A good learning environment for your child is crucial to promote concentration and effective learning and thus support their education. This is just as true for a face-to-face school as it is for an online school.
But what does a good learning environment for your child include?
Safety and well-being
Every child must feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment. This includes physical safety and mental health. Respectful treatment of all people in the school environment should be a standard. Unfortunately, things often look different in schools. Bullying by pupils, abuse of power by teachers *1, demands from parents. There are many reasons for social anxiety and performance anxiety.
At UNBRICKED…
…there is an atmosphere of trust and the awareness that every pupil, every teacher and every learning guide is a valuable creature. Pupils have the opportunity to address their concerns not only to their class teachers, but also to their mentors at any time. The close support of the pupils develops an extraordinary relationship of trust, which makes it easy for the pupils to confide in them. We counteract performance anxiety by being able to teach, learn, research and experiment without pressure thanks to our teaching concept.
Well-equipped classrooms
Classrooms should have adequate lighting, ventilation and ergonomic seating. The furnishings should be age-appropriate and functional. With 30 pupils in the classroom, it is not possible to provide the right temperature, lighting conditions or the right chair for everyone.
At UNBRICKED…
…every child can create the learning environment that suits them best. Warm, cold, light, dark, sitting ball, yoga mat, dream chair. Our pupils have an environment adapted to their needs.
Stimulating resources
Pupils should have access to stimulating learning resources, such as books, computers, experimental equipment or artistic material, depending on their needs and subjects. Often teaching materials are outdated and technical resources are not working. Broken interactive whiteboards are just as much a reality as the fact that many schools cannot even offer fast internet for their pupils. This is completely out of touch with the reality of life for today’s students.
At UNBRICKED…
…every teacher has their favorite material, of course. After all, it is part of our concept that the class teachers are free to choose their teaching materials in order to adapt to their class in the best possible way. Just as important, however, is the flexibility to really respond to the needs of the class and the individual. And we do this quickly and not after a lengthy approval process.
Motivating materials
Wall pictures, posters and materials that arouse pupils’ interest and inspire them. It is well known that there are different types of learners. Whether visual, auditory, haptic or a total mix – every child needs different stimuli in order to learn optimally.
At UNBRICKED…
… each child creates their own learning space with the materials they like best. Whether it’s big paper and colorful pens on the floor or a laptop, whether it’s absolute silence or music, whether it’s outdoors or standing up. Every child organizes their learning phases according to their own taste. A meaningful learning environment is a fundamental part of the curriculum.
Good time management
A structured schedule that leaves enough time for various activities, breaks and free time is important. This can help to reduce stress and increase learning efficiency. The reality in schools is often different. Teachers who arrive late, time-consuming room changes and missed lessons make the school day long for many pupils and are often inefficient.
At UNBRICKED…
… there is a precise timetable. We concentrate on learning for three hours every day and give students the opportunity to reflect in the afternoon. Period. We start on time and do not interrupt creative or concentrated phases with artificial breaks. There are no stressful room changes or long queues in the canteen. This means that pupils still have plenty of time during the day for leisure and hobbies or social activities.
Interactive learning opportunities
Pupils should have the opportunity to actively participate in lessons. This can be achieved through discussions, group work, experiments and hands-on activities. Fortunately, not all classrooms are 100% face-to-face anymore. Nevertheless, interactive lessons with up to 30 pupils are often difficult to organize.
At UNBRICKED…
… the pupils get used to designing their own lessons from day one. The teacher is the guide who is responsible for ensuring that learning is meaningful. The aim of each class is for the class to put together its own curriculum and think about suitable formats.
Individual support
Teachers should recognize the needs of each child and provide individual support when necessary. This may mean adapting the curriculum or offering extra help. For most teachers, however, this is overwhelming given class sizes and increasingly difficult social challenges.
At UNBRICKED…
… every teacher has a close eye on each individual child. With a class size of only 8 pupils, every teacher knows exactly what makes each individual child “tick” and how they can best be supported. Our mentoring program also makes a particularly valuable contribution to individual support. Each child receives a 30-minute coaching session with their personal mentor once a week. During the coaching session, all topics that concern the child can be discussed. From individual learning plans to career planning and personal issues.
Feedback and evaluation
Pupils should receive regular feedback on their performance and be included in the evaluation process. Unfortunately, this is a major problem in traditional schools. It starts in first grade with the first dictation. The child is told: “5 mistakes made”. It would be better to report back: “You have already written 15 words correctly.” There is hardly any feedback outside of homework, class tests and reports. Yet it would be so important to reflect on completed tasks immediately. What do pupils care if they get a reaction to their homework a week later or a class test weeks later? So many other things happen during this time that homework and the like are no longer relevant.
At UNBRICKED…
… your child gets the space for direct feedback every afternoon so that they know immediately whether their course is correct or whether it needs to be corrected. Immediately, because the time is firmly scheduled.
Breaks
Breaks are important. For physical and mental recovery and to keep pupils focused and productive. Most of us are still familiar with lurking around waiting for the next bell. But we only lurk when the subject matter is boring, don’t we? And when it’s exciting or the child just wants to finish a task? Chime, break, room change, German – and the math solution is forgotten.
At UNBRICKED…
… the breaks are not set artificially. In our lessons, we take a break when it’s time and not just because the chime sounds. Imagine you’re really into a topic, you’re focused and then the bell rings. And when it’s break time, your child can relax just as much as they like – in their own comfortable environment – regardless of whether they want to go for a run, take a shower, paint, eat or rest.
Eating and drinking
Healthy eating is crucial for the physical and mental development of pupils. Schools should offer healthy meals and snacks and provide sufficient time for eating. Unfortunately, there is often no healthy food in the canteens, every school has a kiosk with unhealthy snacks in the immediate vicinity or even in the school. And if your child unfortunately suffers from allergies, it is almost impossible to provide them with a reasonable supply of food at school. Perhaps even more important than food is drinking: many teachers still forbid drinking during lessons, even in PE.
At UNBRICKED…
… your child can eat and, above all, drink whenever they want. Well, maybe during their own presentation of research results. Biting into a muesli bar when hungry or drinking coffee if last night was too long – why not?
Conclusion
The perfect learning environment for your child is crucial to promote effective learning and ensure a healthy well-being. In addition to the classic elements such as safety, well-equipped rooms, motivating materials and interactive learning opportunities, UNBRICKED offers its students the opportunity to personalize their learning environment. UNBRICKED focuses on the well-being of the students and creates an atmosphere of trust in which students can confide.
The ability to customize the learning environment, whether in terms of seating or materials, allows each child to learn according to their own needs. A structured timetable and the elimination of unnecessary stress factors ensure efficient learning. UNBRICKED also encourages active participation, personal responsibility and student involvement in the curriculum. This creates a learning environment in which students can set their own educational goals.
In addition, UNBRICKED offers continuous and immediate feedback as well as flexible break and meal times that meet the individual needs of the students. UNBRICKED provides a holistic and student-centered learning environment that unlocks the potential of every child. This approach shows that a perfect learning environment is about far more than just physical aspects – it’s about wellbeing, individuality and continuous support for your child on their educational journey.
