In the video, narrated by Htin Kyaw from the Inclusive Education Foundation, two Karenni teachers, Jue Mo Htoo Paw and Rose Mary, demonstrate how they use simple techniques to build an atmosphere of trust with their learners at the start of the school year.

We know that in settings of conflict and displacement, where infrastructure and resources are limited, teachers are key to the quality of education. Teachers have to make up for the lack of resources. School buildings may not be well designed. Classes can be too small, too hot, or too cold to accommodate learners, and they often lack basic equipment, technology, and access to the internet.

However, the video shows that even in these circumstances, teachers are powerful and inventive, and they can still create a supportive learning environment. Teachers can create an environment in which students feel comfortable together and enjoy learning with their peers.

In this CoMOOC we think about the learning environment in two ways:

• As the physical environment, which includes the location, physical infrastructure and desks, books, stationery etc.; and

• As the social and emotional environment that includes parents, carers, other learners, and educators, all from different gender, ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds; and the relationship between school and community.

This week we will be discussing the experiences and practices of teachers imagining and creating change in the physical and the social-emotional environment, and thinking about how these interrelate.

In weeks 2 and 3 we will explore these ideas in more depth, with theories to help us understand the social influences on learners and roles for teachers. We will also talk about how we can practise Social and Emotional Learning in the classroom.

The video shows that ice-breakers and games can create a learning environment where everyone feels safe and ready to learn, despite the lack of resources. This helps the learners, and it helps the teachers too, as it makes classroom management easier.

Exercise: Creating class routines

1. Read the resource on Class Routines. Introducing routines can benefit learners and teachers, because the predictability of the routines helps learners feel secure, and so they may engage better in tasks. The resource includes ideas for turning an activity into a game to create a positive emotional environment while helping the teacher manage the classroom efficiently. You may already use routines or procedures in your teaching.
2. Add a post to the Class Routines Padlet and share a routine or procedure that you use that works well. You can use the following format for your post:

• Title: aim of routine (e.g. group work expectations);

• Details: where you used it (context); age of learners; what happens; why it works. If you think you can use an idea that someone else has posted here, you can like the post to let the person know you think it’s a good idea

Over to you

Have you found any ideas in the Class Routines resource or Padlet that you could use in your teaching? Share in the forum your ideas and experiences of using routines in your teaching.

Downloads

မြန်မာဘာသာစကား Transcript pdf

English Transcript Pdf