My Thesis

Please note that this is unedited. Charts and the appendix have been removed because they did not copy and paste appropriately. Enjoy!




MY SPACE: AN ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SPECIAL NEEDS CLASSROOM

by

Susan T. Mascolo

Thesis submitted to
The Honors Program, Saint Peter’s College

March 2, 2009




ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


A great deal of inspiration and knowledge has come from my advisor for this thesis, Dr. Jennifer Ayala. Her patience and understanding enveloped me during our meetings about this project, and I always left her office feeling more confident than the time before it.

A special thank you to Dr. Chew—also an inspiration to me. Not only has she helped with the success of this thesis, but her daily web blog encouraged me to keep writing my own ideas in times where the writing of this thesis seemed unbearable.

And, as always, a special thank you to Alyssa.



My Space: An Analysis of Environmental Psychology Concepts in the Special Needs Classroom


The classroom should be a place that helps one attain knowledge, build friendships, and prepare for the future. As the student changes and advances through the years, so does his or her classroom. For example, special needs students can be taught right in the typical classroom. Because of this, teachers need to be prepared to handle additional challenges and act compassionate towards the children that may struggle more. Other special needs children attend special programs within a typical school, or go to a special needs school. Either way, a great deal of time and research should go into making the best types of learning environments for these children.

A goal of this paper is to explore the concepts and experiences in studying environmental psychology within a special needs education setting. The literature review will discuss key components of environmental psychology, architecture and interior design, and finally, special education.


Literature Review


Six Concepts in Environmental Psychology


Environmental psychology has been an area of interest since the 1950s, when it was conceived by architects and social scientists (Heyman, 1979). Experts in each field saw a connection between their lines of work and began questioning how people react to their surroundings. It was believed that a person’s behavior would be affected by a change in his environment, or that certain behaviors could remain constant if the space was to remain the same. These ideas were applied to many fields, and it is not surprising that education would be one of them (Heyman 1979). Heyman’s 1979 article, ”Places and Spaces: Environmental Psychology in Education,” introduces six themes that should be focused on when studying this relatively new area psychology. They are: symbolism, territoriality, privacy, nonverbal communication, individual differences, and cultural differences. The remainder of this section will discuss the themes in detail.

Symbolism conveys the relationship between “objects” and their location in a given area (Heyman, 1979, 12). Examples that Heyman gives can be from the world outside the classroom, however each can easily be and have been done within the learning environment. Furniture, depending upon its location and size, can provide details about who it belongs to. To put this in educational terms, a teacher’s desk and chair are larger than her students, as well it can be strategically placed within the classroom. The use of signs and their locations within a space can affect one’s “journey” through a building. In a school, signs using pictures and words show us where the restrooms, cafeteria, and principal’s office are to be found. (Heyman, 1979)

Territoriality is given three meanings by Mark Heyman as it relates to environmental psychology: “the act of laying claim to and defending…”; “the desire to possess and occupy portions of space”; achieving and exerting control over a particular segment of space” (Heyman, 1979, 12). These definitions can be placed within a universal context, and can be understood in the classroom. Heyman sites sociologist Erving Goffman for making a distinction between the behaviors of one person in a certain region, versus his conduct in another. These attitudes affect and can influence members of either territory in different ways. (Heyman, 1979)

Privacy is defined by Heyman as “visual and acoustic separation” (Heyman, 1979, 13). Noting this alone, one may argue that it is nearly impossible to include privacy in daily classroom activities. Heyman acknowledges that privacy is important in the classroom. He comments that elementary schools in Great Britain have private spaces for student use. Privacy is a debated need, and a harmony should be established between the use and implementation of private and interactive spaces. (Heyman, 1979).

Nonverbal Communication is more than just a “silent language” used among teachers and students (Heyman, 1979, 14). It does not only include eye contact, but also “facial expressions, gestures, and other body movement” (Heyman, 1979, 14). Heyman places particular emphasis on a classroom’s furniture arrangement. He says that desks positioned in a circular shape will allow for all to see each other’s bodies, thus, even without words, communication will be taking place. Even today, teachers may prefer to place their students’ desks in single rows in order to curtail this type of contact.

Individual Differences is rather self explanatory. It acknowledges that each student is unique, and simplifications are not to be made about children’s wants and needs. A student may be affected by a certain distraction, while his classmate can go about his day no matter what noise or discomforts may be in the way. A student may be able to do his class work while the inside and outside of his desk are in total disarray, while another needs to be completely organized. Cultural Differences is the final concept that Heyman offers. He gives examples from anthropologist Edward Hall, and states that teachers should consider ethnicity as well as individuality among her students.

Though his booklet is twenty years old, Mark Heyman concluded on six global themes that can be understood both in and out of the classroom. This makes them timeless in the scope of environmental psychology, and crucial to the building and advancement of learning environments. The remaining sections of this literature review will focus on architecture and the interior space of a classroom. This will lead to our main topic: special education learning environments.


The Relationship Between Teacher and Architect


The relationship between teachers and architects must be considered when studying the psychology of learning environments. More recent research on this area of study has concluded that architects are instrumental to the development and understanding of environmental psychology. Literature concerning this subject matter uses the word “architecture” in a literal and figurative sense. We can critique the actual space where a student learns and plays, while also assessing why the teacher has created the environment that exists.

In the article, “Changing the Architecture of Teachers’ Minds,” Doreen Nelson and Jule Sundt created case studies that showcase the link between teacher and architect. The article begins by stating that “forward thinking” is what school architects and teachers have been doing in order to solve “problems of education” (Nelson, 1993, 89). In a society where money can be an issue, professionals in both fields (architecture and education) must use their finances wisely and be adaptable. At the same time, advancements and changes must be made when needed and appropriate.

“Innovation does not exist because education is still primarily about learning what’s been done…technology cannot solve the problems that are not technological any more than architecture can solve the problems that are not about the building” (Nelson, 1993, 89).


In the above, Nelson and Sundt suggest that while technological advancements have played a role in shaping the classroom of the future, the actual classroom space is a result of architectural planning. They go on to say that a computer for every student is not the answer to improving, or, being innovative about the future of education.

Nelson and Sundt go on to explain “three-dimensional learning” (Nelson, 1993, 90). This encompasses the “relationship between choice in the physical space, the use of the classroom, and the development of higher level thinking skills associated with creativity” (Nelson, 1993, 90). There is a symbiosis among these elements because the amount of time a teacher spends thinking about the utilization of her classroom, the more likely she can foster the imaginations of her students. This philosophy, along with realizations that architecture may actually limit a teacher’s ability to do it led to a series of case studies.

Nelson and Sundt argue that architects should see the entirety of the classroom space as an “instructional tool” (Nelson, 1993, 92). This means that the teacher and students should be inclined to express creativity within the environment while utilizing the space. They should not simply adjust to the conditions provided. However, what if teachers have no option but to adjust? Nelson reflects on a personal teaching experience during the 1960s where she was given a “portable box” for a classroom (Nelson, 1993, 92). Though drab and uninspired, Nelson saw this as an opportunity to get her students involved in the design process, as she saw endless ways to liven up the room.

Nelson says that her students were thrilled when presented with the task of redesigning the classroom. Furniture arrangements and wall decorations were changed almost daily as a result of their interest in this project. Nelson states that this “redesigning…was a tool that provided a dual context for learning about the past and the present as well as for projecting into the future” (Nelson, 1993, 94). This experiment was a prime example of putting the three-dimensional learning theory to good use—so good that Nelson showed other teachers how to effectively shape their space. (Nelson, 1979)

These influenced teachers carried their desires into the 1970s, which is when a group of them did an in depth analysis of how the physical learning environment is coupled with the learning curriculum. They placed a large amount of classroom tools and objects into a large pile in the center of the space. Students were then invited in to organize the disarrangement of the classroom. While they did tidy up the space, there was nothing strategic about their reorganization. It was at this point that the teachers’ project was taken to the next step. (Nelson, 1979).

Students were given a chance to discard classroom materials that were not essential to the success of their learning experiences. Working in groups, they were given a map of the classroom, “color-coded furniture,” and the responsibility of redesigning the classroom space. (Nelson, 1993) The students realized that each design had beneficial attributes. As a result, the students were able to work together, and create their ideal classroom. Because of the experiment, their skills in “reasoning, sequencing-ordering-categorization and reading/math…” improved greatly (Nelson, 1993, 96).

A similar experiment was given to teachers enrolled in graduate level course to do with their own students. The project was called “classroom in a bag.” At first, teachers failed to tell the students open the bag, thus they drew their classroom on the outside of the provided brown grocery bags. They performed this experiment again correctly, so instead of just drawing the basics (“tables, chairs…windows”), students were able to fill the bag as a way to improve “spatial and organizational learning” (Nelson, 1993, 96). These teachers started to really understand this project, so by the end of the course, both they and their students were able to think about classroom space in a way they had not before. One teacher even incorporated geography skills into her classroom to simulate the Desert Storm war. Each student was assigned a country of the Middle East, depending on their location in the room. This caused students to understand territoriality, one of Mark Heyman’s six elements of environmental psychology which was previously discussed in this literature review. (Nelson, 1993)

Katie Hunter, an architecture student in the graduate program at the University of Cincinnati, wrote her thesis on “Environmental Psychology in Classroom Design.” She argued that a building is only as good as the rooms inside of it. This point may be valid from the view of the architect, yet Doreen Nelson and Jule Sundt may argue that a teacher can turn any space into an effective and functional environment. One of the conclusions that the pair make about architecture is:

“Architecture can show or model multiple approaches to a single problem, leading the user to put things where they didn’t know they could put them, or showing them space they didn’t know was there” (Nelson, 1993, 97).


Based on argument, we can say that the “architecture” of the mind is as important as the physical space. Creativity is at the heart of this, and Katie Hunter notes this in her thesis. She sites Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, for developing a “super-creative core” in which architects are included. Professionals within this core are noted to “crave…opportunity…[are]independent…and…open minded” (Hunter, 2005, 10). Hunter argues that the students are included in the classroom’s creative motives.

Hunter analyzes the interior classroom space by describing aspects of lighting, color, and size. She sites environmental psychologist Anne Taylor, who feels that classrooms need to have space designated “for independent exploration” (Hunter, 2005, 15). Particular areas would include library space, a special area for play time, and a spot for studying. (Hunter, 2005) Taylor recognizes a student’s need for privacy, one of Mark Heyman’s six key concepts. In an effort to balance student needs, an all-purpose space should be designated for interaction. It is argued that both public and private spaces deserve place in the classroom. (Hunter, 2005)

It is recommended that partitions be used to make the learning environment flexible and adaptable. Also, the furniture itself should have mobility. For example, desk chairs, group study tables, and computer stations can be on wheels. (Hunter, 2005) Hunter cites psychologist Carol Weinstein several times, who states that “the child’s role in the classroom [is that of] an active participant who gains self esteem through being able to control his environment” (Hunter, 2005, 32). Hunter notes territoriality, another Heyman concept, as being associated with student control and self-esteem in the learning environment. (Hunter, 2005)

Hunter explains aesthetic needs within the learning environment such as windows and wall space. She notes the importance of the exterior world, that is, what a child can view from a classroom window. Because windows are essential, it is also believed that the outside should be neat and pleasing to the eye. Color within the classroom is encouraged.

Hunter touched upon special needs students and their environmental interactions within the classroom. Overall, she is an advocate of small classroom spaces. She also acknowledges that classroom learners, whether special needs or not, are unique in their ways. This supports Heyman’s concept of individual differences in environmental psychology. Hunter argues that the same space can stimulate different feelings and sensations in each learner. She speaks about the student as wanting independence in the classroom, and says that classroom should “[allow] for all the different personalities to achieve a sense of belonging” (Hunter, 2005, 18).

Special education


Understanding Mark Heyman’s concept of individual differences among students is an essential value to teaching and understanding special needs children. Before reviewing appropriate literature, brief information about the sensory system and neurological impairments need be mentioned. Cindy Hatch-Rasmussen argues that over and under stimulation of a disabled person’s senses within a certain environment can result in a special behavior. In people with autism, this can be “rocking, spinning and hand flapping” (Hatch-Rasmussen, 2008, 1). This process which allows the brain to respond a stimulus is called sensory integration. Three systems discussed in Rasmussen’s paper are the tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems.

The tactile system works in the body’s nerves, and responds to “light touch, pain, temperature, and pressure” (Hatch-Rasmussen, 2008, 1). People who have defects in this system may not desire physical contact through touch, certain foods, and textured substances on one’s hand. As a result, the person may resort to “isolation,” if he feels under stimulated or “hyperactivity,” if he has been over stimulated (Hatch-Rasmussen, 2008, 1).

The vestibular system operates from the human’s inner ear, and is able to identify the orientation of one’s head. The dysfunctions associated with this system depend on the individual. Either they will be apprehensive about movement, or they may hyperactively move their bodies. More than likely, their reactions can vary, and will depend on the environment. The proprioceptive system works with the muscular system and “provides a person with a subconscious awareness of body position” (Hatch-Rasmussen, 2008, 2). A defect in this system can create a lack of coordination and refinement.

“Designing Environments for Handicapped Children: A Design Guide and Case Study” (1979) acknowledges that more resources and facilities are available for special needs learners. The guide studies the development and advancement of a special needs child as he grows and interacts with his peers. Gary T. Moore and his colleagues offer their own list of concepts in environmental psychology. Each one has been applied specifically for special needs children.

According to the research of Moore and his colleagues, the classroom environment should “encourage the development of stable human relationships” (Moore, 1979, 18). Any confusion that applies to the arrangement of materials and the floor plan of the space of the classroom should be circumvented. (Moore, 1979) The transition of the child’s behaviors in the classroom is dependent on the transition “between the zones of private, intimate and public space” (Moore, 1979, 18). This idea is also given in Clare Vogel’s article “Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism” (Vogel, 2008).

Vogel (2008) also acknowledged that the classroom teacher is limited by what architects have created, thus limiting what students can learn as well. She supports Hatch-Rasmussen’s research on sensory integration, stating that a person “living and learning with Autism” may have “sensory assaults” (Vogel, 2008, 1). Special needs children need to feel safe in their environments, thus making predictability and controllability necessary elements of the classroom. (Vogel, 2008). Vogel and Moore wrote nearly 30 apart, and still some of the concepts and techniques have remained constant.

Based on the supporting information given in this review, the following question was researched: To what degree are Mark Heyman’s six themes in environmental psychology relevant in the special needs learning environment? In what ways do the students’ behaviors show their response to environmental stimuli and human interaction?


Methods

Framework

There are varying methods one can employ for empirical research within the classroom. “Learning From Teacher Research: A Working Typology,” argues that teachers in their respective classrooms are the experts, thus arguing that they know their students better than anyone else. A teacher is doing an analysis of her class everyday, and Susan Lytle and Marilyn Cochran-Smith say that there are four ways which she does so: keeping journals, writing essays, oral questioning, and classroom studies. (Lytle, 1990, 83)

For example, veteran teacher from Philadelphia, Lynne Strieb, kept a journal and its contents are highlighted in “Learning From Teacher Research”. She wrote specifically about the creation of the classroom environment when leading a diverse group of children. Strieb said, “use soothing voice…have lots of interesting objects in the room [that] bring all the children together” (Lytle, 1990, 87). Part of what the journal helped Strieb to do was assess how her students handled the learning environment which she worked to build. (Lytle, 1990)

Additionally, teachers may also write essays which echo the progress and abilities of their students. Perhaps the best thing about these is that they are intended for researchers to use in their own studies. In many ways, they are written based on individual experiences of teachers, as well as the needs of their own sets of students. (Lytle, 1990). I am not yet a teacher, therefore this type of research will have to wait. However, it is important to expose these techniques as I believe in the strength of the case studies which they be produced. The goal of my research was to understand the behaviors of special needs students within their learning environment. Additionally, I analyzed the classroom, and based on research, determined the effectiveness of it.

Procedure
I secured permission for my research from the principal at the special needs in which I conducted my observations. She told me that I could spend a total of nine hours in the classroom throughout my observation period. Additional observation time would require additional permission as well as paperwork. Throughout the remainder of this paper, the names of the school, and participants in this study were given pseudonyms.

The methods which I employed in this thesis are noted in “Designing Environments for Handicapped Children: A Design Guide and Case Study.” Gary Moore and his colleagues performed observations and interviews as part of their research. They also reviewed literature on special education and well as architecture and design. My focuses in this thesis are similar to theirs and I used naturalistic observations and interviews.

Observation


The observation portion took place at MCCL in NJ. This is a special needs school with a curriculum suited for multiple learning and language disabilities, severely disabilities, and autistic children. MCCL is located in an upper middle class town in Morris County, New Jersey. There is a second location in Bergen County, New Jersey. Both are regional schools that accept students from all over the state. The combined number of students is over 300.

I observed a class of eight students, six boys and two girls, on two separate occasions. The students range in age from seven to ten years. There is one teacher and two aides in the classroom at all times. Additionally, one of the boys has a one on one therapist with him at all times because of the severity of his handicaps. This student has minor trouble walking and sitting on his own. Also, he communicates extremely minimally in the class, and even with his own personal aide.

All students in the class are considered disabled, and each has at least one mental disability. This includes impairments on the autism spectrum. I developed two observation protocols, each one specific for each of my two visits. One examined the classroom’s physical environment. The second focused on the behavior of the students throughout various activities. Please see the appendix for construction of these observation protocols.

Interview

I conducted two in-person interviews. One was a formal interview with a parent, Ms. Smith. She has an autistic son named Timothy who is ten years old. The second interview as informal and was conducted with an occupational therapist at ECLC named Ms. Jones. Each of these women can help one come to a better understanding of the challenges that exist within and outside the context of environmental psychology. Each individual was asked open ended questions, thus allowing for further conversation and analysis.

The questions concerned the physical environment and the use of elements in environmental psychology. The parent especially was able to give personal experiences on living and learning with her son in the context of this thesis. The occupational therapist knew about the physical space and behavior management program at MCCL. These two interviews combined took approximately one hour to complete. Please see appendix for the questions that were asked.



Results

After conducting my research and interviews, I found seven codes have been which are prevalent in the special needs learning environment. I systematically analyzed my field notes and separated each of the elements into their appropriate code. The seven codes are: aesthetics; individual differences; nonverbal communication and symbolism; verbal communication; privacy, control and territoriality; and creativity and imagination. Each of these codes will be explained, and examples from my research will be provided.

In certain areas, I use charts to categorize the children’s behavior. I labeled the behaviors appropriate, inappropriate, deficit, or maladaptive. A student was classified as behaving appropriately when he or she was participating well in the activity which was observed. A student behaving inappropriately was speaking to or bothering another student when he should have been listening to the teacher. A deficit behavior was applied to a student if he or she did not have the skills and ability to participate in an activity independently. Maladaptive was used as a classification when the student did not seem emotionally and actively adjusted to participating in the activity at hand. (Kuhlenschmidt, 1996)

Aesthetics
Materials within my field notes which made reference to the physical space of the classroom, arrangement, color and lighting were coded as aesthetics. This code focuses on the arrangement and layout of the physical space of the classroom I observed. Originally, I had the elements which make up this code separated from each other. However, I realized as a referred back to my observation notes and interviews that these can all be placed under one subheading. Heyman (1979) does not include this as one of his elements of understanding environmental psychology.

The space is modeled around the necessity for the students to be able to navigate the classroom independently. A diagram of the classroom can be found in the appendix. While it is understood that the students may need assistance with certain tasks, their understanding of the room layout—as well as the school layout is vital to their success as a student. The classroom I observed is small, yet each inch of space is used for a specific purpose. Students were very aware of their surroundings and knew what each space was used for. For example,

To the eye, the classroom was stimulating. There was a lot to look at, and I spent two hours during my first observation just taking in the colors and layout of the classroom. There were many wall decorations, and the clothesline served as a display for student artwork. Areas of the room where there was color included the daily weather board, bulletin boards, and cubby holes. The bulletin boards serve as a space for decoration. I observed in December, and the display was gingerbread men. The weather chart was probably purchased at a store, and contained an array of color. The cubbyhole shelf was yellow. Additional cubby holes where art supplies were kept contained green, blue, and red colored bins for storage. Decorating and color usage in this way seemed purposeful and organized.

Half of the room is covered in carpet, while the other is linoleum tiles. The student’s desk area covers most of this flooring, and they know that the carpet is for play time and recess. Music was used as a way to invite students to come and relax or play on the carpeted space. The room also contains six windows, all of which give a view of the outdoors. The classroom teacher told me that when the sun is shining brightly, the classroom’s twelve fluorescent lights are turned off. In the meantime, ten of those lights are covered with Cozy Shades at all times. They are green or purple in color, and serve to minimize the distracting glare and humming sounds which the lights produce.

During my first visit, I documented the number of times that the school doorbell rang and the number of announcements that were made. My interview with Ms. Smith inspired me to study this because she said the bells and announcements in her son’s school are constant…quote. In our interview, Ms. Smith reflected on her son Timothy’s elementary school days when his classroom was large and contained a view of the playground. Timothy is a ten year old autistic boy who is a program tailored to his needs within a typical middle school environment. Smith notes that the middle school in her town has approximately 1400 students—an overwhelming number, especially for a child with autism. Like mentioned before, bells and announcements occur in large number.

Timothy is one of four students in his class and each child has their own aide. The windows in the classroom look out courtyard and another part of the school building. Windows which expose the outdoors welcome a chance for sunlight to enter the room when the weather is good. This exposure to natural light is lacking in Timothy’s classroom. In Ms. Smith’s words, the school in general is “unwelcoming [and] brown.” Ms. Smith did share aspects of the classroom, stating there is a relaxation area, class job and money charts, and a keyboard.

Ms. Smith did call to mind the professionalism and compassion that special needs teachers often show. While Timothy’s classroom may not be up to par, his teacher and aides are great. Smith says “the nicest facility does not equal good teaching.” She also told me about a school district which has opened developmental learning centers in NJ. They have built a state of the art establishment complete with a swimming pool and fine arts program. Smith says this school district is an “example of a beautiful facility with mediocre teaching.”


Individual differences in how children interact with each other

Over and over in the literature review, we discussed how the consideration of each student’s uniqueness is very important. During my first observation, it was apparent that each student was carrying his or her own identity. Since Heyman (1979) speaks of the individuality of students, I used his concept as one of my codes. Part of my research was to honor this concept, and study the student behaviors during their activities.

I observed the students taking part in a group reading activity. Some of the students have the ability to read independently, and their teachers encouraged them to read aloud. In the chart below, I documented the behaviors of the students while the reading and discussion of their text was taking place. At the beginning of this section on page 19, I described what the types of behaviors mean.




For the most part, the students seemed to enjoy this activity. Isabelle and Bobby, both of whom did interact in the group reading activity, decided to work together while playing bingo. Isabelle discreetly moved her chair closer to Bobby, and for the most part shared a silent, yet mutual, communication. In other words, they seemed to have known that it was inappropriate to carry on a conversation, but sitting close next to each other would be no harm. At one point, Isabelle tried to initiate conversation with Samuel, but he remained uninterested.

This activity was the last of the day, which could be a reason why Aaron lost control. Also, the teacher said that earlier in the day, one of the students had a tantrum, and in turn this affected Aaron’s behavior. I did not see the tantrum, however note that it was mentioned among the teachers that Aaron’s behavior was worse than usual because of it. Aaron and Mollie both have problems with putting their fingers or other objects in their mouths. They were instructed to stop and they did. Aaron and Nathan interacted with each other, yet they lack respect for each other’s personal space. Aaron was put in time out for bothering Nathan to the point where Nathan vocalized his discontent.

Bruce has a one-on-one aide who is with him at all times. His behavior can range from quiet, nonverbal to disruptive. During this activity, he made no eye contact. He was humming a Christmas song throughout a portion of the bingo game, and laughed to himself at one point. He had the opportunity to shout “Bingo!” when he got it, but both his personal and classroom aides could not get him to say it.

Moving away from this class, Timothy too has his own unique traits. Ms. Smith said that he is affected by other children’s behaviors. He is particularly sound sensitive this year, therefore he reacts to his classmate’s high-pitched screams; their source is unknown. This screaming not only affects Timothy, the learning environment changes when this occurs. “Behavior affects Timothy,” his mother says. Because of this, his mother worries about his future as his issues can get worse. Timothy has also had tantrums on the bus ride home from school. As his height and problems increase, so does the ability to control him during these times.

Nonverbal Communication and Symbolism

Both nonverbal communication and symbolism are concepts given by Heyman (1979). When analyzing my field notes, I deduced that these two concepts could be woven together. Within the classroom I observed, these concepts have been well thought out in the areas of aesthetics and behavior management. The students are able to see their daily schedule on display everyday. The daily activities are written down on laminated pieces of construction paper. These are color coded, and include pictures of the children where appropriate. The teacher uses a hanging organizer and places the paper in the plastic slots. This is essential because the schedule is different each day.



Areas in the classroom where toys are kept for recess are draped. This minimizes distraction, allowing students focus on the activities listed on their daily schedule each day. Part of the behavior management program is the “Thumbs-Up System.” Each student has a paper which is kept by their place which removable pictures of thumbs. When a student behaves appropriately during an activity, a thumb is placed on their paper. When a student does not behave well, a thumb is either taken away, or simply not awarded. When a student achieves ten thumbs, they are given money to purchase an item from the school store. This is a visual way for students to learn responsibility and self control.

The students seemed to respond well to music. The teacher decided on specific songs so the children would know when it was time for lunch, clean-up, and brief relaxation periods throughout the day. Each student knew what to do when the music started playing. The picture and musical cues made the transition from one activity to another go relatively smoothly, and the children were kept happy.

The room itself was codified through color. Green hues were used where the teacher and aides desks are located. Ms. Jones informed me that this color is believed to show a sense of command. The carpeted area of the classroom is covered in a blue rug. Jones said this is a calming color, and students know that relaxation—whether in the form of storytelling or recess—takes place in this area. Because of this, they know that when they are at their desks, they are expected to work.


Verbal Communication

There is emphasis placed on oral communication, despite the nonverbal cues instated throughout the classroom. The analysis of my field notes allowed me to realize that verbal interactions were a great part of the curriculum at MCCL. Each child is expected an encouraged to develop a vocabulary with the help of the speech teachers employed by MCCL. The way in which the teacher and aides speak to the children is consistent. For example, if the students do something which deserves rewarding, the teacher will say “good decision.” When the student does something wrong, he will be reminded of the rules once. If the behavior continues, the teacher will say “you made a choice…” and the appropriate action or consequence, such as time-out, will occur.

The use of the microphone for group activities, which we previously discussed, is also an example of how oral communication is encouraged. Children are able to gain practice speaking into a microphone like some did during the group reading activity. Aside from speaking, this form of communication can diminish shyness. Mollie needed help saying every word when she read aloud, but speaking into the microphone allowed her to practice old and new words.

The speech teacher is not the only professional who reminds the children how important spoken language is. During one of my observations, Nathan’s speech teacher was disappointed in him because he did not cooperate during his class. Ms. Jackson stooped down to look him in the eye, and said in a loud voice, “Do you want to be able to talk to me?” He knew both teachers were upset with him. His behavior meant that he was going to get one of his thumbs taken away. Jackson reflected on a time earlier in the week when Nathan spoke to her clearly and correctly. She reminded Nathan of how important speech class is, and how he was coming along well. This type of reprimand focused on the problem at hand, and included positive reinforcement.


Privacy

The classroom contains three areas which acknowledge student privacy. There are two “time-out” spaces called carols. For the most part, one of the carols is completely occupied by Aaron. His “thumbs up” chart was even displayed in there because of the amount of time he spent there. He did not seem to see this time-out as a punishment. He resisted going in there each time, but found ways to entertain himself once inside the carol. During the bingo activity, he was asked if he needed to go in time-out. His response was “My desk?” This shows that he was aware of the excessive time he spent there that it became his own personal space.

The other private area within the classroom is called the Turtle Room. This is a separate area of the classroom that contains pillows. The room encourages relaxation time when students are simply too over stimulated. Also, this room can be a reward for the student if he or she is believed to need unwinding time. During my observations, I did not see a student placed in the turtle room. However, Mollie did resist going to art class, and the way to get her to line up for it was Ms. Jackson saying, “If you go to art, you can go in the turtle room when you come back.” This got Mollie to line up, and when the class came back after art she did not even ask to go into the turtle room. While neither the turtle room nor carol encourages interaction, they are options for the children if classroom stress should become too great to handle.

Ms. Smith shared a quote with me that was said to her by a man with Asperger’s Syndrome. This disability is on the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum. He said, ‘I love New York City because I can be in a crowd, and I can be by myself.’ Smith says that her son seems to ask the same way. He loves Manhattan, and he loves being outside. He also is quite fond of the subway ride taken to get into New York. It is the classroom where Timothy is overwhelmed by the noise, lighting, and its general space.

Control and territoriality

Control and territoriality developed as a code because my field notes proved that the students did know where materials in their classroom belonged, and they knew which activities took place in specific areas. For the most part, the students have control over their classroom environment. Their individual cubby holes and access to the closet and bookcases allowed for independence and mobility. During recess, Mollie independently went to the closet and carried out a large rug (which depicted a city map) so she could move toy cars around on it. The students independently put their pencil boxes, and nap mats in their cubby holes when instructed to do so.

Each student’s chair has tennis balls placed on the bottoms of the chair legs. Ms. Jones informed me that this encourages a sense of ownership for each student. They were able to independently push their chairs in and out from under the desks without the chair sliding or making noise.

Creativity and Imagination

Though considered special needs students, the children are encouraged to express creativity and use their imaginations when playing. I was fortunate to observe the students’ best example of creativity: art class. This code developed because some of the literature I have read discusses the student’s environment as a place that nurtures creative ideas and imaginative play. The students take art in another room in the building. Though not in their usual setting, the students adapted well and exerted a sense of ownership when in the art room. The students were able to get their smocks on their own, and take their usual seats independently. While they worked on their art projects, the teachers gave constant compliments to the children in order to boost their confidence and make them smile. The children seemed to enjoy art class as the environment was interactive and fun.

The following chart shows the activity and behavior that occurred in the students’ art class. I adapted the chart because the as the environment changed, so did their behavior. Notice and compare the results in this chart to the previous two charts given in this paper.


Mollie instantly complained about the heat in the room, and she was the only one. As a result, the window was opened. Samuel and Joshua finished their art projects sooner than the others because of their work ethic. They both yawned towards the end of class. Samuel also snapped his fingers for what seemed to be no reason. The behavior was not acknowledged. Each student smiled at least once as a result of the self esteem boosting environment that was created in the art room. Also, the art teacher sang songs to keep the students happy as they did their art projects.

During recess, the students were able to use their imaginations, but it was still encouraged that they play appropriately. Only three students, Mollie, Bobby, and Isabelle, were in the room during recess time because the others were pulled out for occupational therapy and speech. The students knew they had to lift the drapes in order to get the toys. Each student played independently, and minimal interaction was made during the entire recess period. Bobby was playing with a toy house. He was holding the grandfather figurine in his hand and was making a connection to his own grandfather. Isabelle was playing a game, and Mollie went from playing with toy cars to fake food and a toy cash register.

Two boys from a different class came in to play with the children, but the two ended up playing together. The children did not seem to have an interest in interacting with these children or each other. The behavior was not discouraged, it was respected. The focus from the teacher was that only one toy at a time be played with, and that the toys were played with and put away properly.

Discussion


The purpose of this study was to analyze the key concepts of environmental psychology, presented by Heyman, (1979) within the special needs classroom. I also added concepts based my research, and was able to identify seven codes. These codes were explained based on the literature review in this paper, and based on my observations and interviews which I conducted. The charts in this paper have been developed based on my observation protocols.

Though the codes are divided into seven sections, there is a connection that links all of them together. I found each to be an important component to the special needs classroom. Both privacy and control and territoriality relate to each other because students were able to tell areas of interaction, organization, and solitude. Aesthetics and nonverbal communication and symbolism coincide because the physical space is heavily dependent on the decorations, colors, and non-distracting elements.

My research shows that the students were both passive and active participants in their environment. Auditory and visual elements in the classroom can be seen as functions of the aesthetics which the learning environment offered. The minimization of distraction, the orientation of the room, and symbolism the environment contained shows the students responding passively to their surrounding. During recess in the classroom, and during art class in the art room, the students were actively participating in their environment. My field notes indicate that the student demonstrated ownership and control over the environment, and they smiled more and misbehaved to a lesser degree as compared with the other activities they performed.

Ms. Smith’s believes in mainstreaming, which is why her son’s program takes place in her town middle school—not a special needs facility. Seeing what I saw in MCCL made me very happy with the educational services and atmosphere that is provided to special needs learners. The education of a special needs student is ultimately a decision made by the child’s parents. Active and ever researching parents like Ms. Smith do feel that autistic students are not being provided learning methods and environments which fully meet their needs. As stated, autistic students are accepted into MCCL. I was informed that students in the class which I observed were on the autistic spectrum. Classroom learning was the same for all students, no matter which disability they had.
Even though Bruce did not participate in activities, the students did include him as a classmate and friend. Ms. Smith feels that a mainstreamed program like her son’s allows for more opportunities which the typical student is able to take advantage of. Smith feels that a “special needs school makes everything suitable [to the student’s needs].” This may be a common belief, but that MCCL does offer job training and real life experiences to their adult students. A student can enter MCCL like Mollie or Billy, and then go on to graduate the school having real work experience. This can be attractive to some parents of disabled children.

I am aware of the inconsistent behavior which special needs students can demonstrate. Over my two observations, it was clear who the good children were, and also clear who the troublemakers were. However, to a student whom I observed as a good learner and listener, the teacher said “you’re having a good week!” This shows that for certain special needs learners, learning may not always be fun and good behavior may not always come naturally. Vice versa, a student who I observed as having behavioral problems could has his good days, and even good weeks, too.

I acknowledge that there are flaws in my research. Two interviews were conducted, and perhaps in the future I will interview psychologists and various professionals in the field of special education. Opinions and experience of those who are well versed in my topic could be very beneficial to this type of research. Also, I was only able to observe this classroom at MCCL because of scheduling issues on both the part of the school and myself. I secured permission for my observations in the manner that I did because I knew I would be observing for less than nine hours. In the future, I am sure I will be conducting longer studies, thus I may need to ask for additional permission.

I would certainly like to carry out future research related to the special needs classroom and environmental psychology. The next time I delve into this, I would hope to be working towards a Master’s degree in a related field. I will have attained more knowledge, thus leading to greater product. This thesis has elevated my interest in special needs and environmental psychology. A dream would be turning my future work in these areas into a book and/or college course.













Works Cited



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