Learning Environment Factors

In authentic learning environments there exist many factors which can influence learning on a variety of levels. The factors increase dramatically when moving from individual environments to collaborative learning environments due to the needs of learners involved. Understanding the varieties of factors and being aware of them can dramatically increase the effectiveness of learning facilitators as they seek to structure the learning environments they lead in. The list of factors impacting learning environments can be exhaustive so I've chose two factors to focus on here as I see them impacting not only the learning environments I engage in, but also many of the learning environments I seek to impact as a learning facilitator.

School-wide Expectations For Students & Staff

Spending a significant amount of time in education for more than a decade has provided a wide range of experiences with various systems that establish school-wide expectations for students and staff. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Systems) is a common implementation being seeing in schools across the country. PBIS establishes clear expectations and routines for supporting students and staff with creating effective relationships and procedures to ensure optimal learning environments. Although PBIS has been successful in a variety of learning environments, there are situations in which PBIS has failed to reach effectiveness in supporting student needs in schools I've worked in/with. These situations may be due to a number of factors including lack of consistent implementation, lack of student involvement in the development of action plans or growth steps, and the failure to effectively teach or model desired behaviors. With the successful implementation in some environments and failure in others, I've sought out additional models to support school-wide expectations with success.

Conflict Management & Resolution

Conflict management and resolution needs to be a vital skill in any leader's tool bag. Often times many issues can be avoided as leaders seek to identify problems early and work toward respectful resolutions to meet the needs of all parties involved. As collaboration takes place to ensure all voices are heard and needs are met as much as possible, conflicts within professional environments can be kept to a minimum.

Budgeting Challenges

Interviewing the person primarily responsible for the budget in the school where I'm doing my
internship as a leader provided interesting insights into the challenges faced on an annual basis. The budget is often provided to the school in the early spring and consists of pre-determined amounts by the district. The school is then responsible for itemizing out the budget by making decisions around where the funds will be allocated to have the greatest impacts.