Hi Tawana, Thanks for your post to the forum. It also sends the message that we are professionals. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I agree with your comment about getting rid of distractions in the classroom setting. Accommodating everyone's learning style is imperative to enhancing the learning of all individuals. Providing visual aids, hands on assignments, auditory learning, and reading assignmennt throughout a lesson plan will incorporate everyone's learning style and create a positive learning environment.
The classroom should be comfortable and physically suitable to manipulate around, If it is unorganized or too cluttered it can subconsciously cause distraction. its like having a clean work environment, makes it easier to focus.
Hi Toni, Thanks for your post to the forum.. I agree, the classroom is not suited to too much "stuff"! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
A room with too many distractions is, well, distracting. Classrooms and labs should be comfortable, but largely contain only items that are somehow related to the subject at hand; i.e. math, science, etc.
Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for your post to the forum. I remember when I was an adult student sitting in class after a long work day. It could be grueling!! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Christa, Thanks for your post to the forum. Your classroom sounds lovely! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
sometime a seat change or a stretching /break can refocus the class
My students often remark how personal and comfortable my room feels. I've decorated it with personal touches to de-clincize the room for them, and I have them seated in groupings rather than evenly spaced rows to make the room feel more collegial. Lastly, we rearrange the desks when we have discussions to make the conversation the central focus rather than the teacher.
Hi Bonnie, Thanks for your post to the forum. Since your classes combine activities for diverse learners you are addressing the learning styles.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
In the classroom students are sitting at desks and are either listening to a lecture, watching a PowerPoint or discussing a topic. It's a confined environment which is more geared to those students who like to listen and take notes.
The lab allows for more movement and for hands-on activities. This is geared to the kinesthetic learner by allowing them to manipulate the various materials discussed in lecture.
The physical settings I utilze are a classroom and labratory. A typical day starts with a PowerPoint lesson followed by a hands-on activity in the lab. I realize many of my students tend to "zone out" during the lecture portion, unless they are auditory learners. The majority of my students do enjoy the kinesthetic involvement that the lab sessions require.
Hi Nancy, thanks for your post to the forum. Creating a good learning environment lets our students know that we care about their well-being. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The setting should be free of distractions, and allow for opportunities for each student to learn in the way that works best for them. Such as models for tactile learners, white boards, computers, books and CD's if possible. The environment needs to be comfortable and inviting for good learning to take place
Hi Gail, Thanks for your post to the forum. I also love to move chairs into pods to encourage team interaction! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
It is very important to ensure that the lighting and temperature in the room is satisfactory for the majority of the students and the instructor, as much as possible. It is also helpful if the tables and chairs in the classroom are moveable to allow for a variety of individuals and group learning experiences and discussions.
Hi Michael, Thanks for your post to the forum. Absolutely -the classroom environment is a huge factor in student success. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
If a student is uncomfortable in any way, that will have a negative impact on their ability to learn.
Auditory students need quiet classrooms while tactile students might want a classroom or lab with lots of activities to get their hands on.
