The classroom should be destroyed; not the learning environment. As we know, learning takes place anywhere and often in the most unlikely places.
The modern day classroom was designed in the wake of the industrial revolution. That much is evident with the machine (desks lined up in organised rows) and the manager of the machine (the teacher) tweeking the pieces to get the optimal performance. But this model is not the most conducive to children who have a rather difficult time sitting in the same spot for more than 5 to 10 minutes. An example of "the real-world classroom" is in the slums of india, brazil and other developing countries where children participate in the daily activities of adults. In the TIMMS studies in Brazil students often learned through helping their parents managing small shops in the slums. This allowed them to face real-world problems and use their own thinking skills to make sense of their learning. Now, some would argue that a slum is no place to learn but that may be a misguided sense of what's necessary to learn: a friendly, familiar environment and the opportunity to solve real problems that affect our lives. Ultimately, this creates meaning and understanding of the deeper concepts. The safety of the modern classroom may be paramount but it also must be a space designed to allow children to face realistic problems. The classrooms for the I Know English programme are designed specifically with the needs of young students in mind. If you want to learn more about how the classroom environment can affect your child's learning, visit 135 Jurong Gateway Rd 03-333 for a tour of the classroom and meet their certified teacher(s). Join the discussion and tell us your idea of the best learning environment for your child. With Love, I Know English Team |
AuthorI Know English Archives
September 2016
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