CREATING A HEALTHY CLASSROOM ENVIROMENT

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Education is widely recognised as a necessary instrument for the development of any human society. Every society fashions out the type of education that it considers most appropriate for attaining its goals and objectives. Fundamental,is the attainment of these goals in the classroom.

The classroom offers the teachers,the learners and the learning experiences,a platform to interact. It is the stage on which the act of education is displayed. Without the classroom,education goals and objectives will not be effectively expressed.

Concepts of classroom and classroom enviroment.                                                The classroom is the epi- centre of all educational activities. This is because it is in the classroom that the goals of education are principally achieved. Little wonders Ezeocha (1990:13), sees the classroom as a power -house in which the success or failure of the learning process is generated and also sustained. According to Bosah (2013:8), the classroom is the place where pupils ir students are assembled for teaching and learning, and additionally given ample chance for group group socialization through interpersonal interaction. It is just a room or a place where teaching and learning takes place. Classrooms are permanent features of all kinds of educational institutions. It is a meeting place for a group of pupils/ students from diverse backgrounds that have come together to learn under the tutelage of a teacher. To Akintunde (2004), the classroom is a place where teachers as motivational coaches and potters refine raw talents of learners, transforming weaknesses to strength, raw talent and moral uprightness. It is one important place in educational institutions where students are offered the opportunity of assimilating the learning experiences that have been put together to achieve necessary modifications in the behaviour of the learners.        http://pdsupport.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/The+Physical+Classroom+Environment

The enviroment in which one learns is of uppermost important. This is because the teaching and learning process is an interplay of the teacher,the subject matter,the learner and the enviroment.

The classroom enviroment is the medium or point of interaction . Without the classroom enviroment formal learning is jeopardized. It has been established that when the classroom enviroment  is very conducive,the pupils are motivated to learn even in the absence of a teacher (Farrant 1975). The enviroment therefore,to a great extent determines the smoothness of teaching learning process. According to Okoye (2008:43),leading educators believe that learning takes place through the experience which learner reacts to the enviroment in which he is placed. Sound learning therefore, demands that the learner interacts with an enviroment that is conducive for learning. Such an enviroment should be safe, Clean, comfortable and attractive. Studies have shown that comfort affects ability to absorb and retain information,and distractions in the learning.

Classroom, it is said is a "home away from home". Like our homes therefore,it should be made attractive and functional. It is the responsibilty of the teacher to create an enviroment that invites learning in his classroom. If the teacher possesses a sound knowledge of the subject matter but cannot work out an enviroment that invite learning,he will definitely be a failure in the class. For the learner to learn,they must be placed in an enviroment that is close to that of his home.

An effective teacher tries to create a rich classroom enviroment that stimulates and encourages learning. According to Okoye (2016:43), modern teaching recognizes that the process of education is not simply a matter of give and take,but a process which goes deep down in the personality all the time,influenced by the enviroment as well as teachers. Good teaching,therefore,involves effective interaction of the teacher,the learner,the learning experience and the enviroment that is,the classroom.

Strategies for Creating a Healthy Classroom Enviroment.

Any teacher who wants to succeed in the classroom must create an inviting enviroment that is as good as home. A number of factors are essential in achieving this,and they include:

1. Arranging the Physical Enviroment: The physical enviroment of a classroom is a major determining factor of the extent of learning in that class. If the physical enviroment is harsh and uncomfortable, meaningfully learning will be impaired. It is therefore important that every classroom should be able to provide  a satisfactory enviromental comfort level for students and teachers.Good physical enviroment helps to keep the classroom orderly and well organized. Arranging the physical enviroment improves the learning and prevents problem behaviour before they occur. For classroom to be conducive for learning,it must be organized to accomodate a variety of activities in which the students are involved,and also meet the teachers instructional goals. 

There are certain factors that should be considered in creating a healthy physical enviroment in the classroom. They include:

a. Seating Arrangement - Good seating contribute to conducive learning enviroment. Seats should be carefully arranged to make enough space for movement in the classroom. Efforts should be made to ensure that all students have clear view of the teacher and vice versa,at all times students with special needs or difficulties are better given vintage positions in the classroom. Bettenhausen (1998), maintains that there is good reason to strategically place students with special needs or behaviour problems in close proximity to the teachers' desk. For instance student with bad sight defects or of limited height can be accommodated in the front rows. The arrangement will enable them to have a clear view of the teacher and the board, and be carried along in the instructional process.

b. Cleanliness - Cleanliness it is said, is next to godliness. It is an altitude that the teacher must help to inculcate in the students. The teacher should ensure that the classroom is kept clean. Arrangement could be made with the students on how to keep the classroom clean. The use of rosters for sweeping and cleaning the windows,floors,cabinets etc. May suffice

C. Lightning System - the lighting system in a classroom affects the students visibility and achievement. The teacher should make sure that the lighting in the classroom is adequate. If you have bulbs that need to replaced,feel free to ask the school authority t change them. Additionally, the windows can also be widely opened to enhance the lighting system and improve air movement in the classroom.

d. Classroom Decoration - decoration is another factor that enhance physical enviroment of a classroom. Students appreciate aesthetic materials greatly. The teacher should decorate the classroom with interesting greatly. The teacher should decorate the classroom with interesting visual aids like pictures,posters, bulletin boards and so on. These materials which should be rotated and refreshed, frequently should have aesthetic and informative value.

               2. Establishing  Personal Teacher-Student Relationship - Teaching and learning are processes which are facilitated when the enviroment is deliberately manipulated to provide the learner with experiences aimed at accomplishing some defined objectives (Otubelu 1996), the teacher and the learner are the principal element s in the teaching learning process and as such,such  interact amicably to accomplish instructional goals.

Researches on how people learn,shows that the emotional state of the learner has a great deal to do with how effectively they will learn (Marzno 2003). This is because there are connections between emotions and the processing of information necessary for learning. We know that when a student's brain and body are reacting to a possible threat or to strong emotions there is little room left  in the brain to process other information.An effective teacher tries to remove every threat or fear that the learner may have in the class. Every learner lives to find out that he or she is in the midst of friends. Students' perceptions of supportive,caring relationship with the teacher and a positive classroom climate are related to school satisfaction (Wentzel,1999).

                3.Establishing a Culture for Learning -  A good teacher tries to put in place a culture for effective learning. Such culture encompasses the totality of the techniques that the teacher employs in getting every learner in the classroom to be committed to the instructional procedure. It involves creating an atmosphere in which each learner has an opportunity to succeed. Every child is a God-given gift with special talents and unique and wonderful characteristic. If provided with the right culture for learning,he will definitely succeed.

                4. Building Mutual Respect and Rapport - Teaching and learning activities are mental exercises that needs conducive atmosphere to flourish. One of the strategies a teacher can adopt in promoting effective learning in the classroom is to have a relationship of respect and rapport between the teacher and student one hand,and amongst the students on the other hand. Whenever an atmosphere of cordiality is achieved,the attainment of objective is always easily.

The way the teacher and students react to and work with each other determines the extent to which instructional objectives will be accomplished. If the teacher and the students recognise each other as partners in progress and accord deserving respect to one another all with function without distractions to achieve effective learning. The teacher should always demonstrate genuine caring and respect for students by listening and talking to them,being sensitive and responsive to clues of distress,investigating situations and seeking outside help as needed to remedy problems. According to Strange (1998), a teacher ability to relate to students to make positive caring connections with them play a significant role in cultivating a positive learning enviroment and promoting students achievement.

                  5. Intimidation Or Harassment Should not be tolerated - The teacher should strive  to achieve among the students. The extent he succeeds in this task determine the quality of learning that will take place in his classroom.

Conclusion

The classroom enviroment as the platform on which teaching and learning take place is as essential as the teaching and learning experiences. If a classroom is not properly organized to support teaching and learning it can impact the functioning of the class as well as limit what and how student learn. A physical appareling and intellectually stimulating enviroment foster opportunities for purposeful learning.

References

Stronge, H. (1998). Qualities of effective teachers. In http://www.plsweb.com/resources/newsletters/enewsarchives/45/2005/09/u3.

Bosah, H.O.N.(2008). Classroom organization and management. In Eneasator,G.O ,Eresimadu, F.N.J. And Bosah, H.O.N,(eds). Classroom management and school organization. Lagos: Ed-Solid Foundation publishers.

Billington,p. (2004:42).Seven characteristics of highly effective adult learning programme. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.