Class Lessons as a Means for Promoting Supportive Social Environment

The key objective of school is the learner's socialization. Class can be considered as the microsystem of the society and class lessons as the means of socialization that promotes safe social environment. According to education ecology the class environment is the micro environment, the peer group that is important for the child and with which the child is in direct interaction which, in its turn, affects the child's development. This is the place where the understanding of societal values and behaviour norms; the attitude to oneself and the others is formed. The social environment of the class is the interpersonal relations among concrete individuals with the aim to find out and understand the other person's desires, needs and opinions. Main indicators characterizing the social environment are mutual relations, attitudes, interaction, communication, roles and the desired qualities in the class environment are the mutual trust, cooperation, respect, the sense of belonging, the sense of safety and self-discipline. The class lessons serve as the means for promoting supporting social environment. Their effectiveness in the frame of this aspect is explored surveying 140 pupils who are 11-19 years old. The article allows concluding to what extent supporting social environment in the class depends explicitly on the class teacher's personality. Respect to pupils' opinions and freer atmosphere in class lessons are emphasized as positive factors promoting the social environment. The negative ones are considerable shortcomings in the organization of class lessons and ignorance of pupils' needs and desires.