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The
Good Classroom
The good
classroom is a classroom in which both the students and
the teacher love to learn. After all, we as educators and
students are probably spending a good part of our day in
this room. Thus, our classrooms should be inviting,
welcoming, warm and friendly. It has always been a
concern of mine that once a child reaches the upper
elementary grades, the typical response to school is
"boring." I often wonder how the spark begins to
diminish. What happens?
For
those of us in the child care industry this should be
alarming. And, it should be important to us (educators,
parents and students) to keep the spark alive. Keeping
the spark of alive will allow the child's thirst for
knowledge never to diminish.
 How
do we keep the spark alive? First and foremost, it is
important to keep the spark alive in us. If we teachers
are not excited about what we teach then how can we expect
the children to be excited about the curriculum?
Secondly, learning should be fun. If learning isn't
exciting, then why learn it? School should be a place of
enjoyment and empowerment. Teachers should be learning
coaches. The students should be tired at the end of the
day, not the teachers!
A
good classroom should also be filled with the work of the
students. Showcase accomplishments. By showcasing work
you will help to build self-esteem. Furthermore, by the
students being able to see what others have accomplished,
they will be able to improve upon their own performance.
Children should be able to spark the imaginations of other
children.
A good classroom also has a lot of
involvement. Involvement should come from the parents,
the students and from you. By keeping everyone involved
in the learning process, you are keeping the level of
interest high. A high level of interest leads to success
because the students want to learn, the students want to
participate and the students want to show others what they
are learning.
 Classrooms should not be quiet
places. There are times such as reading and writing time
when yes, the classroom should be quiet. But there are
times when the students should be discussing, questioning
and being a part of a small group setting. These "noisy"
times are very important. There are very few businesses
where individuals work by oneself for the entire day and
length of employment. Being able to communicate in a
group to accomplish a task is a very important social and
educational skill that must be learned and practiced.
School is not just about teaching the curriculum. Schools
need to help to prepare our young for adult life. Being a
productive member of a group is a necessary skill for a
successful adult.
A good classroom helps to spark the
learning of each child. Teachers should plan activities
that relate to different learning styles and have a
variety of both quiet and noisy activities. Children will
love to come to school if their teacher loves to come to
school. School should be fun, enjoyable and educational.
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