The learning environment we foster in our classrooms is crucial for student success. Learning should feel natural, sparking passion and joy within our students. Our education system has long grappled with keeping pace with students' evolving needs. As Douglas Thomas pointed out, we are preparing students for no longer existing jobs, and it is time to propel them into the future (TEDx Talks, 2012). Our students crave opportunities to learn and explore diverse viewpoints. However, we often present content in the classroom without providing the necessary context. Our students are highly connected to technology, which is ever-evolving; we need to keep up with our students (Harapnuik, 2015).
Educators face a constant struggle and are often pressured to teach to standardized state testing, which occurs annually. This focus leaves little room for imaginative, joyful learning experiences to flourish. As a result, we often find ourselves grappling to keep pace with our students' needs while covering the required content. This imbalance can hinder student engagement and genuine comprehension, a challenge we all can relate to.
To help our education systems create a naturalistic approach to learning, we must emphasize the importance of three main areas: cultivating imagination, honoring passion, and helping learners connect their passions to the things they need to learn. These are not just buzzwords but the key to unlocking our students' potential and inspiring them to learn.
One element of this transformation that can readily be applied to the mathematics classroom is incorporating more real-world application-based experiences. Many of our students often question the relevance of what they're learning, asking, 'When will we ever use this?' We can more effectively meet our students' needs by crafting passionate learning experiences that involve projects and cater to diverse learning styles. By connecting mathematical concepts to real-life scenarios, we make learning more engaging and meaningful and equip students with valuable skills they can apply beyond the classroom. This is the future of education, and it is within our reach.
As educators, we often need to be proactive in creating a learning environment, but given the constraints of state testing, we must be reactive. Many things are not in my control as a teacher within a school district. With the constant battle of low parent involvement, low economic status, and low test scores, my main focus is often academic achievement and building relationships with my students. I have not spent as much time creating a significant learning environment (CSLE), but through this course, I believe I will see better how this could work for me and my students.
References:
Dwayne Harapnuik. (2015, May 9). Creating significant learning Environments (CSLE) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ-c7rz7eT4
TEDx Talks. (2012, September 13). A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas at TEDxUFM [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM80GXlyX0U
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. CreateSpace.
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