Deck 13: Creating Learning Environments

Question 1

Ms.Ashley wants to build cohesion among the students in her history class and encourage all students to participate in a brainstorming session about problems with their last simulation project and plans for their next project.What seating arrangement is likely to be most effective in helping her achieve her goal?

A)Fishbowl
B)Horizontal rows facing the front
C)Clusters of four
D)Horizontal rows on opposite sides facing each other

Answer 1

Fishbowl

Question 2

The following teachers are using recommended strategies for stopping problems quickly in the classroom.Which teacher is using the most intrusive approach?

A)Mr.Allen made eye contact with Sylvia and shook his head slightly to signal that she needed to stop her disruptive behavior.
B)Ms.Ramos told Bart in a firm voice to stop the disruptive behavior.
C)Mrs.Tilley directed a question to Alex to redirect his attention and get him to stop his disruptive behavior.
D)Mr.Kim asked Kyley to state the correct procedure for inserting her opinions into the class discussion.

Answer 2

Ms.Ramos told Bart in a firm voice to stop the disruptive behavior.

Question 3

Sadie and Emma got into conflict over a singing competition.Emma won the last spot in the school's singing group,and Sadie feels jealous and angry.The anger has been building for almost a week.Sadie got on her cell phone and called friends to spread lies about Emma.Sadie dishonestly claims that Emma cheats on everything,always copies Sadie's homework,lies to teachers,and sneaks out at night to meet boys who are druggies.This is an example of:

A)cyber-bullying.
B)social bullying.
C)verbal abuse.
D)physical bullying.

Answer 3

social bullying.

Question 4

Which of the following teachers is MOST likely to have behavior problems in the classroom?

A)I teach my students to compliment rather than criticizing one another in the classroom and on the playground.
B)I avoid monitoring or disrupting students when they are working independently and I am grading papers.
C)I assign helpers who have advanced skills to help students who have problems with their writing lesson while I am working with reading groups.
D)I teach students the self-regulation skill of counting to three and walking away if they cannot resolve an argument and control their frustration.

Question 5

Mr.Neal wants to set up two or three areas where his third grade students may work independently and quietly on reading and information gathering for various projects.The following options are all acceptable EXCEPT:

A)two computer tables at the side of the classroom.
B)area rug beside the book shelves in the classroom.
C)reading table when reading groups are not meeting.
D)hallway outside the classroom.

Question 6

Mr.Stone's students have been completely engrossed in a physics experiment.At the end of the experiment,all of his students scored 100% on the follow-up quiz.This is one of Mr.Stone's most effective class sessions.This illustrates:

A)engaged time or time on task.
B)access to learning.
C)academic learning time.
D)instructional time.

Question 7

In her second grade classroom,Ms.Camp tried subtle approaches and then more intrusive approaches to get Brad to stay in his seat during group work and independent seatwork.He typically obeys when reminded,but today he acted defiant.Ms.Camp decided to impose a penalty for his misbehavior.She may effectively use any of the following methods of imposing a penalty EXCEPT:

A)impose the penalty privately.
B)offer him a choice to apologize for talking back and stop the disruptive behavior or sit apart from the group.
C)deny Brad free time to take his turn playing a computer game.
D)lower Brad's grade on the spelling assignment the class is doing.

Question 8

Carla is a good student,but she is trying to figure out why she finds it difficult to understand new concepts in Mr.Delgado's class.She has noticed that he seems to read his notes to the class,and he doesn't transition from one idea to the next very smoothly.He's a new teacher,and seems to lack the skill of:

A)withitness.
B)movement management.
C)self-regulation.
D)group focus.

Question 9

Ms.Simone teaches high school freshmen who often enter the high school scene feeling disconnected and overwhelmed.She wants to create a caring community and help these freshmen feel a sense of belonging.Which of the following actions is most likely to help her achieve her goal?

A)Ms.Simone might friend of her students on social media to encourage connections outside the classroom.
B)Ms.Simone should get student feedback about topics of study but not about her teaching or classroom management practices.
C)Ms.Simone might conduct weekly academic skill contests that involve individual competition for the top rank in the class.
D)Ms.Simone should get to know the students as individuals and learn their interests.

Question 10

Based on guidelines for establishing classroom rules,which of the following statements is a good rule?

A)Do not come to class late.
B)As much as possible,come to class prepared.
C)Listen and stay seated while others are speaking.
D)Do not push,shove,or hit others.

Question 11

Which student is teasing about topics that are off limits for teasing?

A)Hillary teased DeMarcus about striking at a bad pitch.
B)Barb teased Thom about going on a date with her friend Shawna.
C)Danny teased Katie about having a bad hair day.
D)Brandon teased Levi about being a fat Jew.

Question 12

At what age are students at greatest risk of being the victim of bullying?

A)Early elementary school
B)Late elementary school
C)Middle school
D)High school

Question 13

Carson's achievement in fifth grade has been remarkable.Last year in fourth grade,he had occasional problems with distractions and difficulty understanding what was expected,but this year he has no such problems.Based on studies of factors related to student achievement,which of the following factors most likely makes the largest impact on Carson's success?

A)His teacher's content knowledge in fifth grade subjects
B)His teacher's knowledge and skill in classroom management
C)His increased interest in school
D)His increased ability to follow rules and procedures

Question 14

Which of the following teachers apparently did NOT establish classroom procedures?

A)Mrs.Gilbert reads aloud to students from a chapter book every day after lunch,and during today's reading two students went to the trashcan and one sharpened her pencil.
B)Students in Mr.Carpenter's class put their homework in the homework tray as soon as they store their personal items at their seats in the mornings.
C)Ms.Lopez's students move their desks into groups of four when she says it's time for group activities in math class.
D)The fourth grade students in Mr.Thomas's class talk excitedly about the upcoming field trip until he tells them to form a quiet line for lunch.

Question 15

Charlie accidentally knocked Stephanie's book off her desk as he rushed to his reading group.Stephanie reacted by getting up and shoving Charlie into the table.Based on the BrainPower program of study,Stephanie would benefit from:

A)penalties that involve time-out.
B)an anti-bullying school program.
C)learning to change her attributions.
D)teacher empathy.

Question 16

In the following situations,students experienced different consequences in response to their negative behavior.Three of the students experienced natural or logical consequences.Which student experienced negative consequences or penalties?

A)Margo had to apologize to Evan to make things right after she insulted him.
B)Cayson's teacher told him to reassemble his classmate's Lego tower that he destroyed.
C)The teacher required Jackie to write a reflective journal entry about what she did and how her behavior affected others.
D)The teacher told Adam to redo the assignment after he turned in a half-hearted and incomplete product.

Question 17

Mrs.Franks is explaining a new concept in her algebra class.Some of the students are paying attention and trying to grasp the new concept,but two students flip small paper wads to each other every time Mrs.Franks turns toward the white board and another tosses a big wad into the air as a distraction.Which classroom management skill does Mrs.Franks need to demonstrate in this situation?

A)Group focus
B)Overlapping
C)Withitness
D)Movement management

Question 18

Damien is often described as a hotheaded high school student.In general,he does not respect women,and acts out particularly in Ms.Monroe's class.Today he came into class arguing with Samantha,one of the other students.She wasn't intimidated by his threat,so he grabbed her book bag off her shoulder and shoved her toward the wall.Another student retrieved the book bag and ordered Damien to grow up.Damien pushed that student also.Ms.Monroe called Damien by name.According to recommended guidelines,what should she do as she continues to deal with this situation?

A)Tell him to meet her in the hallway
B)Threaten to send for the principal
C)Suspend him from school immediately
D)Point to Damien and reprimand him in front of others to show her authority

Question 19

Ms.Tippens is a new sixth grade teacher.She is nervous about the responsibilities of teaching a classroom of 23 sixth graders.She is reading current articles about classroom management and setting goals as she prepares for the school term to begin.Which of the following should be one of her classroom management goals?

A)Ensure that students have fun learning
B)Make sure she excels in content knowledge
C)Make sure students comply with rules
D)Help her students become better able to manage themselves

Question 20

What should teachers do about teasing among students?

A)Teach students how to cope with harmful teasing without having hurt feelings or turning to adults.
B)Ignore teasing among students at school.
C)Teach students to read intentions of others and distinguish playful teasing from harmful teasing.
D)Forbid teasing among students at school.

Question 21

Justin is one of the popular boys in eighth grade.He likes attention and enjoys having the younger kids look up to him.He especially likes the reputation of being the leader of the group of guys he hangs out with.One morning two girls in Ms.Armstrong's homeroom reported to her that Justin tweeted lies about them to the other students in class.He made sexually explicit claims about his relationship with them.
Explain how Ms.Armstrong might deal with the victims and with Justin and how she might effectively approach the topic with the class.

Question 22

Mr.Cicardo arranged his second grade students in groups of four to accommodate group work for math.Students keep their desks in this arrangement at all times.During spelling tests,Mr.Cicardo reminds students to look only at their papers and demonstrate their individual ability to spell the words.Occasionally,he finds students looking at a neighbor's paper anyway.During language arts lessons,Mr.Cicardo often sees students mouthing messages to one another in their groups,and he reminds them to pay attention to the lesson.When Mr.Cicardo works with small reading groups,the rest of the class works on independent seatwork.This is a time when students often collaborate and talk with others seated nearby.The noise is distracting to students who are working quietly,and it disturbs the reading group being conducted.So,Mr.Cicardo frequently needs to remind students that this is independent work,not group work.
Describe specific changes Mr.Cicardo might make in both classroom arrangement and classroom procedures to improve the learning environment and increase academic learning time.

Question 23

African Americans and Latino/a Americans,especially males,are punished more often and more harshly than other students,but they do not commit more serious offenses.How are teachers using culturally responsive management to address this inequity?

A)Teachers demonstrate greater leniency with African American and Latino/a American students to compensate for the inequity.
B)Teachers hold other students accountable for modeling appropriate behaviors in order to bridge the culture gap.
C)Teachers combine high expectations for appropriate behavior and warm teacher-student relationships.
D)Teachers instruct these students in majority culture behaviors before holding them accountable for meeting high behavioral expectations.

Question 24

Bethany talks to the person seated next to her and disrupts instruction during reading group,class discussions,and teacher presentations.No matter who is seated next to Bethany,she talks and interferes with learning.Who owns the problem in this situation?

A)No one owns the problem
B)Entire class
C)Student
D)Teacher

Question 25

In which situation does the teacher use the "no-lose method" to resolve conflict with a student?

A)The teacher asserts his authority to ensure that the student knows who is in charge in his classroom.
B)Teacher and student come up with several possible solutions to the problem,evaluate each one,and choose one solution.
C)The teacher ignores the conflict unless the student continues to repeat the behavior and attitudes that precipitated the conflict.
D)Teacher and student agree that the student's behavior is inappropriate and decide on consequences for future infractions.

Question 26

Kayla arrives late to Mr.Roper's class after returning from a dental appointment.Mr.Roper is thinking,"She's late again.How frustrating!" However,he manages to ask,"Why are you late?" Kayla hears the words,but believes Mr.Roper is angry and judging her.What about Mr.Roper's communication most likely led Kayla to think Mr.Roper was angry and judging her?

A)Mr.Roper probably speaks loudly.
B)Most likely Mr.Roper said more to Kayla than merely asking her why she was late.
C)Kayla actually misunderstood what Mr.Roper said.
D)Mr.Roper's tone of voice and other nonverbal behaviors sent a message.

Question 27

Heather is a bright middle school student who usually does well in language arts.She loves to read and enjoys a wide range of authors and types of literature.However,she doesn't like to write.She finds writing tedious and occasionally doesn't do her best work on writing assignments.Currently the class is learning to research a topic and write informational reports,being cautious about citing sources and presenting ideas in their own words.During class,Heather becomes impatient about summarizing ideas in her own words and complains to the teacher that she hates this assignment.The teacher responds by saying,"Didn't you learn to summarize in elementary school? If you actually read the article you'd be able to do this in a snap.Stop complaining and get busy."
First,discuss who owns this problem of Heather's hating the assignment.
Then explain why this teacher's approach is NOT effective.
Next,describe what the teacher might do to deal with the problem positively.

Question 28

You are beginning your second year as a ninth grade teacher in high school.During your first year,you noticed that some of your students had difficulty transitioning from middle school to high school.They seemed lost,didn't feel like they belonged,and struggled to adapt.
Explain what you will do in your second year to help these students acclimate.

Question 29

Blake complains to Mrs.Parks,"We shouldn't have to do these brutal word problems for homework.They don't help me understand geometry at all." Which of the following responses demonstrates empathetic listening?

A)"You don't like doing these word problems.You think they're really hard."
B)"Let me help you.Maybe you're missing something."
C)"Who do you say they're brutal? We did examples like these problems during class yesterday."
D)"We'll go over the problems in class.Maybe you'll learn something then."

Question 30

The sixth graders in Mrs.Marsh's class are well aware of the rules and procedures that were established the first week of school.Now,in the fifth week of school,Mrs.Marsh expects students to comply and cooperate with minimal correction.Today her lesson involves introducing a new science concept and giving instructions for a follow-up activity.During her presentation to the class,one student talks to her neighbor and another writes a note and passes it to his girlfriend across the room.
Describe immediate steps Mrs.Marsh might take to prevent these behaviors from disrupting the lesson.

Question 31

Third grade teacher Ms.Hinsley is giving instructions to the class about a new cooperative group assignment.As she speaks,Mick makes loud crashing sounds with his mouth.Which of the following confrontations delivers an "I" message to Mick?

A)"I don't like your noises while I'm giving instructions.You are showing disrespect and need to stop now."
B)"You are interfering with the lesson and disturbing the other students.I need you to stop and listen like everyone else."
C)"You're making loud noises while I'm giving instructions.Your noises interfere with my teaching and make me feel disrespected."
D)"I'm annoyed by your noises.You have distracted the whole class,and I'd like for you to apologize."