Aulas felices

Students involvement in school learning is essential and concentration, pleasure and interest are key concepts when talking about this. If the level of these three factors is high students involvement will be stronger. However, anxiety is a feeling which students can also experiment during the learning process. This feeling hinders learning and it happens when the student cannot cope with the challenge proposed because it is too difficult. In those situations, we must remember Vygotsky's zone of proximal development which is defined as "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). Therefore, thanks to the teacher's guidance, students will be able to overcome these difficult challenges even though they do not have the required abilities and autonomy to do so. As a consequence of that, their level of anxiety will decrease. 

It is important to say that there are many activities that could be carried out in a classroom in order to lower anxiety and promote strategic investment and in this entry you will find some examples of that.

Activity 1: This activity promotes two strengths which are closely connected: curiosity and love of learning. If students love what they do and the are interested in learning it will be difficult for anxiety to be present in the learning process.

Enhance interest: People who have certain interests and devote time to them have more possibilities of enjoying and finding happiness doing what motivates them. There are many topics we can deal with in a classroom in order to raise students' interest. Wildlife, botany, astronomy, sports and music are some possible proposals (among many others). An example of a topic which can enhance student's curiosity and love of learning will be the study of birds (ornithology). We can suggest our students to investigate the birds they can find near the school or their house. They can carry out a research in order to find out information on their animal specie, colour, habits, singing...

We can raise that interest by buying field guides to identify birds, organising excursions in order to observe them with binoculars, building a bird feeder in the school to closely examine the birds that go there...

Over time, this and other similar interests will consolidate and will enable our students to develop curiosity and love of learning and many other related strenghts as perseverance and appreciation of beauty. The development of these strenghts through interests is a source of enjoyment and happiness.

Activity 2 “In what can I persevere?”: This activity promotes perseverance. Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. To obtain satisfaction as a consequence of the tasks undertaken which are successfully completed. When there is a lack of perseverance, anxiety is likely to happen.

Level: 4th and 5th of Primary or Secondary Education

Objectives: Identifying areas in our life with a lack of perseverance and propose a plan in order to improve.

Development: All of us have some areas in which we find some difficulties and in which it seems hard to go on once we have started. This happens with things we are obliged to do but also with things related to our free time that depend on us. For example: doing homework and studying at home, playing an instrument, practising an sport, helping with the housework, reading a book, doing a difficult puzzle, painting a picture... In order to strenght perseverance we can aim students to follow this process:

1. Think and select one or two aspects in which they need to make a bigger effort. 
2. Design a specific plan in order to improve in that task. Goals must be clear and feasible. 
3. Write down the first and second step in a chart and put that chart in a place where it can be easily seen. Make an effort to accomplish the plan during a week. 
4. After a week, evaluate what you have done during those days: In which aspect have I improve? What difficulties have I found? What do I have to improve? 

This is an activity quite individualised in which the role of the teacher is to help the students to design their invidual plans and assess them. It could be interesting to put in common the individual plans and comment them with the class after a week.

Materials: A notebook to write down the proposed record chart.

Time: A minimum of 45 minutes to explain the task and to give students time to design their plan. The implementation of this plan can be carried out individually by students in a week but time can be extended if needed. We will need at least an hour in order to put in common individual plans at the end of the week.

Activity 3 “Empathy”: This activity promotes social intelligence which makes reference to the fact of being aware of motivations and feelings of one's self and of the others. Knowing how to behave in different social situations and what is important for others, having empathy.

Level: Primary and Secondary Education.

Objectives: Put yourself in other person's position and explain how he or she feels.

Development: We show a similar picture to the one attached here and after making students take a look at it in silence during 30 seconds we ask them: What do you think this person feels? Could you place yourself in his or her position? We will talk about this issue making them place in other's position and showing empathetic attitudes. After that we will do the same with other pictures.

Resources: Pictures provided by teachers, students or internet.

Time: Around 30 or 45 minutes.

Observations: If necessary, we should describe the picture before talking about people's feelings.