What Promotes Learning?
Pointers that could enhance learning for students
There are many different ways to promote learning. Of course, there are techniques to assist the learning process, as well as understanding the concept.
Learning will never stop, regardless of age. Understanding something new can be a challenging process, the importance of developing new ideas and skills can open up one’s perspective to something fresh.
Here are some pointers to expand the learning experience for students and facilitate growth.
Teachers
Teachers are the root to help and educate students. They are instrumental in their development and success in schools and life. This is the basic aspect to generate success in students, from their education.
Often, students are guided by teachers to further their capabilities to open a new path of learning. For example, outdoor learning. Bringing the class out on a field trip will expand creativity skills and thoughts in students. Learning is not just limited in the classroom, but everywhere else too!
Students come from different racial backgrounds and upbringing. Educators need to have awareness and moral responsibility to set a good example for their students. This all begins with a basic value of courtesy. Teachers should not be biased and create a space built upon inclusiveness.
Challenges For Students
As if learning is not difficult enough, teachers usually set a challenge for their students to overcome. These tests aren’t just for fun! It helps students to think outside the box and see the bigger picture with the help of their friends. For students to walk home after overcoming the challenges, there is a sense of achievement for them.
Sometimes, students have difficulties initiating their learning. The question is — how can they overcome this problem? It could be a mundane task but for students to overcome this challenge, they need to be allowed in partaking in the control of their learning environment and morph it into one that they are comfortable with. For example, by designing the classroom, teachers can actively encourage students on how to decorate their classrooms.
Environment
Imagine a classroom with built-in air conditioner! Bright lights, clean, quiet. A conducive environment will allow students to better concentrate on learning. Wouldn’t this be a wonderful experience for you to study in?
Other than the environmental space, positivity is needed to build a good environment for learning. Teachers radiating positive vibes towards their students, enabling them to trust and potentially draw into the lesson better.
Communication is another critical aspect. When the teacher and students have established a two-way communication about what they expect from each other, mutual understanding and respect will be forged and earned.
Disruptions tend to occur, but they are inevitable. If there is a fight between students in the classroom, the teacher is responsible. When a teacher comes in between the students, approaching it with alacrity will aid the resolution. This will inspire students to learn that positivity works, and approach life with better confidence.
Peers
A school is a place where students are exposed to many different kinds of people. In the classrooms, peers tend to get closer to one another especially, as they are under the same environment and circumstances on a day to day basis.
I was in their shoes once, as a student, of course. Often having great difficulties learning something new and pretty much behind my friends in most aspects (ok, not all, alright). I would ask them for help often.
In my opinion, the interaction between a student and their friends is where reciprocal learning takes place. It is a learning activity that aims to help students mutually understand and benefit one another.
“I don’t understand what our teacher is saying. She’s going too fast! How am I supposed to keep up?”
We all have at least that one teacher that just keeps going and not explaining in-depth, to a point where a student might get lost. Hear my plea, “Never leave a soldier behind, teacher!”
Alright, we are on our own now since the teacher has deserted us and went ahead. Most often than not, we check-in with our peers shared our notes and helped one another out. Instead of getting lost together, we learn together!
The development of skills in organising and working closely with others will help students by cultivating the way of independent or mutual learning. What do I mean by this? Those students who learn quicker will be the ones helping those that are left behind. By engaging in peer-to-peer studies, the communication flow is direct and thorough. Therefore, the information discussed between a student and a peer has a better understanding.
Enhanced learning takes in a variety of forms and one of them is by giving and receiving feedback from friends. This will allow students to further penetrate their ideas and knowledge into the student. Teachers might have different views and ways to get their materials across. With the extra help of the students’ friends, it broadens the horizons of understanding and implementing into their studies.
This would promote the adoption of independent learning for the student, as they will be introduced to different methods from both perspectives — teachers and friends.
Learning can take place anytime and anywhere, it does not have to be limited to a classroom or the traditional way between teachers and students. Discussions held between peers will bring a greater understanding — peers and students share similar thoughts which allows them to understand one another on a greater level.
The end
All in all, there are countless discoverable ways to promote learning but these four pointers written above are one of the most crucial and significant techniques to encourage positive teaching and learning to be taken place.
I stumbled upon a quote by Benjamin Franklin left a great impact on me and let me share it with you before we part ways.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
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