We can all remember a time, as students, when we have had to sit quietly and just listen to someone talking at us. I believe most of us would have been bored, disengaged, demotivated or daydreaming for a lot of it!

It is for this reason I aim to use active learning styles in my lessons at ISC. When it comes to learning, people have different styles and retain information differently. For young children especially, I believe simply sitting still and listening to a teacher telling you information is not an effective way for them to learn, not only because their concentration span is so short at this age but also because young children need to be engaged and active during their learning time.

By doing this, students are able to retain information and develop their understanding and knowledge more effectively. Keeping their brains and bodies active also helps to keep the students healthy and increases productivity.

Active learning is simply engaging with the content.  It encourages critical thinking skills, promotes discussions and debates and can include activities where the students apply and develop their knowledge. I also like to incorporate active breaks in lessons to get the students up and moving. This can be as simple as having the students do an exercise to demonstrate the answer to a maths problem. For example; 2 + 5 = 7 the student will do 7 star jumps.

Active learning is a student focused approach to teaching and learning. It looks at how students learn, not just what they learn. Active learning encourages students to think for themselves. Students need to build their own understanding rather than being told what they need to know. By developing their existing knowledge and understanding, the students understand subjects in more depth and are able to analyse and evaluate ideas.

Active learning gives the students greater involvement and control over their learning. They develop their autonomy and own ability to learn. They, of course, have the support and guidance of their teacher and peers during these lessons, but they are more independent. Active learning encourages the students to stay focused and engaged, meaning that they will be more enthusiastic about learning.

Active learning encourages success as it focuses on a student’s understanding rather than simply their ability to retain and recall on knowledge. I believe that active learning encourages students to be more in control of their own learning and development thus preparing our students for higher education and employment.

The analytic and problem solving skills gained through active learning will be highly valued by universities and potential employers. I want my students to be prepared for life after ISC and to succeed in all that they do. This approach will help ensure this for them.