We take learning seriously as educators. However, this does not imply that learning must be taken seriously by our students as well. According to surveys, when we bring joy in classroom, we can boost motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. Dopamine is responsible for playing, exercising, smiling, being nice, and having a choice in how to participate. It is also linked to feelings of pleasure.
Dopamine elevation has been linked to increased drive, focus, persistence, and creativity, according to studies. Incorporating dopamine-boosting activities into your lessons is a strategy to bring joy in classroom and raise student performance.
The foundation of a good education is in the joy of learning. Based on what we now understand about the brain, emotions, and learning, how can we create this domain for our students? Here are some definite ways that we might apply to practice and encourage opportunities for bringing joy in classroom.
Create learning spaces
Focus on creating learning spaces and culture in classroom rather than rote-learning classrooms. For example, if you are a geography teacher, you can use field excursions in virtual reality in creating a multicultural classroom environment. You can use Google Earth or in-person field trips, perhaps video chatting with individuals worldwide and in your neighborhood. Help your students discover new territories by teaching culture in the classroom. The future of education is unquestionably a hybridized approach that blends physical and digital places, whether you’re teaching remotely or in a traditional classroom. You and your pupils can travel practically anywhere with virtual reality on your own. It is feasible to establish connections with various groups and civilizations thus creating a multicultural classroom environment. Learning can be made more interesting with the help of technology. A teacher just has to be creative.
Empower your students
Establish a culture of learning by assigning responsibilities to your students. Encourage them to fulfill these responsibilities, and be there for them in case they need them. Students are not only more active and creative when they are made responsible, but their role changes. Building classroom culture of such a type alters a class from one in which you must exercise strong classroom management abilities to one in which children are engaged and driving their own learning experiences.
If organized and supported well, this can result in a happy classroom. This potential in a distance learning setting greatly depends on the teaching culture in the classroom and how to apply it to spread positivity. You can send your students a note before class and ask them to each use a prop of their choice to visually show their understanding of a topic. This not only helps you establish a culture of learning, but your students are involved in teamwork, thus giving them a chance to interact with their peers.
Show them your human side.
A teacher is considered a respectful figure. This means that most students see you as someone different from them. By showing them that you are human just like them, you can better connect with them and build positive classroom culture. Narrate them stories about your life as a student and listen to their stories. When they can identify with you, your classroom will feel more relatable to them. When you show them that sometimes even you make mistakes, just like them, they will not be afraid of making mistakes and failing.
Setting boundaries is crucial for maintaining culture in classroom because revealing more than required can lead to undesirable outcomes. Don’t share anything that doesn’t translate into building classroom culture. The goal is not to reveal highly private or enigmatic secrets. Instead, the objective is to humanize oneself and, via anecdotes about your contacts with people over the years, offer a sort of hopefully constructive and sympathetic model for how to connect with others.
Add zing to your classroom.
The brain naturally filters external inputs and warns us when something out of the ordinary or unexpected occurs in our immediate environment. When we experience sights, sounds, or other sensory input that is unique, we become aware of it and curious. Therefore, we can purposefully include compelling elements in the classroom to build positive classroom culture. Our kids can be surprised and delighted in a variety of ways to pique their interest in what they are learning.
Positive classroom culture examples include asking a colleague to impart the quote of the day or news of the day. You can deliver a musical message that relates to the lesson for the day or even place a wrapped box anywhere in the space that will be opened at the appropriate moment to show an item or a hint as to what will happen next. These are just some of the positive classroom culture examples. Be creative and think out of the box to amaze your class.
The Final Word
As teachers, we are continually thinking about our students and how to develop positive classroom culture. When it comes to our students, we want nothing less than the best for them. You can deliver your best via your teaching app that is customized to suit your and your students’ needs. An app that doubles as your teaching platform where you can innovate and partner with your students and their parents to make learning fun and meaningful for them. The team at Classplus can help you do this and bring joy in classroom. Connect with the team now and get your own app to teach online.
