Adapting a learning environment to facilitate learning

Blog 5- Adapting a learning environment to facilitate learning

 In my first year, I decided to challenge myself. I was entering a new learning environment, besides for the desire to establish relationships with new peers, I also wanted my learning experience to be slightly different from the last. So I decided to sit in a different seat every lesson, pursuing a different view point. With this I found that by sitting in the same seat in every lesson you are more likely to settle in with the crowed you surround. You also tend to feel more comfortable and relaxed, so it becomes easier to be distracted as apposed to finding a new seat every lesson.

This brings me to the article by Abby Wills, Applying Mindfulness to Mundane Classroom. This made me question why I felt less distracted by finding a new seat every class. Was it because I was actively conditioning myself to learn, or was it because I was making a change to the mundane routines of attending class? I think that there is a level of comfort that plays a role in allowing students to become more susceptible to distraction. As a teacher, I think its important to be mindful of what will improve classroom dynamics to facilitate a better learning experience. Abby Wills has her own experiment which allowed for her to have a more suitable learning environment. A teacher should therefor consider changing or  adapting the learning environment of his/her classroom to improve and suit their teaching style. However, there is an exception to this. There is a definite line between improving the learning environment of a student and creating a distracting environment.

Effective Pedagogy- Teaching the whole child, by Foley suggests three steps to achieve effective pedagogy:
1- Pastoral care and student well-being
2- Effective teaching practices and the school environment
3- Class room resources.

He discusses the classical conditioning behaviorist theory to assist creating a school environment, which; individualizes the classroom to create an emotionally safe environment  and implements rules that promote courtesy respect.

Creating a suitable learning environment will assist both teacher and learner to experience better learning dynamics.