Think Out of the Box

In today’s hectic educational environment, primary school students are spending longer than before inside their classrooms (Sager, 2022). On average, it can be 6 hours of dedication a day to sitting at their desks absorbing knowledge from their teachers. While education is undoubtedly crucial, this prolonged period of sedentary activity can have significant consequences on a child's concentration, engagement, and overall learning experience (Kuzik, N., da Costa, B.G.G., Hwang, Y., et al., 2022). I am convinced that the teachers of new era should promote more active and dynamic learning atmosphere and go beyond the traditional teaching and learning methods. With the aim to diversify the learning process and mix work with pleasure I decided to relocate the lesson to the yard of the school where learners can sit on the benches, take off their shoes if want and learn in a relaxed manner. This experiment was conducted with two groups of students: second and third graders. The outcomes achieved went far beyond what was expected. I had assumed that we would see more engagement and interest. However, I observed that the students were relaxed and enjoyed being outdoors, and they showed greater concentration and interest in the lesson. I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary not to be afraid of implementing new ideas and to try out effective strategies that can make lessons more productive. 

References: Kuzik, N., da Costa, B.G.G., Hwang, Y., et al. (2022). School-related sedentary behaviours and indicators of health and well-being among children and youth: a systematic review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19, 40. doi: 10.1186/s12966-022-01258-4 

Sager, J. (2022). School Hours Around the World: Who Has the Longest or Shortest Day? [online] Teach Starter. Available at: https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/school-schedule-hours-around-the-world/ [accessed 10 October 2023].