3 Ways to Create a Happy Classroom

Teaching is tough! That’s why we’ve created 3 easy tips to give you and your students a break. A happy classroom = an effective learning environment. Pass this along to your fellow educators, and help spread the joy of learning!

BE PREPARED

If you’re aiming for a smooth day of learning, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. This means going beyond simply lesson planning. One of the most difficult tasks an educator will face is figuring out how long a lesson or an activity might take. Often times, we overestimate, and are left with extra time and busy bodies. While some students might have breezed through, others might take more time to nail down concepts. Help yourself by having “busy baskets” that finished students can wander off to, and work with independently while you close out the activity. They can contain sensory bottles, puzzles, tracing, or weaving cards and thread, etc. Beetbox is a perfect educational tool to have on deck for situations like these - either for guided learning or independent exploration.

BE FLEXIBLE

Happy is the teacher that is flexible! It’s easy to get bent out of shape when things in your classroom don’t go according to plan. Instead of fighting to keep your original plan, it’s sometimes best to give your students the best learning experience possible by changing things up. For example, if you had a seated activity planned, and children are struggling to stay on task, accept it and move on by introducing a more hands on or sensory activity to reset. In doing so, you’ll not only give them a break, but yourself one too. Natural materials are an easy way to get a child back on track. Activities like watering a plant, sowing a seed, and anything involving the 5 senses are a great idea. Beetbox is filled with sensory immersive projects. Because we send everything you need, you’ll never be without a hands on activity to have as your plan B.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

It might sound cliche, but smiling is contagious! You’d be surprised how quickly the overall vibe of your classroom will change, just be smiling while speaking. Social cues like eye contact, or getting down to a child’s level for a face to face conversation make all the difference in keeping a child’s attention, and it’s also a great way to be sure they can actually hear you and are listening to your message. If you notice the environment in your classroom seems tense or anxious, stop for a silly dance break, or carve out a few minutes to do something everyone will find fun. Planting, cooking, or anything to do with food can bring a class together. Beetbox teaches STEAM concepts through the exploration of food, and the seed to table cycle. Pause to conduct a delicious taste test, or enjoy planting some seeds with your children.