Consider for a moment where you work or learn best.
Where are you? What does the room you’re in look like? What are the things you do to set yourself up for success?
All of the things you surround yourself with — a great cup of coffee or an up-tempo Spotify playlist — play a part in how you work or learn. They’re all tied to the environment you choose to best prime yourself for success.
As an educator, the same thing applies in a school or a classroom. Your goal is to create a positive classroom and school environment that will set your learners up for success.
But there are a few challenges. How can you help students to feel safe, valued, and respected? What can you do to help set the framework for positive relationships to flourish?
Read on to find out 13 strategies that’ll help you build a positive learning environment that students and fellow staff members alike are excited to be a part of.
What is a positive learning environment?
Having a positive learning environment takes much more than having a classroom with positive posters on the wall (although that’s one of the many strategies that can be used!). It means truly understanding and supporting the needs of students and colleagues in multiple ways.
For example, having clearly established classroom rules will help set the tone for a healthy learning environment where students know what is expected of them. Having that structure in place will help students feel safe, allow you to really understand their needs, and promote positive well-being. This applies to students at all levels — elementary, middle, and high school, too!
One thing to keep in mind is that creating a positive learning environment isn’t something you create once and leave as-is. It requires renewed attention every school year.
What is the difference between a positive and negative learning environment?
To really dig into the differences of a positive and negative learning environment, let’s start with some positive learning environment examples:
- Students feel safe to come to school without feeling like they have to act like someone else for acceptance
- When students feel safe in their environment, they’re more willing to take risks in their learning without fear of failing– sometimes we learn best when we fail!
- A true community exists. Students and staff members alike are more engaged and excited to interact with one another under positive circumstances.
In a negative learning environment, you’re going to see more undesirable behaviors such as:
- High levels of student frustration, likely leading to increased disciplinary rates. This could be mitigated by clear classroom management strategies.
- A disconnect between members of the community (ie. staff, students, and parents/guardians), leading to tension and less involvement from parents/guardians in the school environment. High levels of parent involvement have a direct impact on positive learning environments.
- High levels of stress for teachers leading to burnout and anxiety, which research has shown can even cause a physiological anti-stress hormone response in students. Practicing self-care techniques can be a great way to de-stress.
Read on to find out even more about why having a positive learning environment is crucial!
Why is a positive learning environment important?
Having a positive learning environment in place takes a great deal of thought and consideration, but there are major benefits that’ll pay off for the hard work that goes into it. For example:
- Research has shown that academic performance is likely to increase
- Students will be more likely to support other students with disabilities
- There will be an increase in positive interactions between students, staff, and parents/guardians
- Stakeholders will appreciate that you take mental health just as seriously as you take student achievement
- Students are more likely to take ownership of their learning experience (also known as self-regulated learning)
- You’ll set the tone for a great school year from the very first week as you build an environment conducive to student development
What can you do to help jumpstart your work in this area?
Keep reading to learn some strategies that you can easily implement to create an environment that’ll build a tightly-knit school community with a positive learning environment at the center of it all.
