Hi Michelle, Thanks for your post to the forum. You clearly take your students' comfort seriously! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
In order for students to have a positive environmnt, they need to feel they can be honest and not constrained to the 'right' answers or 'right' questions. Even in mathematics, there are multiple ways to think about a problem and multiple ways to solve that will yeild the mathematically correct answer.
In addition, multiple learning styles mneed to be touched on throughout the course. Oftentimes public education continues to focus on lecture and reading as the only two real means of garnering information. Students of all learning styles need to know that they are not 'no good at (place a topic here)' but rather have different learning styles that can be utilized to help absorb new information and put it to practical use.
The physical setting is very important for learning. Students will learn much easier if they are comfortable, where they choose to sit or stand is irrelevant to me. I find changing wall visuals to be quite effective as a conversation starter when beginning a new topic. Comfy room temperature is a must, but not too warm, we don't want anyone nodding off. If a students likes to have a bottle of water or soft drink on their desk that's fine with me too.
i think it has a great impact on the students because they need to feel comfortable in the environment. If it is just a room with desks and chairs it probably won't be the best learning environment. You need to addcourse-related material tot he classroom to give it a better environment for the students to learn in.
I find many students to be auditory learners. They seem to enjoy and retain more when they hear material being talked about.
I agree that it is highly important to create a positive learning environment. It enhances the students' effectiveness of learning material and keeps them motivated to want to do more for themselves.
Hi Tavia, Thanks for your post to the forum. I think that we are usually so involved with curriculum and lesson plans that classroom environment can be forgotten. As you mention, it has definite effects on student learning. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The physical setting can have an negitive or positive impact on an student. If the evironment is not equip or have the neccessary material for the student to function it can be an negitive effect. Where if the environment has all the material and provides all the support and student needs can be positive.
Hi Lilia, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, when a student is cold or too hot, they are not able to concentrate on what we are teaching. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The student needs to have no/to little distractions when trying to focus on learning new content. If their surroundings are not "comfortable" they brain is focused on the "uncomfortable distraction" rather than the new content.
Hi Brian, Thanks for your post to the forum. That's a great solution! Best wishes for continuing success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I teach mostly technology classes and I find my students more unwilling to learn or do labs when the room is to cold. the rooms we use need to be a little colder due to the computers in the room. so what I have them do is move around a little throughout the hour and 45 minute class this way they can not only warm up, but get re-involved in the class and discussion
Hi Harold, Thanks for your post to the forum. I recall how while running an experiment for the state science fair
while I was in high school, someone moved the cart that held my slime mold specimens next to a radiator overnight. It was a huge mess the next morning!! Students do appreciate when we try our best to make them comfortable. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The physical setting can impact the learning preferences of students in various ways:
Oftentimes. students complain about the temperature of my laboratory. They say that it is too cold. Since bacteria is grown in cultures in the laboratory, I tell my students that the temperature is very important for bacterial growth. Correct temp. is therefore important as it will have an impact on learning. Charts and diagrams on the walls of the classroom also have an impact on learning.
Hi Trinity, Thanks for your post to the forum. Your advice is so simple but so true! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
One of the most effective ways to promote positive learning is to be the model of positive behavior and create a positive environment.
If the teacher is excited about the topic, and shows that enthusiasm, students will tend to enjoy it more.
Hi Rhonda, Thanks for your post to the forum. That is terrific that your students are so pleased with the exposition of their work! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I am impressed by how the physical setting does impact our students. When we started our program, we had nothing on the walls that express our class work. Everyday my students looked at work from other students in a different program. Finely, I created a project on posters in the course discipline to express my students’ creativity then displayed it on the walls. It was so much fun to see conversation in the halls as student not even from my program, but from the other programs would read the displayed information. Even other instructors would comment on their work. I continue this project and each time the students’ creativity improves. They are so proud at displaying their work.
Hi Maryna, Thanks for your post to the forum. You bring up a good point - we need to have visual stimulation in our classrooms, but too much is not a good thing. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
One of the impact to learning is how things are displayed within the classroom. Although visual aids in the classroom are usually well accepted, too many can make a room cluttered and become a distraction. Desk, tables, and chairs should be comfortable and conducive to learning. Students need to feel relaxed, happy and calm in their physical setting. Setting up a classroom to meet the preferences of each student is key to learning.
