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One key feature in creating a supportive learning environment for the students is to establish protocols, rules, routines, and expectations. In order for a learning environment to be positive, productive, and supportive students need to know what is expected of them. For example, at my current placement my mentor teacher uses yellow and red cards to help keep the students on task. A yellow card is a warning and a red card means the student has to sit out for as long as the teacher sees fit. The students are aware of what is expected of them and the protocols that take place when they don’t meet those expectations. I strongly believe establishing protocols and expectations is the first priority as a teacher because once those are established lessons go smoother.

  

Another important key feature in creating a supportive learning environment in physical education, is to provide feedback. Students love to be praised for performing a skill or task correctly. They feed off of feedback from the teacher, either positive or constructive. Not only does providing feedback create a supportive learning environment, it also creates a positive one. As a teacher, especially in physical education, I believe it is extremely important to have high energy and praise students for performing tasks correctly. Students will work harder for the praise and if the teacher's energy level is upbeat the students will be too.

   

In physical education it is important to provide the students with the maximum amount of activity time and to limit management time. Having equipment set up prior to the class starting and having students help pick up equipment after the end of an activity, are two ways that help maximize activity time. Another example, is to write the instructional performance cues on a board so the students can visually see what key components they should focus on while performing a certain skill. It’s important that students get the most out of every physical education class; so using strategies like the three mentioned previously will help maximize the student's activity time during class.

   

It’s important, as a future educator, to provide a positive, productive, and supportive environment for each individual student. I plan to do this by combining all components mentioned above to establish an environment that allows my students to receive the best learning environment possible.