Shake Up Your Classroom for Optimal Learning

In most classrooms, there will be times when things are moving along nicely. Students are engaged.  There is a calm, yet invigorating atmosphere. Students are getting along well and the classroom community is healthy. This is a recipe for optimal learning.

And then there are times when things aren’t going so smoothly. Students are struggling to learn. There is a pervasive sense of restlessness or tension. Students are bickering or causing many disruptions. A general feeling of the blahs has settled over the classroom like a foggy mist.

When your class is not responding in healthy and productive ways, it means you need to shift something so that you can restore a positive learning environment. These shifts might be small tweaks that help students to reengage, or they might involve a bigger shake up that moves students out of one pattern and into another.

Here are some ideas for ways to shake up your classroom for optimal learning:

Review Rules and Expectations

When was the last time you had a class discussion about goals and behavior? If behaviors are an issue, sometimes a good review of the rules and expectations is in order. Rather than focus on behaviors in a negative way (for example yelling at students) have a class meeting. Ask students about their learning goals and what they hope that they can gain by getting a good education. Help them to see both short- term and long-term benefits of a classroom where everyone can learn.

Try a New Method

If students are struggling to learn a concept, try a new method. Put students in groups of two or three and have them teach each other. Have students write story problems for each other. Bring out new manipulatives. Get a variety of different books on a subject and let them explore and share what they find by filling out a graphic organizer.

Use a New Review Game

Use a new game to review material before a test. The novelty of something different will often result in students showing increased attention. Don’t forget to discuss behavior expectations when introducing a new game.

Change Your Physical Space

Change the classroom seating arrangement or rearrange the room completely. This often brings a new energy to the space.

Create Learning Stations

Create new learning centers or for older students, put content into learning stations. The ability to move around the room while completing tasks breaks up the “sit and get” mentality and allows students to feel more autonomy, which often results in increased motivation.

Introduce More Movement

Get physical. Movement increases oxygen and alertness. Introduce some new learning strategies where students can move. We discussed four easy and engaging active learning strategies here.

Have Some Fun

If you have been working really hard and focusing intently on standards and assessments, you might need a little fun in your classroom. Let students work in groups create a rap about science concepts. Play charades with vocabulary words. Try popcorn and an educational movie. Take students outside for an activity.

Start a New Project

Introduce an exciting new project. For example, students could research a historical period and create a documentary film demonstrating their knowledge. Put on a health fair, a science fair, or an art exhibit.  In a music class, have students write original compositions and perform them for the class. Let students work in small groups to write skits about parts of speech.

When things aren’t working as smoothly as you’d like, it is a sign that something needs to change.  Undoing what no longer works and trying new things can lead to progress and prevent a stagnant classroom.

If you are not happy with your classroom environment or student learning, try shaking things up. A good shake up often results in more engaged students and makes teaching and learning more fun.

What do YOU do to shake up your classroom?

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