7 Ways to Create a Positive Learning Experience!

Having been into the profession of teaching for almost ten years now, I have come to realise that teaching is not for the fainthearted. If you are a teacher, I know you are going to resonate with me. Teaching is a scary profession that throws many challenges at you every day.

When you first walk into a class full of students, I know it can be terrifying. I remember my first day – I was assigned to teach the 9th grade. Considering how notorious students usually are, I was terrified of making a mistake and being laughed at. But through the years, I have realised that teaching has its wonderful fruits too. Especially when a student makes it big, we have our chest swelling in pride, isn’t it? Every student’s success is like our personal victories.

But teaching is a dedicated job – there is no shortcut in this profession. There are no machines or calculators that can help us. In a classroom, it is you who is the hero, imparting knowledge to your students, enlightening them to be better humans in life. But all your efforts may go to waste if you fail to create a positive learning environment. So the question arises – “How to create an impactful learning environment for the students?”

7 WAYS YOU CAN BUILD A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR STUDENTS

Here are 7 brilliant tips that you can use to create a positive learning ambience in your class:

1. Greet Students at the Door Every Day

Little gestures matter. Just like the students standing up to greet you makes you feel good, welcoming your students when they enter your classroom will start your journey on a positive note. They will feel more connected with you due to these little gestures from your end and will feel more cared for. When you greet a student with a fresh smile and positive attitude, it helps the students to let go of whatever has happened in the previous class and start afresh. This will spread the much-needed optimism in the class and help your students absorb their lessons better while in class.

2. Maintain free-flowing communication

Communication is very important. Make sure that you keep all the channels of communication open so that they can freely contact you. To start with, you can print your name and other contact details on cards and hand them out to every student on the very first day so that they understand that you are making a serious effort to keep in touch with them, even outside the boundaries of the school.

Since almost every one of your students owns a cell phone; you can create a WhatsApp group and encourage your students to be a part of it. This way, you will be able to keep in touch with all of them at once. Keep on assuring them that you are there for them so that the next time they wonder, “Who can do my assignment?” the first name that pops up in their mind is yours, and they can feel free to get in touch with you.

3. Make it personal

A first name basis always makes it better – be it on a date or in a classroom. We always like it when someone remembers our names and calls us by them, don’t we? Calling each of your students by their first name will make them feel valued and will give them the idea that you are trying your best to know them. And when I say names, I mean the pronunciations too.

Make an effort to understand their lingo and talk to them in their tones. That way, they will start treating you like a friend instead of treating you distantly. Try to be “cool” like them and gradually your effort will show and your students will be easier to deal with.

4. Make contact with them

Making eye contact is essential as it helps you to build trust with your students. If you make eye contact while teaching them, not only will they be more attentive, but they will also feel that you care for each one of them. So, make it a point to recognize them and look at them while teaching. Plus, make human contact with them to bring in positivity into the classroom and improve the ambiance. Give them a fist bump or a high five. If you think that is too informal for your taste, you can even pat them on the back as a token of appreciation. This way they will feel more cared for, appreciated and loved.

5. Try to know each other

Most students enter your classroom with a preconceived notion of you, and this can be quite detrimental to your bonding with them. So, it is better than in the initial days you give some time to know each other before starting the coursework. You could entertain a question hour where you give your students the chance to ask you anything that they would want to know.

At the same time, you could talk about your life and your interests so that they understand you as a person. It doesn’t end here. You could also give each student a minute or two to stand up and say things about themselves. Or you could also prepare a quiz in the guise of a slam-book and tell them to fill it out for you. This way they would become more engaged in activities, and it will also give them the opportunity to participate in class.

6. Be compassionate

“The words “please” and “thank you” are magic words and can do wonders in a classroom,” says Emily Goodhart, a teacher and a tutor. So, take the cue and start using these words to address your students. You must understand that every student in your class is dynamic and different from the other. Few students may respond adversely. Try to talk to them politely. After all, they are children and will eventually give in. After a student gives you an answer, say thank you to make them feel appreciated and valued. Be more empathetic to your students.

Listen to what they have to say. Make sure that your physical gestures are assuring them that you are making an effort to understand and solve their problems. While in class, do not allow any acts of bullying or teasing. Make them feel that the environment they are in is a safe one. This is important for them to be comfortable in your classroom, which is very important for a positive learning experience.

7. Let your students participate

To build a more positive relationship with your students, you can get them involved in games and projects. Not just serious stuff about their school subjects. You can even solve riddles and puzzles in class. This way, students who are never in the limelight can come up, and this can help them feel more wanted and appreciated. Plus, this can act as a diversion for them, which can help students to learn better in class.

And what is more? Students will learn to bond with each other while participating in group activities with professional assignment help experts . Let them take decisions on their own and help them become more independent in life. When they give a suggestion, consider it instead of just ignoring them to boost their morale.

In the end, I want to tell you that to promote a healthy learning space; the first thing you need to do is inculcate optimistic behavior in your students. Instead of referring to them as each other’s classmates, term them as friends. This will give them the idea that they are your friends, thus making things more cordial and peaceful within the class. Plus, maintain a good rapport with their parents as well. This will help you in the long run, too.

Promote a positive ambiance within your classroom, set class goals as a whole. Ensure that all the students start working hard as a whole to achieve the goal as a team. And for every success, however, little may it be, reward them. It is not always the materialistic things that matter. A little praise, accolades, and applause can work wonders for a student’s learning experience.

Conclusion

And before everything else, you must have trust in yourself. So do not look back. Walk into that class confidently and own it. Remember, there is no bad student, just bad teachers. So give it all you have never to be one. I wish you all the luck!