Page 13 - Demo

IDEA2What is an orderly classroom that supports fulfillment like?%u00bbFirst let%u2019s think about the way the classroom looks. We%u2019ve seen many early education classrooms that are so packed full of brightly-colored posters, materials and toys that children%u2019s eyes can%u2019t possibly find a place to land. After a while in a room like that, children may tune out all of the clutter and not focus effectively on anything. On the flip side, a classroom that has a few interesting places for the eye to land, and some well-organized learning activities, is calming and stimulating for children. %u00bbThe way the classroom sounds also affects children%u2019s sense of order. Is your classroom noisy? Do individual voices compete with loud sounds? If it%u2019s hard for you to think because of the noise, how can children focus on learning? %u00bbHere%u2019s a new way of thinking. Rather than being the focus of the classroom, we%u2019d like to suggest that the teacher%u2019s voice should rarely be heard. There are so many ways that children can learn and of them all, lecture has been found to be one of the least effective. So why not focus on teaching in other ways?%u00bbHow lessons are arranged affects order too! In most traditional schools, children are asked to memorize unrelated items like lists of spelling words or math facts. They memorize, but they do not know how to connect what they%u2019ve just learned. But when children learn math facts as part of a related experience, like counting and moving objects, they make a quick and strong connection.%u00bbHelp children know what to expect.Children do best when they know what to expect and what is expected of them. You might simply say, %u201cTomorrow we will have a guest who will help us plant a garden. While our guest is here I%u2019d like you to remember that we learn best by listening and waiting for our turn. Everyone will have a chance to plant something in the garden.%u201d13