Readings:
Creating Beautiful Learning Spaces for Adults
Rich Environments for Adult Learners, page 72
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As teachers, we are constantly reflecting and learning to improve our practice. Even though we teach, we are still learners too. We still attend professional development sessions, we engage in professional learning communities, and we take additional courses.
Understanding how adults learn can help educators further understand how children learn and cognitively develop. An important overlap between the learning needs of children and adults is the critical nature of environment
It is important to know how adults learn because there are methods that intersect for both adults and children. For example, the learning environment of the classroom is very important for adult learning. Adult learning spaces that are beautiful, relaxing, inviting and show adults that they are important and that teachers care about their learning are important to encourage and engage our adults in the learning process. It also shows our adult learners that they are respected and valued and that we believe what they have to share is equally important. The space is also important in terms of emotional environment.
Post:
Why is it important to know how adults learn? What are some key characteristics of adult learning? Think about the learning that occurs on the school setting.
Review and comment on two other postings by your colleagues.
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As per discussion,
"I want to open up with the fact that I actually find it mildly enjoyable and rewarding when I can sit in a cafe with headphones or even light ambience in the background and work on my AQ's.
When I first started AQ's and even now, I find myself "pummeling" through it until I find the opportunity to sit down and enjoy it. Its not the state of my to do list or the time of the year that changes my perception, but the place I have an environment that is reminiscent of how I want to feel or (as mentioned in the text in regards to the Italian coined "Reggio Approach"), mirrored within the environment. The cafe style environment would be my Reggio Approach.
In regards to adult learning it is more of an emphasis on a recurring theme that one needs to be immersed with the learning that is expected to take place. One needs to to be motivated intrinsically for the best results in a learning environment. Cold, dark, damp "prison cells" or "shells" of a room don't foster a strong learning environment.
I think what needs to be noticed, discussed and stated about this focus area though, is something that the text mentioned, that the Reggio Approach is abandoned because its often treated as too costly or using too many resources, but not really. But really it is and it does. One thing a lot of leaders don't recognize is that it really requires thought and process to put a learning environment together.
Speaking to teachers of well-developed classroom learning environments, if you ask "how long does it take you to set up your boards and classroom?" You will get varying answers based on their budgets/supports in the department as well as the subject areas they teach. I'm not trying to say that the burden of a good learning environment falls upon the shoulders of a board or school but, its certainly shared. As a high school teacher, (if you have your "own room" a big question is "how long will I have it", there are many approaches to this question and a solve for (my biggest issue at least), "what happens when I need to change rooms over?" Heck, even the question of "what about in between units?"
One approach I think is making the lesson mobile. Having the print out jigsaws that students can apply to a section of the room, or having lamented "Four Corners posters" that can be instantly taken down and put up based on need. In the background well that is the biggest question-where do I get money for posters, bulletin board paper, bordering for the boards? Teachers need to buy that-don't think PE has a budget for "bulletin borders"-maybe-but in my experience its a lot of reused and recycled world maps or maps of Canada as well as different grammar based posters. What needs to happen before Reggio can happen is that the school needs to build a learning environment that can be malleable to the needs and desires of the learners and educators in use of it.
I know not many boards have the tech fund to apply waist to ceiling SMART boards or reconstruction of outlets in each student seating section but its a bit of an eyesore topic-its a smaller problem on the list of things that need attention. Where can we start as leaders, easy-cut out and laminate 6 sets of the English alphabet for departmental use (various colours) and maybe enough numbers that each teacher in the department has 2 sets. Afterwards offer up a rotation of posters that teachers can use or pass on based on units, make it a bit of a sign out thing for the department so there is a need for them to come down and be returned. Have them prepackaged so there isn't any possible "slim-pickins'". Finally, develop a lamented printed calendar for each teach (size-whatever) that can be either card/slot days or whiteboard erase able *personally-I'm too messy, they don't look nice after a month* But slot card holders-these can be replaced or post-it based.
All in all, it doesn't matter, young or old-the brain was built to do something it doesn't like, if you are gonna do something you don't like-at least be comfortable. "
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