The Ideal Classroom: Accessible and Enjoyable Learning by Olivia

The Ideal Classroom: Accessible and Enjoyable Learning by Olivia - July 2020 Scholarship Essay

In a dream classroom, there would be ways of accessible learning for everyone. It would be a place where students from all backgrounds and all learning styles could work well and succeed. For me, it would be somewhere not as rigid as our classrooms in schools. The desks wouldn’t be all lined up in straight lines, the teachers wouldn’t be stuck with a barrier between the students in their rows and their ability to effectively teach. There should be a way to allow every kid to love school, not just the ones who have done well their whole lives. There should be room to grow for every student, with not such strict curriculum guidelines. My dream classroom would not follow common core standards, and instead we would be taught what the teacher was passionate about. Teaching with passion engages kids more than teaching a curriculum made out for most of the country to follow. Not only should teachers be allowed to create a curriculum fun for everybody, but in my ideal classroom we should be taught basic life skills that we will need in the real world such as how to make a purchase like a house or a car, how to do taxes, how to balance a budget and deal with financial issues, how to develop your “elevator speech”, and how to find a job in your ideal field. Some may say that their “dream classroom” wouldn’t be a classroom, but it would be hands on learning in the real world. I think that a dream classroom should be a real classroom because a classroom is where we make new friends, meet new people, and learn in a safe environment.
An ideal classroom should be colorful and fun, somewhere with personality. Just like when we were all in Kindergarten, high schoolers need bright colors and happy classrooms too. In a survey by the74million.org with about 22,000 students, 75% of them said that in just being in a school environment, they experience boredom, anger, and stress on a daily basis. On top of that, 46% of high schoolers think that their studies are not going to help them in the future. It doesn’t have to be like that for everyone. In my dream classroom, there would be maps on the walls and stars on the ceilings, we wouldn’t have to all sit in rows dividing us from the teacher. We would all learn at tables, being able to sit with who we wanted to sit with even if sometimes it’s distracting because I know that I work better and am in a better mood when I work with people I know and am close with. We would sit in rolling chairs, making it not only fun, but also easy to share ideas with other groups. There would always be ambient music playing in the background, allowing for creativity to flow and creating a less stressful environment even during a test. Ideally, there would be time for breaks in the day that weren’t meant for walking to and from classes, but just to meditate. It has been proven countless times that meditation stimulates the parts of the brain used for memory, concentration, and learning, and I think including it in a daily schedule can create an ideal learning situation for all students.
Personally, I would feel like I could really benefit from professionals coming in to talk to us about their jobs, to help learn about the job field and give us an idea of what we want to do after high school. I would love internship opportunities given through the school. Every internship I’ve gotten were internships I had to go and find for myself. In my dream classroom, every student's dream jobs would be accounted for and teachers and administrators would work to help those kids get ahead. I also believe field trips whether that be in person or virtual help get students interested in the subjects they’re learning. As an aspiring stage manager, Something that would be an essential in my dream classroom is trips to the theater. In my classroom we would go see local plays and musicals that are entertaining as well as educational.museums, theaters, and tours should focus more on what happens behind the scenes and the process that gets to the final product I think emerging students in the arts daily can expose them to new jobs and new ideas that they didn’t even know were available to them. My dream classroom would teach current events and political ideas. We wouldn’t avoid controversial topics,; we would face them in a safe environment where we could debate and learn. In my classroom we would teach not only core subjects, but theater arts, music of all kinds, political views and current events. We would get a well rounded education that can help us in the real world, and be in an environment filled with color and life to decrease stress and increase participation and the will to learn.