Many students concerned about social isolation or distractions from a classroom environment often find difficulty learning at a brick and mortar school. Brick and mortar schools often struggle at times in terms of providing quality academic and technological resources, adequate class time, enough advanced courses, technology and other academic tools due to tight budget constraints. There are ways that you can improve your experiences in a classroom at a brick and mortar school, if budget is not a problem.
Brick and mortar school
- The first thing you can do to make your learning more effective is to make sure you have a teacher who supports your interests. Some brick and mortar schools do not offer support for the students’ social development and advancement within the classroom. It may be difficult to build self-confidence in a new group of students where others do not seem to feel the same way about the subject matter. This is why you must choose your school with care. The instructors you choose must be able to encourage students to be successful.
- Communication between teachers and students is another important aspect of effective teaching. This is especially true when you are in a face-to-face classroom. If communication breaks down between the teacher and student, then the overall effectiveness of the teaching is diminished. For example, it has been proven that face-to-face teaching vastly outperforms teaching by e-mail, discussion forums, chat rooms or text messages. This is why so many brick and mortar schools are making face-to-face contact a requirement for all students when they first enter the classroom.
- Another important factor to consider is the amount of time dedicated to actual instruction versus support for the learning process. While it may be more convenient for brick and mortar schools to allow some time for lunch, individual attention is necessary for effective instruction. Some teachers will assign students to individual mentors who will spend time with them every day to support their progress during the course of the semester.
- Finally, you must make sure that the instructor is qualified to teach in this type of environment. It is important for brick and mortar school to have experienced teachers on staff who have a solid grasp on the subject matter. In most online classes, there is no teacher present to assist with questions or demonstrations. In this type of situation, it falls to the student to ask questions and get help from the teacher if needed.
Conclusion
Online learning is a beneficial experience for students and teachers alike. As long as the process is constructed with pedagogical efficacy in mind, it should greatly enhance both individuals and classrooms. The next time you decide to go back to class, remember to look for quality brick and mortar schools that can provide you with an effective learning experience.
