During the early stages of life, one of the first places people have to get accustomed to is the school system. This is a vital phase in every child’s life as schooling molds the way they think, educates them, helps them gain social skills, and prepares them for adult society. While some of us have positive connotations with our school days, the same cannot be said for children today.
As of today’s day and age, it is often noticed that the word “school” is associated negatively by most students. Instead of being seen as a place of learning, it often brings feelings of depression and anxiety to students. This is a concerning matter as it has a direct impact on the overall performance of a child.
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Hence, whether you’re a fellow student, a faculty member, or a teacher, making school a comfortable place is a dire necessity. Not only does this create a positive atmosphere, but it also promotes learning and creativity in students, which is beneficial for everyone. The following guidelines are some easy ways to improve the learning environment for the betterment of students.
- Understand How Students Work
One of the biggest problems that most educators nowadays have is generational gaps. The struggle to understand how the youth works tends to create multiple misunderstandings between students and teachers, which leads to a disarray in the atmosphere. To solve this problem, educators should take the time to understand the psyche of a student. They must recognize that every student is a different individual who has their own unique way of learning. A masters in Educational Psychology will make this procedure a lot easier. It will not just help you understand the myriad and diverse ways a student grasps knowledge but will also help you greatly improve your teaching skills.
- Emotionally Connect With Your Students
Quite often, students struggle with a lot of problems due to their school and household environment. They tend to then bottle them up as they feel that no one would listen to them. A simple way to improve these circumstances is to show students that you are there for them and that you care about their needs. Talk to them about serious issues such as bullying, mental health, and exam stress, along with ways to tackle them.
If any student has a problem, listen to them in private and help them sort it out. Lend them a helping hand and compromise with them if they ever make a mistake. If a student seems to be down, ask them if they’re alright and show them that you can help them. Hold seminars and presentations about common problems that most students face at this age and make them aware of things they should avoid.
- Create A More Social And Cooperative Atmosphere
Many students tend to struggle most with socializing, leading to major issues such as loneliness and social anxiety. As a faculty member, there are a handful of ways you can create icebreakers for students to interact and engage with each other more. Start with simple introductions between students during the first day of school. Ask them to share their name, their hobbies, goals, and aspirations with each other so that they can create a good first impression.
Have students work on projects together so that they can cooperate and work as a team. Create seating plans and seat a handful of students together to encourage friendships and partnerships. Teach other students about being kind and respectful to each other and encourage them to talk to new students with no friends. There are countless ideas to have students be more social with each other, further improving the school atmosphere.
- Give Private Time And Offer Extra Classes For Tough Subjects:
Educational stress is on a rapid rise among students of this generation. As time passes, studies become harder, and the content to memorize keeps growing. To help students cope with this, teach them about time management and provide them with a clear idea of the curriculum for that year. Help students organize their study timetables and avoid giving them too much homework or assessments to cause unnecessary stress.
Encourage them to ask you for help in private if they do not understand a concept and offer extra classes for students who tend to grasp concepts a lot slower than their peers. Some students are too shy to ask questions in class, so make sure to ask them privately if they understood the class. Creating a more productive study environment and giving students more realistic goals will drastically improve their mental health and grades.
- Empower Students And Show Them That Their Opinion Matters:
To help students know that they are being heard, empower them, and help them be more independent. Give students autonomy when handling certain tasks and projects. Allow them to give their suggestions for any ideas and follow accordingly. Encourage them to make their own decisions and have them create changes within the school atmosphere.
Create teams of students to handle major events and festivals at school to teach them about cooperation, teamwork and to prepare them for their future plans. Create leadership positions such as prefects and class monitors to have them create their own discipline. If they desire improvement, encourage them to stand up for what they believe in and have them work for it. By having students involve themselves more in how school works, they will be more invested and interested in making the atmosphere a lot better for each other.
While improving the school atmosphere may take a lot of effort and time, it is very rewarding in the end. By making school a more comfortable place for students, not only will their participation improve but so will their grades. Many problems will also be tackled, such as bullying and harassment, educating their young minds to grow into mature and successful adults. As the students will learn to love school and genuinely enjoy it, they will enthusiastically join the class and help make teaching a lot easier. In conclusion, making school a comfortable place for students would be fruitful for everyone involved.
Last Updated on by Sathi
