Stephen Krashen’s affective filter is opened when the learner can study things that interest her/him and the teacher does not push the student before she/he is ready. The filter is closed when the material is uninteresting or when correcting the student’s mistakes inappropriately.
The goal is creating a classroom that is laid-back, democratic, artistic, and promotes thinking. Put book shelves low enough for children; and use different rugs for different spaces. Having one common area to regroup with students is useful in the morning and after recess and lunch. In leu with feng shui, students should feel creative energy flowing in any given place in the classroom at any given time. Thus, learning should come natural to anyone and everyone in the room.
Instead of putting desks in stagnant rows, tables low to the ground can be placed throughout the room. Clipboards are a good idea, too so that students can work in whatever space they choose to. Sometimes, we forget that kids are just like adults in that they, too, work better in safe and comfortable environments. Because everyone has a preference in how they want to learn and work, we must do our best to let our classrooms foster individuality. Hopefully, I can even include an outdoor workspace in my future classroom for those who enjoy reading and writing under the sun, or at least in natural light.
I have never thought of using easels for writing before, but Brad Buhrow and Anne Upczak Garcia have put them to good use in their classroom. Letting children stand up while creating lets them feel uninhibited. They can not only choose to sit or stand, they can also move around and write in whatever size they want to on the giant easel. The large workspace is also great for sharing and collaborating. Having presentations of students’ thinking is a good way to continue and generate even more thinking, creating, and sharing. Also, conversations that spring from these works enables those who are learning English to express themselves in a forum that is familiar, friendly, and comfortable.
I definitely agree that using the students’ work to fill the walls is an excellent technique. My past teachers have used this in elementary school and middle school; and I wish it continued into high school. I will post my students’ projects all around my future classroom to show them off. Through this method, I will teach my students to take pride in their work.
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