Learning is by far the only entity that remains constant in our rapidly changing world. Time is compressed, meaning that we have very little time to keep abreast with change. However one has to learn to adapt and be a part of change. The only way this can be achieved is to learn how to survive or “how to learn” with the ever increasing demands of life. A learning environment involves people who are willing to improve themselves through continuous education and training. In the context of education, learning environment is one of the most important factors for effective learning to happen with in the classroom setting.
The Department of Education in its unified new mission emphasizes its desired end and that is to protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete basic education where: Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment.
Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner.
Administrators and staff, as stewards of the institution, ensure an enabling and supportive environment for effective learning to happen.
Family, community, and other stakeholders are actively engaged and share responsibility for developing life-long learners.
In the above mission statement of Department of Education, DepEd spells out the importance of the learning environment as well as the roles of teachers, administrators and stakeholders. These three components of effective learning environment need to perform their respective roles.
Since teachers are the ones who facilitate learning they should prepare themselves and connect to the world to keep updated with the different styles, technologies, methodologies and strategies that will help them provide an efficient learning delivery to its clientele the Filipino learners. Educators, we are charged with the responsibility of maintaining a safe classroom environment that allows students to be “available to learn.”
The Recognizing Excellence in Learning and Teaching Project, known as RELATE funded by the William T. Grant Foundation, has taken an in-depth look at the most volatile of classrooms—those primarily serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders. With the kind of students we are serving teachers should possess an expertise in handling these cases.
Administrator’s roles are vital for they are the ones who ensure that every learning center has enabling and supportive environment that ensures the availability of the learning provisions including the learners’ welfare.
Stakeholders’ participation is very important since they serve as partners who share the responsibility along with the government as facilitator for ensuring the development of lifelong learning.
Working hand in hand of the three important components in learning environments will result to creation of wholesome and effective learning environment that will pushed the creation of a positive learning environment considering that our student deserves a better education.
VICENTE G. SAN MIGUEL, MAT
Education Program Specialists II-HRD
Division of Malaybalay City