Running head: DOMAIN E LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Literature Review: TPE Domain E

National University

Emily Atkins Wooldridge

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Abstract

This paper is a literature review for Domain E of the California Teaching Performance

Expectations. Domain E is about creating and maintaining effective environments for student

learning and contains two TPEs that are about instructional time and the social environment.

This literature review discusses strategies to create such an environment in a science classroom.

It should be noted that the literature discussed in this review is intended for elementary science

classes, but as a 7th-grade teacher, I feel that these strategies apply to middle school science as

well.
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Introduction

Domain E of the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) is about creating

and maintaining effective environments for student learning and the two TPEs within that

domain are specifically about instructional time and the social environment. These TPEs clearly

define how teachers should use allocated instructional time to “maximize student learning” and

“create a positive climate for learning” (2013, p. 16). One of the ways for teachers to

appropriately utilize the instructional time they have is to create routines and procedures that are

strategically followed by themselves and the students. One of the most crucial steps teachers

need to take to ensure their procedures and routines are followed is to create a positive social

environment in their classroom by building rapport with students and setting clear behavioral

expectations from the very first day of school. Doing this in a science classroom is slightly

different than in other types of classrooms because there is laboratory safety to consider as well.

The following discussion reviews the current literature on how to create effective learning

environments for students in science classrooms. As a note, the book referenced is about

elementary science, but I have found that most of these strategies are true for middle school

science as well.

Effective Science Classroom Environments

Greenspan (2015) lists multiple qualities for an optimal science classroom setting:

positive, cheerful, optimistic, constructive, practical, investigative, analytical, inspiring,

engaging, and safe (p. 13). To create this type of classroom environment Greenspan lists five

steps:

● Create a conducive and engaging environment for learning, one in which students feel

comfortable and self-confident.

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● Make students aware of your expectations.

● Be cognizant of students’ ability to meet your expectations.

● Set the classroom rules from the onset, the first day of class.

● Expect students to work toward their potential and to always “do their best.”

● Let them express their ideas and opinions as they learn to work with others (p. 14).

Greenspan also discusses the importance of creating a “classroom layout that encourages

hands-on learning” and following scientific safety guidelines (p. 16). Creating a classroom

environment through these strategies sets the tone of a cooperative learning experience where

students are in control of their own knowledge. This type of science classroom is engaging and

transparent. Students and the teacher are equal participants and the teacher acts more like a

facilitator than a conveyor of knowledge. A classroom layout that promotes hands-on learning is

productive and still allows the teacher to monitor the entire class. Finally, laboratory safety is a

vital aspect of an effective science classroom since there are many materials and tools students

will be using during their investigations.

Conclusion

From behavior expectations to lab safety and classroom layout, my students are engaged

in cooperative inquiry-based science daily. Students are encouraged to share their ideas and

thoughts on topics of inquiry in class frequently and there is a wide range of collaborative

activities they participate in. Students know that it is ok to ask questions in my class and that it is

a safe place to make mistakes. I work hard to create an environment where students feel free to

explore and use their natural curiosity. Creating a classroom environment like this really starts

from day one, like Greenspan (2015) mentions. From the first day of school, I introduce my

expectations to the class and start class-building activities to help the students feel more
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comfortable around each other. Working on class-building and team-building throughout the

year helps develop relationships between the students which is beneficial to their collaborative

projects and assignments. As the domains of my e-portfolio show, I have successfully created an

effective science classroom environment in many of the ways Greenspan (2015) discusses.
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References

California Teaching Performance Expectations. (2013). Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Retrieved from

https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/educator-prep/standards/adopted-tpes-

2013.pdf

Greenspan, Y. F. (2015). A guide to teaching elementary science: Ten easy steps. Rotterdam,

The

Netherlands: Sense Publishers.