THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE ‘CLASSHOME’
ARBEL S. ICBAN
Learning environment is considered as the second home of the learners. It is a place where the development of habits, knowledge and values take place. Thus, the condition of the classroom is deemed significant for it is the immediate surroundings of the learners in school.
A conducive learning place can be characterized as healthy, safe, child-friendly, gender-sensitive and motivating. Being healthy and safe means keeping our learners free from sickness and from harm. Furthermore, implementation of school policies and procedures can create a child-friendly place. Likewise, providing equal opportunities for both men and women for learning signifies gender-sensitivity. It also helps give learners fair rights to all aspects of development. Similarly, even when things turn out to be difficult, a highly motivated atmosphere can result to persistence and perseverance among them. And as educators, the second parent of our learners, it is our duty to realize all the aforementioned considerations with certainty through the use of simple yet best practices in classroom.
A functional clinic is necessary in a school so as a purposeful medicine cabinet in a classroom. Hence, it would be appropriate to have one. In addition, participating in the execution of school health plans like deworming is also a way of keeping them in good physical shape.
Meanwhile, many calamities have been recorded the past years. In relation, keeping our eyes open to the various plans of the disaster risk reduction management team in the school such as the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) can help us to assure their safety.
Moreover, giving the freedom to exercise the rights of every student is a great way supporting the child-friendly school system as well as giving the fair share of attention during class discussions to all of them is a key to prove a gender equality ambiance. Lastly, by their being and behaviour, beautification of classroom through the use of motivational quotations as decorations can help them to learn and perform in school. Above all, inculcating discipline and respect to every learner could be a great help to successfully fulfil these things.
Evidently, physical learning environment matters in the teachinglearning process. So, regardless of their individual differences, providing and maintaining safe and conducive to learning place for them can lead towards attaining high quality of education. And if these things will turn into reality, other than home, the classroom will be a perfect place to live our learners’dreams and aspirations in life.
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The author is Teacher III at Sta. Cruz High Integrated School Bona St., Sta. Cruz, Lubao, Pampanga