1

This episode 1 provides an opportunity for students to examine and reflect on a school environment that
promotes learning and development.

At the end of this episode, I must be able to determine the characteristics of a school environment that is safe,
secure, and is supportive of learning (PPST 2.1.1).

1. A physical environment conducive for learning is one that has consistent practices that:
 keep the school safe, clean, orderly and free from distraction;
 maintain facilities that provide challenging activities; and
 address the physical, social and psychological needs of the students.
2. Display boards can be powerful in communicating information about the learning environment. They help in
building and establishing the school culture. These boards become one way for everyone to learn about the
vision-mission, goals, and values that the school upholds.
3. As a basic part of the school's visual environment, display boards have four general purposes:
 Decorative. They offer visual stimulation and appeal to aesthetics. They set the social and psychological
atmosphere of the school.
 Motivational. They encourage students to perform better and have greater confidence. An example
would be the display of students' outputs that show that each output in recognized and valued. The
bulletin boards help celebrate the learners' growth and progress.
 Informational. They are used as a strategy to readily disseminate information.
 Instructional. They move students to respond and participate through interactive displays. They get
students to think about and communicate their learning
4. The set of criteria for evaluating bulletin board displays includes effective communication, attractiveness,
balance, unity, interactivity, legibility, correctness, and durability.

OBSERVE, ANALYZE, REFLECT

Activity 1.1. Exploring the School Campus

Resource Teacher: ________________________ Teacher’s Signature _____________ School: _____________________

Grade/Year Level: _________________________ Subject Area: ___________________ Date: ______________________

To realize the Intended Learning Outcome, work my way through these steps:

1. Visit a school. Look into facilities and support learning areas in the campus, then in the classroom.
2. Observe and use the checklist as you move around the school premises.
3. Analyze your gathered data about the school environment.
4. Reflect on the characteristics of a school environment that promotes learning.
5. Present your idea of a good school environment through any of these:
a) Descriptive paragraph b) Photo essay c) Sketch or drawing d) Poem, song or rap

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As you move around the campus, observations forms are provided for you to document y observations. It is
advised that you read the entire worksheet before proceeding to the school site. A good understanding of the activities
and tasks to be accomplished in the activity sheets will yield better learning results.

SCHOOL FACILITIES OBSERVATION CHECKLIST

Familiarize yourself with the different areas and facilities of the school. Check the column indicate their availability. Give
a brief description of those that are available, and say how each will contribute to the students' learning and
development.

FACILITIES / Description Will it contribute to students’

learning and development. Why?
Office of the Principal
Library
Counselling Room
Canteen/Cafeteria
Medical Clinic
Audio/Visual Learning
Resource Center
Science Laboratory
Gymnasium
Auditorium
Outdoor/Garden
Home Economics Room
Industrial Workshop Area
PTA Office
Comfort Rooms for Boys
Comfort Rooms for Girls
Others. (Please specify)

An Observation Guide for the Classroom Visit

Read the following statements carefully. Then write your observation report on the space provided.

Guide Question Classroom Observation Report

1. Describe the community or neighborhood where
the school is found.

2. Describe the school campus. What colors do you

see? What is the condition of the building?

3. Pass by the offices. What impression do you have

of these offices?

4. Walk through the school halls, the library, the

cafeteria. Look around and find out the other
facilities that the school has.

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Resource Teacher: _________________________Teacher’s Signature ___________ School: _______________________

Grade/Year Level: _________________________ Subject Area: _________________ Date: ________________________

“ I entered the
1. Look at the walls of the classroom. What are posted on the walls? What heroes, classroom with
religious figures, lessons, visual aids, announcements, do you see posted? the conviction
2. Examine how the pieces of furniture are arranged. Where is the teacher’s table that it is crucial
located? How are the tables and chairs/desks arranged? for me and
3. What learning materials/equipment are present? every other
student to be
4. Observe the students. How many are occupying one room?
an active
5. Is the room well-lit and well-ventilated?
participant,
not a passive
consumer….
Learning is a
place where
paradise can
be created.”

-BellHooks,
Teaching to
Transgress, NY:
Routledge,
1994.

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An Observation Guide for the Classroom Visit

Be guided by these tasks as you do your observation. Then accomplish your matrix to record your data.

CLASSROOM FACILITIES MATRIX

Classroom Facilities Description

(location, number, arrangement, condition)
1. Wall Displays

2. Teacher’s Table

3. Learner’s Desk

4. Blackboard

5. Learning Materials/
Visual Aids

Write your observation report here.

Name of the School Observed _____________________________________________________

Location of the School ___________________________________________________________
Date to Visit ___________________________________________________________________

How do the school campus and the classroom in particular impact the learning of the students going to school. What are
your conclusions?

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How does this relate to your knowledge of child and adolescent development/ How does this relate to your knowledge
of facilitating learning?

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1. Why you like to teach in the school environment you just observed? Why? Why not?
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2. What kind of school campus is conducive to learning?

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3. What kind of classroom is conducive to learning?

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4. In the future, how can you accomplish your answer in number 3?
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5. Write your additional learnings and insight here.
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Activity 1.2 Observing Bulletin Board Displays

Resource Teacher: ________________________ Teacher’s Signature _____________ School: _____________________

Grade/Year Level: _________________________ Subject Area: ___________________ Date: ______________________

The display board, or what we more commonly refer to as bulletin board, is one of the most readily available
and versatile learning resources.

To achieve the Intented Learning Outcomes, work your way through these steps: 1. Examine for bulletin board
displays. Include samples of those found at the entrance, lobby, hallways and classrooms 2. Pick one and evaluate the
display. 3 Propose enhancements to make the display more effective.

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As you look around and examine board displays, use the observation guide and forms for you to document your
observations.

BOARD DISPLAYS Read the following carefully before you observe.

1. Go around the school and examine the board displays. How many board displays do you see?

2. Where are the display boards found? Are they in places where target viewers can see them?

3. What are the displays about? What key messages do they convey? What images and colors do you see? How
are the pieces of information and images arranged?

4. What materials were used in making the displays? Are borders used?

5. Do you notice some errors? (misspelled words, grammar inconsistencies and the like)

6. Are the messages clear and easily understood?

7. Think about what got your attention. Why did it get your attention?

8. Take a photos of the display boards (if allowed).

Based on the questions on the observation guide, write your observation report.

OBSERVATION REPORT
(You may paste pictures of the Board Displays here)

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From among the board displays that you saw, pick the one that you got most interested in. Evaluate it using the
evaluation form below.

BOARD DISPLAYS EVALUATION FORM

Topic of the Board Display ___________________________________________
Location of the Board Display in School

Check the column that indicates your rating. Write comments back up your ratings.

4-Outstanding 3- Very Satisfactory 2- Satisfactory 1- Needs Improvement

Criteria NI S VS O Comments
1 2 3 4
Effective
Communication
It conveys the
message quickly
and clearly.

Attractiveness
Colors and
arrangement
catch and hold
interest

Balance
Objects are
arranged so
stability is
perceived.

Unity
Repeated shapes
of colors or use
of borders hold
display together.

Interactivity
Repeated shapes
or colors or use
of borders hold
display together.

Legibility
Letters and
illustrations can
be seen from a
good distance.

Correctness
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It is free from
grammar errors,
misspelled
words,
ambiguity.
Durability
It is well-
constructed,
items are
securely
attached.

Bulletin Board Evaluated By:

Location:
Brief Description of the Bulletin Board:
EVALUATION
Strengths Weaknesses
Description of the Bulletin Board
layout

Evaluation of the Educational content

and other aspects

Recommendations or
Suggestions for
Improvement

Signature of Evaluator over Printed Name:

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Based on your suggestions, make your board display lay-out. You may present your output through any of these.

 A hand-made drawing or lay-out

 An electronic (computer) drawing/illustration or lay-out
 A collage

My Board Display Lay-out

What do you think was the purpose of the board display?

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Did the board display design reflect the likes/interests of its target audience? Why? Why not?

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Was the language used clear and simple for the target audience to understand? Why?Why not?

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Was the board display effective? Why? Why not?

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What suggestions can you make?

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Based on your suggestions, propose enhanced version of display board. Use the form below.

My Proposed Board Display

Theme:

Board Title:

Rationale:
(Purpose)

Objectives:

Best features of my proposed bulletin enhancement:

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Content Resources (Name each needed resources and give each a brief description):

Materials for aesthetic enhancement:

1. Name at least five skills that a teacher should have to be able to come up with the effective board displays.
Elaborate on why each skill is needed.
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2. Which of the skills you named in #1 do you already have? Recall your past experiences in making board displays?
How do you practice these skills?
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3. Which skills do you still need to develop? What concrete steps will you take on how you can improve on or
acquire these skills?
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My Personal Illustration of an Effective School Environment

Let Your Creativity

Shine!

On the opposite box,

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present an illustration
showing your idea of
an effective school
environment through
any of these:

 A descriptive
paragraph
 A Photo Essay
 A
sketch/drawin
g
 A poem, song,
or rap

FS 1 Episode 1 The School as the Learning Environment