It can be difficult ia a kitchen setting that we use, but just as in creating eye-appeal in a dish, you can create an ambient experience for the learner. For example, I might try running slide shows od different plate diagrams and fruit carvings before I begin a demonstration on an individual piece. It helps set the scene and generate student interest.
This is difficult being an adjuct professor; due to materials/supplies have to be transported daily. I try to use seating and my proximity to students during each class. Walking around, while discussing a topic helps students stay focused and if a question needs to be asked from a shy student, he/she is more likely to ask when I am near.
My particular classroom has very limited wall space due to the large number of windows, this makes any sort of wall hangings dificult. I am however, seriously considering peppering in the use of some soft music during the student lab portion of my class. Thanks for the tip!
I often use color handouts and usually tie the color to some significance. I use visuals, i.e., powerpoint, white-board, and video clips to draw students into lecture discussions. Seating is a little more difficult because of the amount and size of furniture in the multi-purpose classroom, but on occassion, I mixed to up to encourage student teamwork activites. I always come with my own supplies and do not depend on the organization to provide what I need for students to be successful. Music is used sparingly, but at appropriate times to enhance mental alertness and retention.
Hi Mary!
Good job! I would think that soft background music would work very well in your classes. Want there be a lot of noise in a kitchen?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I like the idea of using visual aids to improve the learning inviroment. Posting motovaitonal saying, around the room, which would change each week is exicting and well within my capabilities.
I may try changing the tables and chairs just to add variety.
I can't imaging how I would color code my handouts.
My students are bright and interested in laearning but it sems like a win-win to add a little variety to the usual setting.
Since I teach in a kitchen, music is not going to work. I do have colorful posters pertaining to the concepts I teach in my kitchen. Seating, or in my case station assignments, are always changing so the students don't get bored or too comfortable. Creative supplies? I do try to occasionally bring into class something that is not in the cirriculum to change it up for them.
I had thought of using music to energize my lab classes where multiple procedures are being practiced at once. Good thing this course reminded me about copyrights!
I have not used color as a learnig tool in the classroom yet. However,I know selection of the colors is very important.
Hi Julia!
Could your students use some form of dress that represented the country being represented in that days menu?!?!?
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
Ed107 Facilitator
This is one that has to be carefully thought out. Jamie, I noticed that you didn't mention aroma as the text did--I'm glad of that because some of the students and faculty have asthmas or allergies and could have reactions to them! In fact, some offices and classrooms here are called 'fragrance free zones."
Regarding the seating, the chapter caught this well. I can't always move desks, but as the first section indicated, I can walk around and interact with the students. If things are far out of wack--poor use of space, too many desks shoved to the back, etc.--they can be rearranged, but an ideal circle or other such pattern can be more difficult.
Music--well, I don't use an MP3 or iPad or any of these things. It would be okay in small doses, but my music--Beethoven, early/mid-'60s rock, Bach, Brahms, etc. in large doses probably wouldn't go over too well with a lot of students.
Color makes sense and I really should use it more in my lecture slides. Good idea! Regarding other visuals, changing classrooms all the time makes it hard to use posters and the "motivational" ones suggested are, to my mind, generally not very good. But all this doesn't mean you can't have a pleasant, light-filled, and happy environment. Just the limited props have to be carefully husbanded for when they are most effective to use.
I feel that I could include alot more graphics, that would help my students relate to the subject. I think that by having my students see their work, and the work of their classmates, it really excites them, and the enthusiasm shows in the projects they turn in. I just have to show restraint in using color. I have been in too many courses where everything was in color, and there was no order to it's use.
I like using visuals to facilitate context to physical attributes, like locating where the primal cuts on a particular animal are located. Seeing the cut as a big hunk of meat gives no context to the location on an animal. Seeing the placement helps the student link location to tender/tough and stronger/milder flavor.
I had not thought about using any of these techniques in class. I’m going to try using colored paper for tests and see how well putting posters on the wall with commands we use to program routers and switches. I teach class in four hour blocks, and the last hour is normally difficult to maintain my students focus. I will try playing alpha wave inducing music during the last break.
I could purchase maps to hang up, of the countires we are cooking from so the students can relate to a global picture of where the item/recipe came from. If a color printer was available I would print homework or other reading in color & music is nice at the appropiate times during student production. I can not rearrange the larger equipment in the room but the tables could be changed around sometimes.
The classroom that I instruct my classes in have colored poster information on the walls. I do not have resources to have color hand outs, but I do change the arrangement off tables that pertain to different class activities.
Hi Aaron!
It can be very discouraging at times especially in this economic climate. I will often use things that the student can take with them. i.e. - I put colored cute out hands which ask questions for exam study or stars or any shape on which I can reenforce a cocept. These shapes don't have to be perfect and a pack of construction paper will go a long ways. Think back to childhood and what your most favorite teacher used to make the classroom more colorful. Think outside the box. Some of the things that you make can be laminated and reused.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
The ideas presented are useful ideas that I see as almost next to impossible to implement. The classrooms, as I have been instructed, are to be kept clean and free of material on the walls. However, as one participant commented, using color in handout could be useful. Yet, color paper is expensive and budgets are short.
The one way that I have found to use color in the classroom is via Power Point. I have found that using color to emphasize important material has helped some students with content retention.
When I am able, I also hang student work on the walls. Again, however, I must remove their work when I leave the room. Putting the material up and taking it down can cause damage to their work, which creates a sense of disrespect.
I don’t mean to sound down, but I would really like a classroom in which I could enhance the environment in the ways suggested for both my student’s benefit and my own. However, space is limited, budgets are limited, and individual school policies are limited.
these different area help students learn in different ways
Lighting, color, sounds, and seating can all be aligned to benefit the learning environment.
