarded as a multidimensional construction of the components and conditions of a positive or safe school environment ( Kutsyuruba et al., 2015 ).

Our study incorporates and integrates these three dimensions into a variable called school environment and evaluates its impact on student well-being. The participating population consists of children from fifth and sixth grade of primary education in Hermosillo, Mexico. Figure 1 shows the hypothetical model of variable correlations under study, where we propose that the physical dimension comprises the classroom, playground, and library elements; that the academic dimension consists of variables related to students, teaching methodology, didactic strategies, and evaluation; and the social dimension is constituted by justice, sustainability, and social behavior.

Figure 1. Hypothetic model of the relationship between school environment and well-being.

Conceptualization of Categories in the Study

School environment.

Space for the delivery of materials that correspond to the areas of basic knowledge where students and teachers interact with furniture that enables individual or group work. Recently it has been mentioned that specific characteristics of the classroom’s physical environment are related to student satisfaction, attitudes, and evaluation of the quality of the course ( Fraser, 2015 ; Han et al., 2019 ).

School yard

Spaces in which students perform educational, civic, recreational, and food-related activities. In a recent study, Dilbil and Basaran (2017) argue that playgrounds positively affected cognitive development and levels of attachment of children to school.

Space that is well-conditioned to read, learn, and consult a bibliographic collection belonging to the school community where students can interact and work. Schultz-Jones (2011) conducted a study to explain how an evaluation of the learning environment of the school library can be used to demonstrate a positive impact on student performance.

Student relationship

In the educational context, the teacher–student relationship is one of the most outstanding academic interactions at the core of the teaching-learning process. Even though this interaction is composed by many other elements, this relationship is the one that plays the most important role when it comes to meeting educational objectives ( Bertoglia, 2008 ). Affective teacher–student communication and interaction plays an important role in building a teacher–student support relationship and a positive classroom environment ( Roorda et al., 2011 ; Poulou, 2014 ).

Teaching methods

The didactic methods are part of the methodological aptitudes that a trainer must have. This means that these types of methods will influence the degree of intervention of the trainer on the student ( Calvo, 2006 ). Teachers’ classroom management practices have a direct impact on the probability of success of their students ( Gage et al., 2018 ). Classroom management and methods are a major challenge for teachers and school administrators, often qualified as the main area of concern for teachers and the most common reason why many choose to leave their profession. Recently, academic research on emotional health, especially during the early years of childhood, has had a greater interest in social and emotional learning and its relationship with the improvement of student behavior ( Caldarella et al., 2012 ).

For Bordas and Cabrera (2001) , an evaluation system within the classroom will be convenient as long as the students feel like active agents; learn to value their actions and learning, know and understand the curricular objectives; as well as understand the aspects of evaluation in certain tasks. Since the data that teachers receive from their evaluation serve as references for the future, it is necessary to think more deeply about the content of these evaluations, in addition to how we can create conditions for teachers to use this evaluation to inform their instructional methods ( Datnow and Hubbard, 2015 ).

Teaching strategies

The term strategy implies reflexive planning to do something by applying any general model used in the classroom ( Orlich et al., 2012 ). Previous studies have concluded that teachers in primary education use different teaching strategies as students gain knowledge through experience, participation in education, express their opinion, and solve problems ( Hus and Grmek, 2011 ).

Konow (2003) refers to justice as a virtue that is attached to what is morally correct, concerning the ethics, rationality, natural law, equity, or religion in which they base their foundations.

Sustainability

Regarding sustainability, it is important to mention that there are two studies that have prioritized the analysis of sustainable or environmental education. These are “Literature on Environmental Education” ( De Castro, 2010 ) and “Education for Sustainability” by Corral (2010) which required this component to focus more on environmental protection behaviors, forgetting the point that students can obtain various types of benefits when practicing sustainable behaviors ( Corral-Verdugo et al., 2015 ).

Social coexistence

Refers to the way students relate with others and how those relationships have important consequences in his/her personal development. Ponferrada-Arteaga and Carrasco-Pons (2010) explain that the emotional expectations that students have about their own school and the degree of recognition and legitimization of the differences manifested by the practices of the school institution influence how students deal with each other at school. A study made by Tian et al. (2016) shows that social support experienced in school is significantly related to subjective well-being.

Well-being is often interpreted as growth and human satisfaction; it is deeply influenced by the surrounding contexts of people’s lives and, as such, the opportunities for self-realization ( Ryff and Singer, 2008 ). Well-being incorporates the challenges that individuals face in their attempts to fully function and realize their potential ( Keyes, 2006 ; Medina-Calvillo et al., 2013 ).

One of the reasons why this topic was chosen is because literature that analyzes the conditions of school environments at the basic level requires empiric evidence that proves its impact in children well-being.

Materials and Methods

The main objective of the study was to test a model where the variable “school environment” is determined by physical, academic, and social dimensions. Our variables were “school environment” and “well-being.” The aim of the study focused on a correlational methodology with the purpose of measuring the degree of relationship between the variables mentioned above ( Sampieri et al., 1998 ). It also has a non-experimental design, since the phenomenon was experienced and measured as it occurred in its natural context. We employed an instrument consisting of different scales that evaluate each of the variables and constructions of the model ( Supplementary Data Sheet 1 ).

Participants

Four primary schools at the primary level were evaluated, two of them public and two private, all in the city of Hermosillo, Mexico. A total of 405 students were surveyed, 212 females and 193 males, aged between 10 and 12. At the time of the study, the students were in the fifth and sixth grade of primary school.

Measurements

After deciding on what type of data needed to be collected, the instrument chosen was a survey that consisted of four variables divided in 11 subscales for a total of 63 items. In addition, the survey also included a brief questionnaire inquiring about certain demographic variables related to gender, grade, age, and school.

Physical Dimension

This scale assessed the educational spaces such as the classroom, the school yards, and the library. It comprised 15 items and was a semantic differential type scale, where two opposing adjectives are presented and the response is selected from six intermediate values.

Academic Dimension

A 24-item scale divided into four subscales: teacher’s relationship with students, teaching methodology, evaluation, and teaching strategies. All subscales were structured with Likert questions, where the response options were “never,” “almost never,” “almost always,” and “always.” In relationship with other students, they were presented with a scale consisting of eight items; the didactic methodology scale has 10 items; the evaluation scale with four items; and, finally, the scale of teaching strategies which includes four items.

Social Dimension

Contained three subscales with 11 items, the first one, referring to justice, included four semantic differential type items. The next section, sustainability, was composed of four items also elaborated in Likert scales with four response options going from “never” to “always.” Finally, the social coexistence scale ( Fraijo-Sing et al., 2014 ) evaluated three groups of social interaction, two corresponding to school and one from home, was a Likert scale about satisfaction with five response options ranging from “very unsatisfied” to “very satisfied.”

An adaptation for children of the Van Dierendonck (2004) version of Ryff’s (1989) psychological well-being scale (psychological well-being scales, SPWB), from which 13 items were selected, corresponding to the categories of self-acceptance, personal growth, and purpose with life.

Except for the social coexistence and well-being scale, the rest were specifically developed for the purpose of this study and were tested in a regional context (Northern Mexico).

First, a non-random sample was selected; that is, there was a process by which data were extracted to be analyzed, where the universe consists of elementary school students from the city of Hermosillo, Mexico. In the next phase, there was a request for authorization from the directors of the educational institutions to proceed with the application of the instrument. This was carried out in a period of 2 weeks, when students were surveyed in groups in their respective classrooms, without teacher intervention but with their approval.

It is important to emphasize that this instrument was tested as reliable and valid by comparing the magnitude of the different variables and indicators. Once the surveys were answered and the numerical valuations of variables were made, we obtained ranges of values for the responses, as well as the different trends obtained. Through this data analysis, we transformed the data into information that was used to answer our research questions by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v21.0). Using this, we analyzed the psychometric properties and construct validity through exploratory factor analysis, reliability through Cronbach’s alpha, analysis of descriptive data of each of the scales, and correlation coefficients between the scales ( Supplementary Table 1 ).

Subsequently, we tested the structural model using the statistical program EQS. First, we analyzed the measurement models of each of the variables. Then, we performed a structural model analysis to test the model of school environments using procedures in first instance plot development (sets of two variables). Likewise, first and second order variables were formed.

Table 1 shows the correlation matrix of the measured variables of scholar environment and their internal consistencies. The Cronbach’s alpha values in all used scales turned out to be appropriate, indicating an acceptable reliability coefficient of the instruments. Overall, the correlations go from moderate, but statistically significant, to strongly correlated.

Table 1. Univariate statistics and their relationship to school environment and well-being.

Structural Model

Figure 2 shows the structural model that illustrates the relationship between the variables “school environment” (composed of physical, academic, and social factors) and “well-being.” In reference to model fitting and its interpretation, researchers use numerous goodness-of-fit indicators to assess a model. Some common fit indexes are the normed fit index (NFI), non-normed fit index (NNFI), and comparative fit index (CFI) ( Hu and Bentler, 1999 ). Absolute fit indexes were also employed to evaluate the degree to which the model proposed and how the actual data variance–covariance matrices compare. Some absolute fit indexes include the chi-square statistic and the standardized root-mean-square residual ( Bentler, 1995 ). We can verify that the indicators of goodness of statistical adjustment (X 2 = 570.99, 307 df, p = 0.000) were not significant, so there are no apparent reasons, in mathematical matter ( Corral-Verdugo, 1995 ), to discard this model and the relationships that are illustrated in it. On the other hand, it should also be noted that the goodness of fit indexes adjustments (BBNFI = 0.90, BBNNFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.04.) show that the structural model is supported by the amount of data that was presented in this sample, since all values are equal to or greater than 0.90 ( Bentler, 1990 ).

Figure 2. Structural model of the relationship between school environment and well-being. Goodness of fit: X 2 = 570.99 (307 df ), p = 0.000, BBNFI = 0.90, BBNNFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.04. Well-being R 2 = 0.35.

Our research was presented with the chance to provide additional empirical evidence to the conclusions of the work of Kutsyuruba et al. (2015) , who determined integrative categories associated with studies on school climate and proposed a three-dimensional model: physical, academic, and social. Other studies have offered a conceptual framework derived from a multidimensional construction of components and conditions of a positive school environment ( Wang and Degol, 2016 ). In addition to confirming the relevance of this theoretical–conceptual approach, we recognized a causal relationship between the school environment and the well-being of elementary education students who participated in the study ( Aldridge and McChesney, 2018 ).

The hypothetical model that guided this research was confirmed by the structural model’s second order factor called “school environment” which was shaped by the three dimensions suggested by Kutsyuruba et al. (2015) : physical, academic, and social. In turn, the “school environment” had an effect on the “well-being” variable ( Ryff and Singer, 2008 ), which also allowed us to verify the relevance of the suggestions made by Corral-Verdugo et al. (2015) in their review and conceptualization of a “positive school.”

Hypothesized first-order factors were also conformed by their respective measures and by the nesting of their variables. Confirming these relationships leads us to conclude that the present estimation and evaluation of the school environment dimension model was measured in a valid and pertinent manner for this construct. Results obtained by this model support the ideas of the three-dimensional construct of Kutsyuruba et al. (2015) and confirm this theoretical model in the reality of children of fifth and sixth grade of basic education in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Such remarks allow for some reassurance that we have established some of the variables that could influence a positive school climate ( Bosworth et al., 2011 ; Aldridge and McChesney, 2018 ). In the three dimensions proposed by the model, we can also identify the actions required in order to impact on well-being and its relationship with the academic achievement of the students ( Maxwell et al., 2017 ), their ways of relating to teachers ( Roorda et al., 2011 ), and the relationships they establish with peers and others in their environment ( Tian et al., 2016 ).

In other regards, this work suffers from limitations notably related to methodological aspects and the means used to collect data. Even when speaking about the validity of the instruments and statistical procedures that account for their reliability, the surveys used for this analysis were specifically developed for the purpose of this study on a non-random sample, which may compromise the generalizability of our findings, despite obtaining acceptable goodness of fit indexes. Therefore, we recommend future research should therefore seek to address this issue by devising a specific method for gathering data on random samples by the means of surveys.

A key strength of this research lies within the integration of the three aspects considered in our model. Some studies have discussed variables related to well-being. For instance, how the physical design of space affects learning and the well-being of children ( Martin, 2016 ); how teacher support and the ways it is perceived by students impacts well-being ( Reddy et al., 2003 ); and also, the way social relationships with companions and peers may serve as a protective factor for well-being ( Lindberg and Swanberg, 2006 ). However, gathering all of these variables into a single model can be considered to be a significant step forward in the study of student well-being, as well as which variables should be considered in order to design and promote the implementation of programs concerning well-being in school environments.

The posture of a school environment factor constituted by physical, social, and academic components was verified and adequately supported by the data gathered in our study and the structural model obtained in Figure 2 . The school environment factor also correlated significantly with a measure of well-being as proposed by our hypothetic model. Moreover, our measure of school environment was found to be a valid one given regarding internal consistency where all factors have a reasonable level of reliability; we can see that all the variables show acceptable correlation values as we also consider the goodness of fit indexes obtained.

Our model confirmed that, in order to promote subjective well-being, schools must facilitate the optimal development of people by accepting that all students possess differentiated strengths, recognize its students’ abilities, and offer school environments that imply positivity in aspects concerning the physical, social, and didactic spheres of school life. Insights into these aspects are expected to contribute to a better understanding of how they correspond harmoniously with the abilities and expectations of the students ( Corral-Verdugo et al., 2015 ; Maxwell et al., 2017 ). The potential implementation of these findings has been widely described in literature. A school should aim its goals toward the promotion of the subjective well-being of its students, without neglecting the purposes of developing academic and cognitive skills ( Huebner et al., 2009 ).

In order to design an accurate system, knowledge of the factors that contribute to well-being in school environments is necessary. The application of these research findings should be focused on the advocacy of curricula that embodies these factors, in such a manner that may comprise better practices in school environments ( Bird and Markle, 2012 ). A more interesting and practical scenario would be if findings such as the ones found in this study could be oriented toward the outlining or amelioration of public education programs dedicated to student’s prosperity, learning, and well-being.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Comité de ética en Investigación de la Universidad de Sonora. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author Contributions

CT-F and BF-S contributed by writing, reviewing, and editing. CT-F and VC-V contributed with conceptualization and design of this study. GG-T ran formal analysis and organized databases. CT-F contributed by supervising this study and its methodological tasks (methodology) were designed by CT-F and BF-S. GG-T and MM-B provided the writing of the original draft. All authors contributed to manuscript revision and read and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00510/full#supplementary-material

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Keywords : school environment, well-being, positive school, children, elementary school

Citation: Tapia-Fonllem C, Fraijo-Sing B, Corral-Verdugo V, Garza-Terán G and Moreno-Barahona M (2020) School Environments and Elementary School Children’s Well-Being in Northwestern Mexico. Front. Psychol. 11:510. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00510

Received: 22 November 2019; Accepted: 03 March 2020; Published: 19 March 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Tapia-Fonllem, Fraijo-Sing, Corral-Verdugo, Garza-Terán and Moreno-Barahona. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: César Tapia-Fonllem, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Essay on Environment: Examples & Tips

• Updated on  
• May 30, 2022

In the 21st century, the Environmental crisis is one of the biggest issues. The world has been potentially impacted by the resulting hindrance in the environmental balance, due to the rising in industrialization and urbanization. This led to several natural calamities which creates an everlasting severe impact on the environment for years. To familiarize students with the importance environment, the subject ‘Environmental Studies’ is part of the curriculum in primary, secondary as well as higher school education. To test the knowledge of the students related to Environment, a question related to the topic in the form of essay or article writing is included in the exam. This blog aims to focus on providing details to students on the way, they can draft a well-written essay on Environment.

This Blog Includes:

Overview on environment, tips on writing an effective essay, format (150 words), sample essay on environment, environment essay (100 words), essay on environment (200-250 words), environment essay (300 words), world environment day.

To begin the essay on Environment, students must know what it is all about. Biotic (plants, animals, and microorganisms) and abiotic (non-living physical factors) components in our surroundings fall under the terminology of the environment. Everything that surrounds us is a part of the environment and facilitates our existence on the planet.

Before writing an effective essay on Environment, another thing students need to ensure is to get familiarised with the structure of essay writing. The major tips which students need to keep in mind, while drafting the essay are:

• Research on the given topic thoroughly : The students must research the topic given in the essay, for example: while drafting an essay on the environment, students must mention the recent events, so to provide the reader with a view into their understanding of this concept.
• Jot down the important points: When the students research the topic, students must note down the points which need to be included in the essay.
• Quote down the important examples: Students must quote the important examples in the introductory paragraphs and the subsequent paragraphs as well.
• Revise the Essay: The student after finishing writing students must revise the content to locate any grammatical errors as well as other mistakes.

Essay on Environment: Format & Samples

Now that you are aware of the key elements of drafting an essay on Environment, take a look at the format of essay writing first:

Introduction

The student must begin the essay by, detailing an overview of the topic in a very simple way in around 30-40 words. In the introduction of the essay on Environment, the student can make it interesting by recent instances or adding questions.

Body of Content

The content after the introduction can be explained in around 80 words, on a given topic in detail. This part must contain maximum detail in this part of the Essay. For the Environment essay, students can describe ways the environment is hampered and different ways to prevent and protect it.

In the essay on Environment, students can focus on summing the essay in 30-40 words, by writing its aim, types, and purposes briefly. This section must swaddle up all the details which are explained in the body of the content.

Below is a sample of an Essay on Environment to give you an idea of the way to write one:

The natural surroundings that enable life to thrive, nurture, and destroy on our planet called earth are referred to as an environment. The natural environment is vital to the survival of life on Earth, allowing humans, animals, and other living things to thrive and evolve naturally. However, our ecosystem is being harmed as a result of certain wicked and selfish human actions. It is the most essential issue, and everyone should understand how to safeguard our environment and maintain the natural balance on this planet for life to continue to exist.

Nature provides an environment that nourishes life on the planet. The environment encompasses everything humans need to live, including water, air, sunshine, land, plants, animals, forests, and other natural resources. Our surroundings play a critical role in enabling the existence of healthy life on the planet. However, due to man-made technical advancements in the current period, our environment is deteriorating day by day. As a result, environmental contamination has risen to the top of our priority list.

Environmental pollution has a detrimental impact on our everyday lives in a variety of ways, including socially, physically, economically, emotionally, and cognitively. Contamination of the environment causes a variety of ailments that can last a person’s entire life. It is not a problem of a neighborhood or a city; it is a global issue that cannot be handled by a single person’s efforts. It has the potential to end life in a day if it is not appropriately handled. Every ordinary citizen should participate in the government’s environmental protection effort.

Between June 5 and June 16, World Environment Day is commemorated to raise awareness about the environment and to educate people about its importance. On this day, awareness initiatives are held in a variety of locations.

The environment is made up of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fish, humans, trees, microbes, and many other things. Furthermore, they all contribute to the ecosystem.

The physical, social, and cultural environments are the three categories of environments. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environments.

1. Do not leave rubbish in public areas. 2. Minimize the use of plastic 3. Items should be reduced, reused, and recycled. 4. Prevent water and soil contamination

Hope the blog has given you an idea of how to write an essay on the Environment. If you are planning to study abroad and want help in writing your essays, then let Leverage Edu be your helping hand. Our experts will assist you in writing an excellent SOP for your study abroad consultant application. 

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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An effective school environment

• Word count: 2212
• Category: Environment Leadership School Skills

A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed

My ideal school would be an attractive, modern, well-equipped building with a garden where pupils can relax when the weather is good. I would like to have a swimming pool, a sports hall equipped for different kinds of sport, not just football and fitness but more unusual and enjoyable sports such as dancing, squash and archery. I think there should also be coaching for sports away from the school available such as horse riding, water sports and mountaineering. There should be a lounge area where pupils can relax and study and a pupil kitchen equipped with modern, easy to work appliances, where we could cook our own meal rather than settling for unhealthy, convenient fast food. I would enjoy cooking my own meal and it would help promote healthy eating as well.

Everyone agrees that successful schools are desirable. In an effective school, students will probably achieve the highest standards of knowledge and education that will make them effective members of their society. Effective taught students would help progress and build an effective and producing society.

The effectiveness of any school is built on many factors. An effective schools has many characteristics such as; effective leaders, effective teachers and an effective environment. Each and every one of these factors has its own features and ideas. In the following pages, we will have a brief look at each characteristic and explain it. We will try to identify the main features of the effective school and which factors are the main ones in improving our schools.

School effectiveness needs a definition. It was defined by Georgopoulos & Tannenbaum (1957: p.534) as ‘the extent to which any (educational) organization as a social system, given certain resources and means, fulfils its objectives without incapacitating its means and resources and without placing undue strain upon its members’. While Mortimore (1991:p.9), also defines effective schools as ‘ones in which pupils progress further than might be expected from consideration of its intake’.

There is little doubt in our minds that effective schools are those that successfully progress the learning and development of all their students. Also the main focus of any school is the student achievement; they are built and work to produce well educated people. ‘The good school is a community of learning. It produces well-educated people’ Ungoed-Thomas (1997:p.3). The classroom is the crucial site in the school where school effectiveness is achieved or not.

There is no definite definition to school effectiveness. However, we can identify some characteristics that contribute to school effectiveness. Brighouse and woods (1999:p.11) mention that there are seven processes that encompassed most activities of school life:

·The practice of teaching and learning

·The practice of management and organization

·The practice of collective review

·The creation of an environment most suitable for learning

·The promotion of staff development

Also, Peter Mortimore and others listed the characteristics of successful schools as:

·Maximum communication between teachers and pupils

·Positive climate (1998:p.10)

Further more, Sergiovanni (1995) identified some of the characteristics of effective schools as,

·Provide instructions that promote student learning

Sammons et al. (1995:p.31) identify the most important eleven factors of effective schools:

·Concentration on teaching and learning

Smith and Tomlinson (1989:p.10) both guide us to the characteristics of successful schools as:

·Leadership and management in the school by:

·Teacher involvement in decision making (in curriculum, methods, organizations use of resources, whole school policies).

·Climate of respect (teachers-teachers, pupils-pupils, pupils-teachers, teachers-parents, ect), including respect for other cultures, languages, religions, ect.

·Positive feedback to the treatment of pupils.

To start with, effectiveness research mentions “strong educational leadership” as an important factor in school effectiveness’, Reynolds, Bollen, Creamers, Hopkins, Stoll & Lagerweij (1996:p.15). Effective schools need good leaders and dedicated managers. The principal should be qualified, competent and experienced. He should provide good leadership and vision for the school community and strive to improve the school. He should be a wise manager of resources and works co-operatively with staff and students. ‘The educational leader of the school seems to be a key person in the integration of school effectiveness’, Reynolds, Bollen, Creamers, Hopkins, Stoll & Lagerweij (1996:p.15).

The National Commission on Education (1993:p.229) agreed that ‘good leadership is one of the key features of successful schools’. Effective schools should have leaders who create and communicate a vision for the school that is because schools today want leaders who have vision.

Increasingly, vision is seen as a core leadership task that must be mastered by all leaders (Lashway, 2000). Under the leadership of the school principal, the school mission and goals are clearly stated and regularly reviewed. In the effective school there should be a clearly articulated school mission through whom the staff shares an understanding of and commitment to the instructional goals, priorities, assessment procedures and accountability.Also, Leaders have to be good motivators. Inspirational motivation occurs when leaders motivate and inspire followers by providing meaning and challenge to their work; for example, giving inspirational talks, communicating vision and acting in ways that encourage enthusiasm (Awamleh and Gardiner, 1999).

Collegiality among the teachers and staff of the effective school is also an important factor. Collegiality maintains support between the school staff and the exchange of experience. Teachers would share the new ideas and methods of effective teaching. The relationship between staff should be built on trust, moral, intimacy and friendly social relations.

A strong and professional teacher is another important factor in the effective school. The teachers in an effective school should be those that are qualified, competent and highly educated. They have positive attitudes and high morale. They should elicit optimal student achievement and develop students’ critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. They are sensitive to individual students needs and maintain effective discipline. They should also welcome parent’s participation in the learning process. Effective teachers are those who recognize individual students´ needs and provide additional academic assistance whenever possible.

The effective school exhibits a climate of high expectations in which the teachers demonstrates the belief that all students can attain mastery of basic skills and the staff has the capability to help all students attain this mastery.

It is clear that school effectiveness is mainly determined by classroom effectiveness, which brings the teaching/learning process into the centre of the improvement process. The teachers’ role is a very important variable in the determination of effectiveness. But the other side of the coin is that the teachers’ role should change. ‘Improvement towards effectiveness will have to lean upon teachers’ willingness to adopt a different cultural, as well as organizational, view on their own profession, Reynolds, Bollen, Creamers, Hopkins, Stoll & Lagerweij (1996:p.11).

‘Looking at the strategic planning phase, school effectiveness knowledge will help strategic planners to keep in mind that, ultimately, the effectiveness of the school has to be delivered at the classroom level and in particular in the actual teaching/learning process. School effectiveness knowledge illuminates what is the core activity in schools and what is conditional for it to improve. Planning for effectiveness will be inadequate without that focus’, Reynolds, Bollen, Creamers, Hopkins, Stoll & Lagerweij (1996:p.15)

‘To make the effective school work, we need improvement strategies that will mould teachers’ cultures and behaviours in such a way that pupil behaviour will change. The effective school is, in the end, characterised by the effective behaviours of its learners.

The teachers can be held responsible for that, and the school has to create and sustain the climate and the culture in which an effective teaching learning process will flourish’, Reynolds, Bollen, Creamers, Hopkins, Stoll & Lagerweij (1996:p.11)

The sum of all students’ academic achievement is usually regarded as a measure of a school’s effectiveness (Good & Brophy, 1986). Therefore, one of the major concerns among educators is to enhance the students’ academic achievement. Teachers and students work in an environment of continuous assessment and evaluation of students´ progress.

In the effective school student academic progress is measured frequently through a variety of assessment procedures. The results of these assessments are used to improve individual student performance and also to improve the instructional program.

Adequate facilities with regard to classroom size and dimensions, technology, school budget and teacher training should be provided. These, such as computers, will provide an inducement to develop the teaching/learning process.

Parent participation and community involvement are two essential factors in the effectiveness of a school. The school environment should encourage parents and carers to visit and participate in school life. School staff and the parent community should work together to achieve the goal of an effective learning school.

The parents should recognize that the partnership between them and the teachers lead to better learning outcomes. In the effective school parents understand and support the schools basic mission and are given the opportunity to play an important role in helping the school to achieve this mission. Therefore, parents are engaged in their child’s education.

Kathleen Cotton (1995) mentioned some key factors in support of student success. These include, efficient planning and clear goals, validated organization and management practices, strong leadership and continuous improvement, positive staff and student interactions, a commitment to educational equity, regular assessment, support programs, and positive relationships with parents and community members.

The relationship between students and their teacher is the teachers’ responsibility, so she/he should seek to create a special relation with the students. Teachers should be friendly, honest. He should have high considerations for the students through encouraging, supporting and involving them in the classroom activities and overall in the school activates.

School staff and teachers should accept responsibility for students. The good or bad achievement student’s gain is due to the support and care given by teachers and staff to students. Students want to feel that they are in a secure climate that will help improve their achievement.

Teachers should create and foster learning environments where all children are challenged to learn. In the effective school there is an orderly, purposeful, business like atmosphere, which is free from the threat of physical harm. The school climate is not oppressive and is conducive to teaching and learning.

The climate of an effective school is safer, quieter, cleaner and more orderly than that of a non-effective school. The term “safe environment” refers not only to the physical condition of the school, but also means that it is a place which is free from physical or verbal aggression, harassment or discrimination. Students must feel secure in their school community so that their energies can be applied to learning.

Every successful school develops an environment that nurtures student achievement and personal development:

·Student settings, either class size or student population, are small.

·Ground rules set the tone for respectful behaviour.

·High expectations and clear consequences are articulated to students frequently.

·Structured daily and classroom routines provide stability and direction.

School effectiveness is an important issue when trying to decide which schools are effective. We have looked at the most important factors to consider when determining the effectiveness of a school.

Effective leadership is an important factor as well as the effective teachers themselves. The safe and warm environment student learn in certainly participates to there learning achievement. The curriculum taught and the parent’s involvement in their child’s education and activities are also important factors of effective schools. Given these factors, nowadays school effectiveness is easier to determine than it was before.

This reaction paper addresses the question of what my ideal school would be like. My ideal school would be consisting of a really good learning environment where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. It would be a diverse school with students of different cultural backgrounds builds on respect for one another. I have always admired and respected people of various cultural backgrounds and I would like to learn from my fellow students as well as my teachers.

My ideal school must have knowledgably and motivated teachers who know how to effectively communicate their knowledge in the classroom. Knowing the information means nothing if the teacher is not able to communicate this information to the students. In my ideal school a good teacher takes the knowledge and presents it in such a way that the students will readily understand it and be able to utilize the information. On the other hand, a bad teacher will make it almost impossible to understand even the simplest things.

In my ideal school the teachers will seek to find new and interesting ways to present material to the students (even on an individual basis), and they will help to motivate their students and show them that the material they are learning is relevant. The most important responsibility of a teacher in my ideal school will be to ensure high academic achievement for all students.

In conclusion my ideal school will consist of students who want to learn and teachers who want to teach. This school will be a partnership between the students and the teachers. It will be a positive and friendly environment for everyone involved and everyone who is there will want to be there.

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9.1: What makes a school effective?

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• Page ID 86287

• Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students
• Old Dominion University

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By: Amy West

Learning Objectives

• Students should know the reasons why effectiveness in education is important.
• Students should be able to understand the characteristics which make a school effective.
• Given a list of characteristics, students should be able to identify whether they are effective or ineffective.

Introduction

People often talk about the importance of education and how schools need to improve. However, that is usually as far as the idea goes. This is because everyone has different definitions for what an effective school is and how to improve ineffective schools. Just because a student goes to school every day, it does not mean the school is doing the best job they can. There is always room for improvement, even in the best of schools.

Essentially, an effective school is one which is conducted in a safe environment by qualified teachers (Ashley, 2006). Everyone in the education field should have goals and high expectations for the school and its students (Ashley, 2006). Students should not only be taught academics, but also life skills (Ashley, 2006). There are many schools which are not at this level of effectiveness, though. Ineffective schools are most commonly found in high poverty areas (NEA, 2001). They typically are not well funded, do not have enough technology, and do not have highly qualified leaders (NEA, 2001).

Improving ineffective schools should be one of America's top priorities. A good education is the foundation of every qualified professional in this country. There have been many studies done to find out what makes high performing schools effective (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). These studies show that there are six top factors which make a school effective, among other characteristics.

Positive Classroom Environment

The classroom environment is a very important aspect of an effective school. If a student does not feel safe or comfortable while in their classroom, they will not be able to focus on what is being taught.

It is essential that students feel safe while in school (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Even though 98% of teachers and 93% of students say they feel safe in their school, safety is still a topic of debate (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Making schools safe begins with teaching students respect, for themselves and others (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Another key step in safety is to identify student problems early, before the student turns to violence to solve them (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006).Aside from safety, it is also valuable for students to feel at ease while at school (Ashley, 2006). They should feel able to approach their teacher and other students (Ashley, 2006). The learning environment should also be open, clean, colorful, and inviting (Armstrong, 2002).

Qualified Educational Leaders

Having qualified leaders in the field of education is essential for success. These are the people who are around the children for approximately 35 hours each week. They are the people who will teach, inspire, and guide the students and they need to be qualified to do so.

The school leadership begins with the principal. The principal should be open and honest with teachers and staff (Ashley, 2006). They should make themselves approachable so teachers feel comfortable approaching them with new ideas (Ashley, 2006). Principals should allow their teachers to be creative and innovative in the classroom (Ashley, 2006). The other aspect of school leadership is the teachers. Schools should require that all of their teachers are highly qualified and fully certified (NEA, 2001). There also needs to be incentives for teachers who meet these requirements and do their job well (Lockheed, Levin, 1993). Incentives could include mentoring programs to help teachers adjust and loan forgiveness for those who teach in low performing schools (NEA, 2001).

Setting Goals

Setting goals for schools and students is an important process. It helps to motivate people when there is something specific to aim for. It is also a good way to show the clear path to success. The principal should work with the teachers to develop a plan and mission for the school (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Once they have done this, they should share it with the students (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Goals should include specific strategies and techniques for improvement and progress (NEA, 2001). Also, everyone should be pushed to work hard in order to achieve the goals and be successful and effective (Ashley, 2006).

High Expectations for Students

It is a known fact that people often live up to what is expected of them. If you do not expect much from a person, they often will not give you much. This is why it is crucial for teachers to expect their students to do well so there is a standard for students to uphold.

Each student should be expected to do their best on each assignment, despite previous performance or social background (Ashley, 2006). There is no reason that any student should be held to a lower standard than any other student (Ashley, 2006). When a teacher holds low expectations for a student, they tend to treat them differently (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). They may even give those students less praise and less communication (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Once teachers have made their expectations clear to the students, they need to develop objectives that the students can excel in (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006).

Conducting and Implementing Research and Funding

It is necessary for schools to conduct research for many reasons. They need to use their research findings in order to find out what works in schools and what does not. Then, schools need to receive funding in order to implement plans that support the research findings.

Research should be conducted in many different ways in order to reach each student (Lockheed, Levin, 1993). Everyone in the field of education should pay close attention to the findings in order to figure out where next to go with the school curriculum (Lockheed, Levin, 1993). If the research shows that something is not working, the subject or technique should be discarded and a new plan should be implemented (Lockheed, Levin, 1993).

One of the biggest problems when it comes to funding in education is the difference of funds spent on students in high poverty areas compared to those in better financed schools (NEA, 2001). Low performing schools need the funding the most due to all of the resources they are already lacking (NEA, 2001). However, all schools need more funding in order to provide everything necessary for each student to get the best education possible (NEA, 2001).

Monitoring Student Progress

One of the best ways to see if the school curriculum is effective is by monitoring student progress. If a large majority of students are not progressing, it probably means that there needs to be massive curriculum changes. On the other hand, if only a few students are struggling, it most likely is a sign that they need extra help.

The best plan to have when monitoring progress is to take a well rounded approach since one test is not a good measure for everyone (NEA, 2001). Progress reports should be made so students can know their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as where they are now and future goals (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). Students should be assessed in comparison to national averages as well as to see if they know the material (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). There have also been studies done which show that doing homework is a good way to monitor progress and raise student achievement scores (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006).

Other Factors

Early Start

Typically, when a child starts attending school is based on their age. However, a child's age does not have much to do with their ability to learn. Some children may be ready to start learning earlier than the minimum required age. Educational studies have shown that children who attend early start schools receive better grades and have higher IQs as adults (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006).

Extended Learning

It is common sense that more time spent in school means more time spent learning. This exra learning time could help students who are struggling to catch up with their classmates (NEA, 2001). Other methods to extend learning include longer school years, more testing, more graded homework assignments, and more after school programs (NEA, 2001).

Better Behavior

One of the biggest complaints from well behaved students is that their teachers spend too much time disciplining students with behavioral issues (Ashley, 2006). When teachers have to stop their lesson in order to discipline a student, it causes a huge disruption for the rest of the class. Teachers need to be taught how to handle all of these minor interruptions, as well as major disciplinary issues, so that valuable learning time is not lost (Ashley, 2006).

Smaller Classes and Schools

Whenever a student is in the position to receive extra support and attention, they are likely to excel in their schoolwork. Small class size, particularly during elementary school, typically has a positive effect on students because they receive more individual attention (NEA, 2001). Studies have shown that, for older students, being in smaller schools is most beneficial (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006). It has been proven that students who attend small schools are more likely to pass their classes and attend college (Sadker, Zittleman, 2006).

Community Partnerships

The saying, "It takes a village to raise a child," is true when it comes to a child's education, as well. A child will only benefit if teachers, parents, policy makers, and any other community figures are involved in their education (Ashley, 2006). It is also beneficial if all of these people involved share their ideas with each other about how to improve education (Ashley, 2006). It is extremely important for parents to have chances to be involved with their child's education by opportunities such as skill workshops and volunteer programs (NEA, 2001).

Student Driven Curriculum

There have been studies which have shown that when students have a hand in developing the curriculum, they are more invested in it (Armstrong, 2002). This is also a good way to develop assignments in which all learning styles are addressed (Armstrong, 2002). After all, the students are the ones who know how they learn best. Also, students have said that they learn better when assignments are individualized and engaging (Armstrong, 2002).

Using technology at schools and for homework can be a great thing for students. Technology can be an excellent motivational tool for students who are otherwise disinterested (NEA, 2001). Schools can also use technology to keep track of student behavior and to monitor progress (NEA, 2001).

Planning for the Future

It is vital that schools help prepare their students for the future. Students should leave school with the knowledge that lifelong learning is the key to success (Armstrong, 2002). Also, students who leave high school to enter the "real world" should have been taught the skills necessary for surviving it (Armstrong, 2002).

Education is the key to success in this country. It is vital that we do everything we can in order to ensure that each student gets the best education available. This is important because these students are going to be entering professional fields and, possibly, even teaching the next generation.

Simply attending school does not guarantee a good education. There are many factors which must be used together in order to build the best education possible. It is necessary for schools to have positive, open environments with highly qualified leaders. It is also crucial for schools to research progress in order to see what is or is not working so they are able to build a balanced curriculum.

A school does not just need to offer an education, they need to offer each student the best education they possibly can. By implementing as many of these factors as they can, a school can give each student a well rounded, successful, and effective education.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

1. In what areas are ineffective schools most common?

A) affluent areas in America

B) other countries

C) middle class suburbs

D) high poverty areas

2. What percentage of students say they feel safe in their school?

3. A school is described as having minimally qualified teachers, an unsafe environment, and not enough funding. What type of education would this school provide?

A) ineffective

B) excellent

C) effective

D) well rounded

4. A school wants to become more effective. Which of the following is something they should do to accomplish this?

A) spend most of the funding on athletics to bring in more money and attention

B) have the principal develop the curriculum by himself as he sees fit

C) develop incentives to attract highly qualified teachers

D) increase class sizes to increase learning

Armstrong, Sara (February 2004). What makes a good school: Students speak up at leadership forum. Edutopia , Retrieved September 10, 2008, from http://www.edutopia.org/what-makes-good-school-students-speak-leadership-forum

Ashley, D (June 2006). Creating an effective school. Curriculum Management Update , Retrieved September 10, 2008, from http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/creating-an-effective-school-1034

Lockheed, Levin (1993). What do we know about school effectiveness and school improvement. World Bank , Retrieved September 10, 2008, from www1.worldbank.org/education/est/resources/topic%20papers/Types%20of%20policy.doc

NEA (February 2001). America's top education priority: Lifting up low performing schools. National Education Association , Retrieved September 10, 2008, from www.nea.org/priorityschools/priority.html

Sadker, D, & Zittleman, K (2006). What makes a school effective?. McGraw Hill , Retrieved September 10, 2008, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_What_Makes_School/#

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What is climate change mitigation and why is it urgent?

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• Climate change mitigation involves actions to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
• Mitigation efforts include transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, adopting regenerative agricultural practices and protecting and restoring forests and critical ecosystems.
• Effective mitigation requires a whole-of-society approach and structural transformations to reduce emissions and limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• International cooperation, for example through the Paris Agreement, is crucial in guiding and achieving global and national mitigation goals.
• Mitigation efforts face challenges such as the world's deep-rooted dependency on fossil fuels, the increased demand for new mineral resources and the difficulties in revamping our food systems.
• These challenges also offer opportunities to improve resilience and contribute to sustainable development.

What is climate change mitigation?

Climate change mitigation refers to any action taken by governments, businesses or people to reduce or prevent greenhouse gases, or to enhance carbon sinks that remove them from the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun in our planet’s atmosphere, keeping it warm. 

Since the industrial era began, human activities have led to the release of dangerous levels of greenhouse gases, causing global warming and climate change. However, despite unequivocal research about the impact of our activities on the planet’s climate and growing awareness of the severe danger climate change poses to our societies, greenhouse gas emissions keep rising. If we can slow down the rise in greenhouse gases, we can slow down the pace of climate change and avoid its worst consequences.

Reducing greenhouse gases can be achieved by:

• Shifting away from fossil fuels : Fossil fuels are the biggest source of greenhouse gases, so transitioning to modern renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal power, and advancing sustainable modes of transportation, is crucial.
• Improving energy efficiency : Using less energy overall – in buildings, industries, public and private spaces, energy generation and transmission, and transportation – helps reduce emissions. This can be achieved by using thermal comfort standards, better insulation and energy efficient appliances, and by improving building design, energy transmission systems and vehicles.
• Changing agricultural practices : Certain farming methods release high amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, which are potent greenhouse gases. Regenerative agricultural practices – including enhancing soil health, reducing livestock-related emissions, direct seeding techniques and using cover crops – support mitigation, improve resilience and decrease the cost burden on farmers.
• The sustainable management and conservation of forests : Forests act as carbon sinks , absorbing carbon dioxide and reducing the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation are key for climate mitigation and generate multiple additional benefits such as biodiversity conservation and improved water cycles.
• Restoring and conserving critical ecosystems : In addition to forests, ecosystems such as wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands, as well as coastal biomes such as mangrove forests, also contribute significantly to carbon sequestration, while supporting biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience.
• Creating a supportive environment : Investments, policies and regulations that encourage emission reductions, such as incentives, carbon pricing and limits on emissions from key sectors are crucial to driving climate change mitigation.

Photo: Stephane Bellerose/UNDP Mauritius

Photo: La Incre and Lizeth Jurado/PROAmazonia

What is the 1.5°C goal and why do we need to stick to it?

In 2015, 196 Parties to the UN Climate Convention in Paris adopted the Paris Agreement , a landmark international treaty, aimed at curbing global warming and addressing the effects of climate change. Its core ambition is to cap the rise in global average temperatures to well below 2°C above levels observed prior to the industrial era, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

The 1.5°C goal is extremely important, especially for vulnerable communities already experiencing severe climate change impacts. Limiting warming below 1.5°C will translate into less extreme weather events and sea level rise, less stress on food production and water access, less biodiversity and ecosystem loss, and a lower chance of irreversible climate consequences.

To limit global warming to the critical threshold of 1.5°C, it is imperative for the world to undertake significant mitigation action. This requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent before 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century.

What are the policy instruments that countries can use to drive mitigation?

Everyone has a role to play in climate change mitigation, from individuals adopting sustainable habits and advocating for change to governments implementing regulations, providing incentives and facilitating investments. The private sector, particularly those businesses and companies responsible for causing high emissions, should take a leading role in innovating, funding and driving climate change mitigation solutions. 

International collaboration and technology transfer is also crucial given the global nature and size of the challenge. As the main platform for international cooperation on climate action, the Paris Agreement has set forth a series of responsibilities and policy tools for its signatories. One of the primary instruments for achieving the goals of the treaty is Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) . These are the national climate pledges that each Party is required to develop and update every five years. NDCs articulate how each country will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience.   While NDCs include short- to medium-term targets, long-term low emission development strategies (LT-LEDS) are policy tools under the Paris Agreement through which countries must show how they plan to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century. These strategies define a long-term vision that gives coherence and direction to shorter-term national climate targets.

Photo: Mucyo Serge/UNDP Rwanda

Photo: William Seal/UNDP Sudan

At the same time, the call for climate change mitigation has evolved into a call for reparative action, where high-income countries are urged to rectify past and ongoing contributions to the climate crisis. This approach reflects the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which advocates for climate justice, recognizing the unequal historical responsibility for the climate crisis, emphasizing that wealthier countries, having profited from high-emission activities, bear a greater obligation to lead in mitigating these impacts. This includes not only reducing their own emissions, but also supporting vulnerable countries in their transition to low-emission development pathways.

Another critical aspect is ensuring a just transition for workers and communities that depend on the fossil fuel industry and its many connected industries. This process must prioritize social equity and create alternative employment opportunities as part of the shift towards renewable energy and more sustainable practices.

For emerging economies, innovation and advancements in technology have now demonstrated that robust economic growth can be achieved with clean, sustainable energy sources. By integrating renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal power into their growth strategies, these economies can reduce their emissions, enhance energy security and create new economic opportunities and jobs. This shift not only contributes to global mitigation efforts but also sets a precedent for sustainable development.

What are some of the challenges slowing down climate change mitigation efforts?

Mitigating climate change is fraught with complexities, including the global economy's deep-rooted dependency on fossil fuels and the accompanying challenge of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. This reliance – and the vested interests that have a stake in maintaining it – presents a significant barrier to transitioning to sustainable energy sources.

The shift towards decarbonization and renewable energy is driving increased demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth metals. Since new mining projects can take up to 15 years to yield output, mineral supply chains could become a bottleneck for decarbonization efforts. In addition, these minerals are predominantly found in a few, mostly low-income countries, which could heighten supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions.

Furthermore, due to the significant demand for these minerals and the urgency of the energy transition, the scaled-up investment in the sector has the potential to exacerbate environmental degradation, economic and governance risks, and social inequalities, affecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and workers. Addressing these concerns necessitates implementing social and environmental safeguards, embracing circular economy principles, and establishing and enforcing responsible policies and regulations .

Agriculture is currently the largest driver of deforestation worldwide. A transformation in our food systems to reverse the impact that agriculture has on forests and biodiversity is undoubtedly a complex challenge. But it is also an important opportunity. The latest IPCC report highlights that adaptation and mitigation options related to land, water and food offer the greatest potential in responding to the climate crisis. Shifting to regenerative agricultural practices will not only ensure a healthy, fair and stable food supply for the world’s population, but also help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Photo: UNDP India

Photo: Nino Zedginidze/UNDP Georgia

What are some examples of climate change mitigation?

In Mauritius , UNDP, with funding from the Green Climate Fund, has supported the government to install battery energy storage capacity that has enabled 50 MW of intermittent renewable energy to be connected to the grid, helping to avoid 81,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. 

In Indonesia , UNDP has been working with the government for over a decade to support sustainable palm oil production. In 2019, the country adopted a National Action Plan on Sustainable Palm Oil, which was collaboratively developed by government, industry and civil society representatives. The plan increased the adoption of practices to minimize the adverse social and environmental effects of palm oil production and to protect forests. Since 2015, 37 million tonnes of direct greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided and 824,000 hectares of land with high conservation value have been protected.

In Moldova and Paraguay , UNDP has helped set up Green City Labs that are helping build more sustainable cities. This is achieved by implementing urban land use and mobility planning, prioritizing energy efficiency in residential buildings, introducing low-carbon public transport, implementing resource-efficient waste management, and switching to renewable energy sources. 

UNDP has supported the governments of Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Indonesia to implement results-based payments through the REDD+ (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries) framework. These include payments for environmental services and community forest management programmes that channel international climate finance resources to local actors on the ground, specifically forest communities and Indigenous Peoples. 

UNDP is also supporting small island developing states like the Comoros to invest in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure. Through the Africa Minigrids Program , solar minigrids will be installed in two priority communities, Grand Comore and Moheli, providing energy access through distributed renewable energy solutions to those hardest to reach.

And in South Africa , a UNDP initative to boost energy efficiency awareness among the general population and improve labelling standards has taken over commercial shopping malls.

What is UNDP’s role in supporting climate change mitigation?

UNDP aims to assist countries with their climate change mitigation efforts, guiding them towards sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient development. This support is in line with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to affordable and clean energy (SDG7), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), and climate action (SDG13). Specifically, UNDP’s offer of support includes developing and improving legislation and policy, standards and regulations, capacity building, knowledge dissemination, and financial mobilization for countries to pilot and scale-up mitigation solutions such as renewable energy projects, energy efficiency initiatives and sustainable land-use practices. 

With financial support from the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund, UNDP has an active portfolio of 94 climate change mitigation projects in 69 countries. These initiatives are not only aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also at contributing to sustainable and resilient development pathways.

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6 Negotiation Skills All Professionals Can Benefit From

• 11 May 2023

As a business professional, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll need to participate in negotiations, regardless of your job title or industry. Chances are you already participate in them more often than you realize.

Negotiating a job offer, asking for a raise , making the case for a budget increase, buying and selling property , and closing a sale are just a few examples of the deals you might be involved in.

You likely flex your negotiation skills in your personal life, too, making it crucial to become a skilled negotiator in all areas of life.

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If you want to strike effective deals and improve the outcomes of future negotiations, you need an arsenal of skills. Investing time and energy into developing them and learning the negotiation process can prepare you to maximize value at the bargaining table.

“Enhancing your negotiation skills has an enormous payoff,” says Harvard Business School Professor Michael Wheeler in the online course Negotiation Mastery . “It allows you to reach agreements that might otherwise slip through your fingers. It allows you to expand the pie—create value—so you get more benefits from the agreements that you do reach. It also, in some cases, allows you to resolve small differences before they escalate into big conflicts.”

Here are six essential negotiation skills and ways to develop your knowledge and confidence.

Check out our video on negotiation skills below, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more explainer content!

Negotiation Skills

1. communication.

To achieve your ideal outcome at the bargaining table, it’s essential to clearly communicate what you’re hoping to walk away with and where your boundaries lie.

Effective negotiators develop communication skills that allow them to engage in civil discussion and work toward an agreeable solution.

Deal-making requires give and take; it’s critical to articulate your thoughts and actively listen to others’ ideas and needs. Not doing so can cause you to overlook key components of negotiations and leave them dissatisfied.

2. Emotional Intelligence

For better or worse, emotions play a role in negotiation, and you can use them to your advantage.

For example, positive emotions can increase feelings of trust at the bargaining table. Similarly, you can channel anxiety or nervousness into excitement.

You need a high degree of emotional intelligence to read other parties’ emotions. This can enable you to pick up on what they’re implying rather than explicitly stating and advantageously manage and use your emotions.

Related: The Impact of Emotions in Negotiation

3. Planning

Planning ahead with a clear idea of what you hope to achieve and where your boundaries lie is essential to any negotiation. Without adequate preparation, you can overlook important terms of your deal or alternative solutions.

First, consider the zone of possible agreement (ZOPA) . Sometimes called the bargaining zone, ZOPA is the range in which you and other parties can find common ground. A positive bargaining zone exists when the terms you’re willing to agree to overlap. A negative one exists when they don’t.

Next, it’s beneficial to understand your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA). If your discussion lands in a negative bargaining zone, your BATNA is the course of action you’ll take if the negotiation is unsuccessful. Knowing your BATNA can ensure you have a backup plan if you can’t reach an agreement. It can also help you avoid leaving the table empty-handed.

4. Value Creation

Value creation is one of the key skills you should add to your negotiation toolkit.

To illustrate its importance, consider this analogy: When participating in a negotiation, you and the other parties typically try to obtain the biggest “slice of the pie” possible. Vying to maximize your slice inherently means someone will get a smaller piece.

To avoid this, shift your goals from growing your slice to expanding the whole pie. The benefits of doing so are twofold: First, you can realize greater value; second, you can establish a sense of rapport and trust that benefits future discussions.

5. Strategy

In addition to thorough preparation and the ability to create value, you need a clear understanding of effective negotiation tactics . By knowing what works and what doesn’t, you can tailor your strategy for every negotiation.

To develop a strong negotiation strategy , take the following steps:

• Define your role
• Understand your value
• Consider your counterpart’s vantage point
• Check in with yourself

Following this process can enable you to formulate a clear plan for the bargaining table. By understanding the roles of those involved, the value they offer, and their advantages, you can work toward a common goal. Checking in with yourself throughout the negotiation can also ensure you stay on the path to success.

6. Reflection

Finally, to round out your negotiation skills and develop your proficiency, reflect on past negotiations and identify areas for improvement.

After each negotiation—successful or not—think about what went well and what could have gone better. Doing so can allow you to evaluate the tactics that worked in your favor and those that fell short.

Next, identify areas you want to work on and create a plan of action. For example, if you had trouble aligning your goals with your counterpart’s, review concepts like ZOPA and BATNA. If your negotiations often leave you dissatisfied, learn new ways to create value.

How to Negotiate Professionally

No matter your strengths and weaknesses, practice is a surefire way to develop your skills. The more you negotiate, the more prepared you’ll be in the future.

Structured learning opportunities can be highly beneficial. Negotiation books and articles are effective starting points for learning deal-making basics. Those that explore real-life examples of successful negotiations can provide perspective on how others navigated difficult discussions and approached conflict resolution.

Another option is to take an online course, such as Negotiation Mastery . In addition to learning from real experts—including public officials, executives, and military officers—you can participate in interactive negotiation simulations that allow you to apply your knowledge and develop your skills. You can also gain insight into negotiation’s emotional aspects and learn how to conduct an after-action review to inform future dealings.

Do you want to hone your bargaining skills? Explore our online course Negotiation Mastery and download our free leadership e-book to discover how you can become a more effective deal-maker.

This post was updated and republished on May 11, 2023. It was originally published on Sept. 2, 2021.

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Brian Murray Named Director of Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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This story was originally posted on Duke Today

Following a national search, Sanford faculty member  Brian Murray  has been appointed to a five-year term as the director of the  Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability , effective immediately.

Murray, an internationally recognized expert in energy and climate policy, is a research professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of Public Policy. He has served as interim director of the Nicholas Institute since the 2021 merger of the Duke University Energy Initiative and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. Previously, Murray led the Energy Initiative from 2016-2021 and was the director for economic analysis at the Nicholas Institute from 2006-2017. 

“Brian Murray’s robust track record as a leader, researcher, and collaborator has equipped him to expertly guide the Nicholas Institute,” said Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies Ed Balleisen. “He emerged as the clear frontrunner among a distinguished group of finalist candidates. His strengths include a deep understanding of Duke and an ability to build trust and productive relationships with diverse stakeholders—both of which are critical to driving interdisciplinary success.”

Murray is among a core group of Duke leaders who have been working alongside Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability Toddi Steelman to launch and advance the  Duke Climate Commitment . Publicly announced in 2022, this university-wide effort unites the university’s education, research, operations, and external engagement missions to address the climate crisis.

“Under Brian’s guidance as interim director, the new Nicholas Institute has thrived, moving in directions that are both highly relevant to the evolving climate conversation and rooted in the strengths and potential of Duke as a university,” said Steelman. “The many stakeholders involved in the search were impressed by Brian’s compelling vision for continuing this forward momentum.”  

Murray earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Delaware and he earned a master’s degree and doctoral degree in resource economics and policy at Duke.

Widely recognized for his research on the economics of energy policy, particularly as it relates to efforts to mitigate climate change risk, Murray has written about the design and assessment of economic incentive mechanisms for decarbonizing the economy such as carbon tax, cap-and-trade, directed tax credits, and tradable performance standards, as well as policies affecting the markets for renewable energy and sustainable land use. 

Prior to working at Duke, Murray served as director of the Center for Regulatory Economics and Policy Research at RTI International, a nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition.

“The Nicholas Institute combines the deep expertise found at a top-tier research university with the action orientation of the most effective private and public sector organizations,” Murray said. “I’m honored to lead the Nicholas Institute team in collaborating with colleagues across the university and with external partners to advance energy and environmental solutions and develop the next generation of impactful leaders in the field.”  

“I am grateful to Brian Murray for ably guiding the Nicholas Institute through its recent merger,” said Provost Alec Gallimore. “As we come to the close of an exhaustive search spearheaded by Toddi Steelman and Ed Balleisen, I share their confidence that Brian will continue to be an exceptional leader of this mission-critical Duke entity.”

The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability accelerates solutions to critical energy and environmental challenges, advancing a more just, resilient, and sustainable world. The Nicholas Institute conducts and supports actionable research and undertakes sustained engagement with policymakers, businesses, and communities—in addition to delivering transformative educational experiences to empower future leaders.

One of Duke’s signature interdisciplinary units, the Nicholas Institute is also part of the Office of Climate and Sustainability, helmed by Steelman.