Red Quadrant: Stable Environment

The lower-left quadrant emphasizes predictability and the creation of a stable learning organization. Practices in the red quadrant are grounded in the idea that students need security and consistency. The implicit goal is to have students develop self-control. Learning is characterized as a process that is controlled and that can be accelerated with the right structures, rules, and routines. The objective is to organize the classroom so that it is an efficient environment for learning. There are clear expectations for students, and the culture is marked by high reliability. Students have a sense of order. The time orientation is anchored in the past, as students draw on knowledge that has already been created. The emphasis tends to be on facts and accuracy. The organization is a hierarchy, with the teacher as a manager and the students as subordinates. The desire is for consistent conduct, which is derived from internalizing routines. The marker of success is structure and continuous good conduct. One teacher told us that her routines were so internalized that “If I am not there, the class starts without me.” In such a classroom, chaos has been managed into order.

Red quadrant attributes can also be overemphasized. In the extreme application of these attributes, there is a risk of boredom and stagnation. This kind of over-organizing and over-regimenting leads to a less effective classroom. The green quadrant in particular can help teachers avoid moving into this negative zone.