Hi Jennifer, Thanks for your post to the forum. I sat through a training class in one of our classrooms last week -after 2 hours I was really sore! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi Karen, Thanks for your post to the forum. Since I teach the Gen Ed courses, I don't get a chance to teach in a lab but as I observe other faculty in the lab I have often seen exactly what you mention! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Most of my students are recently out of high school. I find it difficult to get them to open a book. There are assigned reading requirements but they would rather have me lecture so they don't have to open a book. UGH!
I think the physical setting is very important to the learning environment. It could be something as small as comfortable chairs or the room temperature. We have a wide age range of students and they all seem to learn better when they are more comfortable in the room where they are begin instructed. We have received several complaints about uncomfortable chairs at the school I teach.
I teach at a career college and you can certainly see and feel the difference in the students' attitude and excitement when they are in a laboratory classroom versus a regular classroom.
I am a both an auditory and written learner, but I love teaching the tactile learners because there is such an apparent "ah ha" moment as soon as they understand what you are telling them.
Huge i.e., employing a U-shape classroom set-up to facilitate discussion.
Hi Grace,Thanks for your post to the forum. Conversely, I hate rooms with no windows! (;
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi Marla,Thanks for your post to the forum. That's a good strategy! It also helps them to learn to work with diverse teams. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I have found that the environment plays a large role in learning. If there are distractions such as large windows or adjacent noises the students do not stay focused
I agree with a clean, positive learning environment. I teach students of varying ages as well and often try to group them with other students instead of those they have already developed a relationship with. This will allow all of the students to work with and hopefully learn from each other. This is especially helpful if a student already has experience in a certain topic. The more groups of students they work with the more likely they will impress some of their knowledge on the other students.
Hi Angela,Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, even the appearance of the instructor is a factor to consider. I remember a long summer session in a hot classroom with an instructor who seemed to never shower - awful!! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I think this is something that is often over looked in classrooms, but very important. If the room is disorganized it distracts from what is supposed to going on. I've also noticed that temperature is a huge factor. If it's too hot or cold, students seem to struggle in staying focused. I've had to call building maintenance in the middle of class to adjust temperature so that my students could find it easier to come back to that day's topic. I also think the appearance of the instructor can fall into the physical setting of the classroom. If the instructor looks like he/she just rolled out of bed or didn't care enough to put on clean/ironed clothes, it tells the students that the instructor doesn't care and that attitude spreads (I experienced that one as a student. It was not a fun class to be in.)
The physical setting either makes or breaks the positive aspects of a learning environment. Too cold, too hot, too dirty, too anything and attention will be paid merely to the surroundings rather than the information the instructor is trying to relay to the students.
Other than physical environment, creating a positive learning situation for me entails encouraging students to express their thoughts, question informatino they are given and to thoroughly engage themselves in all aspects of their education
The physical environment has a huge impact on learning. Temperature of the room, how noisy other people in the room are, and time of day can all impact the student's attention level!
I try to get to my place of teaching early so I can insure that the room is clean, laid out in way condusive to learning and sets a tone of positivism and high standards. It is important that my students know that we are there for them and that the most important thing in their lives for the next hour of class is them learning.
Hi Ladansa, Thanks for your post to the forum. As you describe, a caring instructor is always aware of the learning environment and the effect that it has on student learning.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
When I walk into my classroom out of habit, I straighten up the desk and chairs. Pick up the trash or papers left from another class. If possible open a window or the door for fresh air to come into the room.
The physical setting should be clean and comfortable. If the room is to hot or to cold the students will focus on that and not the lesson.
Hi Roxsie, Thanks for your post to the forum. That's a very good point. Students may very well assume that their teacher does not care if their classroom is in disarray. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I think the physical setting has a great impact on students and their ablity to learn. A clean, comfortable, organized enviroment keeps students from becoming distracted. It also lets them know that the instructor cares about how they feel.
Hi Donald, Thanks for your post to the forum. This also conveys the professional manor that we want our students to adapt to. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
