Making Learning Easy

When deciding which classes to sign up for, many factors go in. You might think about the content of the class, the amount of credits, and what the teachers are like. But what actually goes into making a class enjoyable? And what can teachers and students do to make it easier to learn?

I interviewed sophomore Brynna Baxter to get insight on what students may think. Brynna tries to take more creative arts classes as well as ones she believes will help her in the future. She thought that having a good teacher was the most important thing for a good class environment. Her reasoning was, “If you don’t have a good teacher, then the content’s going to be useless.”

One teacher I’ve noticed who does a good job of creating an environment that supports students and their questions is Mr. Yeoman. He teaches Honors and AP Biology. In an interview, Mr. Yeoman said that he aims to create a healthy environment by, “building positive relationships by joking around and genuinely listening.” You can see this in his classroom as many different students ask questions, whether it is during a lecture or work time because he takes the time to listen and answer the questions. This creates an open environment that most students agree helps them learn.

Another student, junior Falyn DeBord, takes classes she knows she’ll enjoy. It is important to her that the class and teacher are, “laid-back enough for me to do all my work in class.” Falyn added onto this point by explaining how she believes that, “if the class is boring (both room and content), it can still be fun if the teacher makes it fun.”

Dealing with conflicts properly is crucial to a healthy learning environment. Brynna and Mr. Yeoman both agreed that conflict is easy to prevent by communicating, especially before it has the chance to escalate. Moreover, Mr. Yeoman mentioned that in his classes, “because of the maturity of the student population… most conflicts get solved before they become a problem.”

Brynna suggested that conflicts between students and even teachers could be helped by going to counselors. The counselors at our school are well-trained and able to help with most situations. Even if something might not seem important, if you don’t have anyone to talk to or to help you it can build up. This tension will have a negative effect on you and your peers.

Everyone has a different way that they like to learn but ultimately if teachers and students can take the time to make a welcoming environment and we support each other, we won’t have to face as much struggle in our school lives.