A child’s development is affected by a variety of things such as parent attitudes, inspirations, education level, home learning environment, school influences, child’s characteristics and personal qualities. Through the consultation with 30 stakeholders and over 300 members of the ISB community, the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) was able to capture and incorporate all ideas, goals, and recommendations to build and remodel four facilities. These days, websites, adverts and branding are all focused on people, rather than things. The school must encourage positive communication and interaction among students, teachers, and the wider community. Emotional Environment. Keep it Positive. They’ll naturally want to know more about this poor chap – what happened next?! Having this state-of-the-art theater and being able to dance on it was pretty cool.”. Flexibility, openness, easy access to resources, spaces designed to be adaptable with lots of movable partition walls – these characteristics give students choice in how and when they learn. Was it colorful posters, clear and consistent rules, and fun and interesting teaching methods? “The expectation is that refreshed and remodeled ISB classroom spaces are transformed from the more traditional classroom settings to revised, visible learning spaces where solid walls are replaced with large windows that open into community spaces and hallways.”. The school facilities are an extension of ISB's learning philosophy and were designed to realize the school's vision; to nurture the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of students. If you are looking for grapes, you probably feel confident that you can find them with other fresh fruits and vegetables. Fancy a Creative, Covid-safe Christmas? How school facilities support student learning. “Young learners need inviting and engaging facilities that challenge and support their learning.”. Similarly, stairwells, school halls, the school library and playing fields can all serve as additional spaces to support positive learning. “My job at ISB is establishing design principles for the new buildings,” says Ma. Research suggests that the learning environment has a significant effect on student achievement. For example, you can encourage pupils to draw what they see in their mind when you read to them. “the learning environment and relationships found within a school and school community. We invite you to see ISB’s state-of-the-art, all-encompassing facilities for yourself by clicking here. Remodel of the first floor of the current Elementary School, with a small expansion out into the Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) and into the current PreK courtyard playground. Provides inspired spaces to facilitate transdisciplinary and project-based learning. “We were impressed with the facilities and opportunities offered at the school, but mostly we liked the energy, dedication, and positive attitudes from teachers and staff,” says Claudia Stenström Kontor when asked why she chose ISB for her family. Your school values play a big part in building a positive learning environment. Student Characteristics This factor takes into account the overriding characteristics of the group of students you are teaching. ISB alumna Kaitlin Davies was presented with a number of options of where to go to school in Beijing by her father. And whether it's your first year in education or your thirtieth, the first days, weeks, and months of the school year are the time to create the learning environment you want for your students. Students and teachers can easily use the educational and support facilities, access to which is not dependent on weather conditions, temperature, air quality, or distance. “In order to determine what facility additions and modifications are needed, ISB has regularly run FMP design and review processes to collect and help prioritize these prospective projects.”. Creating a positive classroom environment is an important aspect of effective teaching. A good school admits its failures and limitations while working together with a ‘global community’ to … A good school doesn’t graduate students with little to no hope for the future. She immediately chose ISB. School values set the tone for learning too. 6 Characteristics of a Positive Learning Environment, International School of Beijing’s facilities support a student’s love of learning, Flexibility, openness, access to resources, Consultative process helps develop the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) at ISB, ISB’s leading school features and facilities, Quality facilities put together by experts, Spaces tailored to different ages of student, Facilities built and adapted in response to curriculum development, A Look at remodeled and newly built buildings responding to programmatic changes. For example, teachers often recount the story of an apple falling on Isaac Newton’s head to explain the concept of gravity. The same applies to learning. “One of the things I like about ISB is it’s so inclusive; we have a lot of people and we’re all doing things together. Creating a positive classroom environment is an important aspect of effective teaching. There is a consensus in the field of education that flexible spaces allow for seamless changes in the daily programs and activities offered in a space and are also more easily repurposed to meet the changing programmatic needs of a dynamic learning organization over the long term. Greet Students at the Door Every Day. And even with three groups of vastly different ages, ISB is known for its inclusivity. Similar to many established schools, ISB’s FMP is regularly reviewed and updated to guide the short and long-term campus remodeling and construction planning. Meets the demand for campus spaces which facilitate large-scale design and robotics courses. Creating a positive atmosphere of learning in schools and classrooms will also depend a lot on the ability of teachers to establish a culture of mutual respect and … If you want to find a new pair of socks, you probably have a good idea about where to look. Some relaxing classical music works well as students are doing extended writing, answering questions on paper or computers or reading texts. Generally, if there is a caring environment in the school set up, then that leads to At Promote Your School, we design bespoke Wall Art for schools, colleges and universities across the UK and beyond. A good school never gives up on a student and depends on creative thinking and solutions for the students who ‘challenge’ them. By creating positive classroom environments, teachers are provided the opportunity for better classroom discipline and management. To read more about the FMP and the new buildings, click here. The classroom physical environment responds to students’ learning preferences. Flexibility, openness, access to resources, 5. The Middle School and High School Performing Arts Center is a new-build project. Students, no matter what the age, need to be given independence and a choice in how they learn. “It seems common sense that three-year-old students and 16-year-old students need and want much different educational experiences and facilities,” says Monroe. Students connect best to their curriculum when they can feel an emotional attachment to what they’re learning about. These conditions for learning are the elements of a schools climate that students experience personally. Learning habits are constantly modeled. So many existing practices aimed at improving pupil wellbeing and boosting attainment will need a rethink. They contribute to students academic achievement and success and are associated with improved grades and test scores; strong attendance; positive relationships between students, adults, and their peers; and … “Educational spaces on the ISB campus are intended to be creative spaces that provide much more than a standard educational experience, and as such, the new spaces should provide for the active observation of the ISB learning processes and activities,” says Gerrick Monroe, CFO at ISB. And brands spend millions of pounds each year to feature famous sportspeople, film stars and influencers in their adverts and branding campaigns. … Xiaoyi Ma is the chief designer for the ISB project and the founding partner of Inclusive Architectural Practice, a Beijing-based architectural design firm. It’s just about re-jigging them to fit in a. about how pupils with good imaginations can advance their all-round cognitive development and progress in all areas of the curriculum. A positive environment is one in which students feel a sense of belonging, trust others, and feel encouraged to tackle challenges, take risks, and ask questions (Bucholz & Sheffler, 2009). Good facilities in schools should be designed to nurture the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of students. Privacy These traditional, immobile classrooms with teachers imparting lessons upon students from the front of the classroom are best replaced or modified to become more flexible, adjustable, and open learning environments. With the ability for school facilities to be flexible and adaptable, teachers can choose how they want their students to learn, and students can learn in a way that is best for them. Sharing your school values visually in key places around your school can help create a positive learning environment for students. It is especially critical that you work proactively to create a positive learning environment when you have students who are foster children, have suffered abuse or neglect, have transferred schools multiple times, come from disadvantaged backgrounds or have severe academic, social or emotional difficulties. It’s helpful to find ways of reminding pupils about the values they’re expected to uphold. And whether it's your first year in education or your thirtieth, the first days, weeks, and months of the school year are the time to create the learning environment you want for your students. Defining the characteristics of a positive learning environment: 1. Covid-19 will alter the way schools teach and learn. Below, we've collected teacher-tips on creating a positive classroom from Edutopia's online community. Luckily, you’ll have many of the tools you need at your disposal already. It's important to take into consideration each of these forces in order to ensure a positive learning environment … Students, families, and educators work together to develop and live a shared school vision. Music can evoke a range of emotions and is often connected to a positive learning environment. However, there’s a place for louder, more upbeat music in the classroom too! And this doesn’t only apply when they’re in the classroom. Reflects the great value that ISB places on the arts programs and will help to inspire students for a lifetime. Appreciation is the … “It was quite clear where I needed to be in order to mix with the most diverse group of people and get the best education with access to the best facilities,” she remembers. Here we’ll explore some common characteristics of a positive learning environment: We are never too old for a story. Here are some of the beautiful and creative ways you can spread festive cheer this season. If you’re trying to energise students, illustrate an emphatic point or illicit emotions, playing louder music can jolt their focus onto the subject at hand, or help them express their feelings. Simply put, the cleaner the air, the stronger the brain function. A safe environment supported by the teacher in which high, clear expectations and positive relationships are fostered; active learning is promoted Teacher Characteristics A. creates learning environments where students are active participants as individuals and as members of collaborative groups With each learning area or classroom, good facilities in schools allow spaces for many different activities. A nurturing environment with high expectations. ISB’s MS/HS Design Center (Remodel Project). Spend time with students individually every day. The school is also working on remodeling and creating four buildings set to be introduced in 2019 and 2020. The Physical School Environment: An Essential Component of a Health-Promoting School includes information to create a healthy school environment, and to identify and modify aspects of the physical environment that jeopardize safety and health. Even in adult learning, a connection with the lecturer or presenter enhances learning outcomes. This is an excerpt from Essentials of Teaching Health Education With Web Resource, The by Sarah Benes & Holly Alperin. Maybe they have struggled in previous courses, doubted their intellectual abilities or had a hard time concentrating in class. setting in promoting a positive learning environment and further discussed the benefit of positive learning environment in schools. All designs are created in-house by our talented design team. The Early Years Learning Center is a remodel project and is a large, purpose-designed space to better serve ISB’s youngest learners. For example, teachers often recount the story of an apple falling on, It’s a super exercise that can be used across multiple other subjects and theories too and links well with the, Using quotes from inspirational people can also help facilitate a positive learning environment. Experts agree when the design of facilities is planned according to the age, program, and developmental stage of the students, the activities and student experiences created by educators are significantly more impactful. As children get older and university is on the horizon, students need to be presented with spaces similar to what they will see in post-secondary school to help minimize culture shock. We specialise in bespoke design for school, colleges and universities. ISB is a not-for-profit institution and therefore it invests all revenue back into the school, to further its Mission and Vision and provide an excellent education for students. 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