Impact of Classroom Environment on Childrens Social Behavior

Abstract

The primary contribution of this paper is the finding that lack of activities and interesting learning areas prepared by the teacher in the classroom may negatively impact children's social behavior. Classroom design and the teacher's careful selection of materials to be displayed in each of the learning areas do engage young children in learning activities during learning sessions and their free time. When children group themselves according to their interests in different learning areas, they develop various skills and positive attitude towards each other in their groups and all members of the class. Children engagement in different learning areas in their classroom develop and improve language skills, reading skills, listening skills especially during dramatization, numerical skills, acquire general knowledge in various subjects including sciences and their mother tongues. In a participative classroom, children learn how to share and take care of the materials in their learning areas. While in their learning centers, children develop manipulative skills, leadership and managerial skills, learn how to tell simple stories, and learn how to work together as a team. A friendly classroom develops an environment that creates a desired children's social behavior. Early childhood including elementary school teachers encounter both good and bad social behavior from their children. These social behaviors develop as a result of both physical and social factors that are associated with classroom environment. Some research studies have found that peer settings and classroom environment play critical roles in children's behavior development. Classroom environment covers a range of learning aspects that include the relationship that exists between learners themselves and their teacher. The classroom environment attempts to spell out the teacher's expectations on the children's motivation for effective learning, the strategies that should be employed for effective teaching, the kind of materials that would motivate children to have greater interest in learning, and the social behavior that should be exhibited in a classroom. Classroom environment comprises of several aspects that may at times be observable. It is conceived to compose a range of educational concepts that include physical setting, the psychological environment that is created through social interactions, and several instructional procedures that are related to teacher characteristics and behavior (Miller and Cunningham, 2003). It directly influences learning engagement, motivation, and social interaction among classroom members. Classroom environment may be considered to be associated with good planning, effective teaching, teacher's concern for the children's welfare, and the beauty that is reflected in the classroom (Barth et al., 2004). Torelli and Durrett (1996) found that physical environment in group care centers affects children themselves, their caregivers, and their movements, making it difficult to interact with each other. Physical environment may affect