Ways to Create a Learning Environment at Home.

 

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And today, we would like to discuss one of the most important topics in every home that, unfortunately, tends to get pushed aside and not get the credit it deserves - The learning environment within your home.

Studies clearly show that your physical environment can significantly influence cognitive abilities.

In the simplest sense, this concept is a physical space intended to be used for learning (usually for the youngest members of your family). Mainly physical activity such as writing, sketching, doing homework, etc. 

But in a more profound sense, We will do an injustice to this concept ("home learning environment") if we only reduce it to this narrow idea.

The concept of the learning environment we are talking about - and for which this article was written - aims at something much broader.

Besides The obvious - Space within your house that carries out practical learning operations - It should also serve as the 'home of abstract ideas.'

The area that just by sitting there will make your mind sharpen and become more explicit.

The place you go to get some peace and come up with new ideas - your escape for dreams and creative imaginations. A home paradise for thinking and contemplation - Peter Pan's Neverland of Ideas and inspiration.

This article will help you create the learning environment in question, Both in the "cold" technical aspects and the aspects of inspiration and imagination.

And as always, at the end of the article, there will be a refreshing infographic presentation to summarize its content for you.

Stay tuned.

 

 

1. Zero distractions.

 

Winston Churchill once said:

"You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."

This quote is an excellent explanation for any distraction whatsoever.

The dictionary definition of distraction in Webster is: "an object that directs one's attention away from something else."

The first thing in creating a good home learning environment is minimizing distractions within the physical space in question.

Ensure that your learning environment allows you to concentrate as much as possible on learning without any stimulation that will tempt you to distraction.

'How do I do it?' You must be asking.

First and foremost, you must eliminate any trace of technology (which is not directly used for the learning process) from your study environment. Mainly smartphones. 

And if you insist that certain things you must not disconnect from entirely, then ensure to attach that specific application to the taskbar on your computer.

An excellent example is WhatsApp Web, which allows you to work on your computer and occasionally glance at important WhatsApp messages directly from your computer, thus not touching your smartphone (for all its temptations) without a real reason.

According to Studies, The more dependent people are on their phones, the stronger the distraction effect.

By the way, the technology example is only one of a rather large variety. And the reason we focused on it is that it is familiar to most of us and is a fairly well-known phenomenon. But in fact, everyone has their own distraction factors that are more relevant to them.

Since it is impossible to discuss each of them separately, we will only note that the guiding principle is quite clear - All the things known to you as distracting factors should be found outside the home learning space you are trying to create for yourself/child.

 

Keep your focus with minimal distractions

 

Another great tip that can help you is insisting on using the old-school style and using only paper and pen.

Trust us, if you do your learning like in the old days, with only "real" pages, without any screens, etc., your journey towards a spectrum free of distractions will be much smoother.

Many studies show that this old-school learning style has many advantages over technological learning.

In conclusion, the number one tip for creating a home study environment is a distraction-free spectrum. 

 

 

2. Quality physical space.

 

According to all planning logic, This paragraph should be at the beginning of the article since the designated physical space for the learning environment is the basis of everything.

With that being said, due to the enormous importance of distracting technology in our era, we prefer to start with it, even though we have yet to write a single word about the physical environment - the dedicated learning room.

Now let's talk a little about the basis of any learning environment - The room in which it takes place. And what are the tools that will help you make it ideal for effective learning?

You must create a physical space with four walls, whose purpose is to allow you to sit quietly and study. Sounds very simple, right?

Not exactly.

First, it is essential to understand why it is so important to have a specific room dedicated exclusively to learning.

It is customary to divide the reasons into two types: external and internal.

The internal reasons come mainly from the well-known insight in the field of personal development that Your Worst Enemy Is Yourself.

According to this insight, One must recognize that his own weaknesses are the ones that limit him and prevent him from fulfilling his hidden potential. Therefore, he should approach those weaknesses directly and deal with them without fear and with full awareness.

And in our context, once you have understood that the lack of a designated room for learning causes you many distractions that prevent you from studying ideally (and later, we will detail why), you must overcome yourself and establish such a room.

So what are the internal reasons, and how will a dedicated physical room for a study environment help deal with them?

First and foremost, and most intuitively and straightforwardly, There is the issue of distractions, which was expanded upon in detail in paragraph one. A dedicated physical room, which will create a study environment "free from distractions," - will help prevent them.

A second reason is an assistance in getting into the mode/vibe of learning that a defined learning room can grant you. 

If you follow our instructions below, you will get familiar with the tools that will help you turn a random room into a learning supporter in such a way that will make the learning process within there smooth and fun. 

The third reason for the importance of physical learning space, Or as we call it - "Since I'm already here, I might as well" - is related to psychological aspects of the things that motivate us.

This reason may be familiar to you from things you have heard (or said to yourself) from the field of fitness:

"I'm already here at the gym. I paid money for it, and it took me an hour to find parking, so I might as well train."

The same goes for the subject of our articles - "I'm already here, the distractions have left outside, and this whole space is fixed specifically for learning. Therefore, Since I'm already here, I might as well learn."

 

Learning room - make one

 

And now for 'external' reasons.

The external reasons deal more with factors that are not directly related to you but rather to your family environment, etc. However, they still significantly affect you and your performance.

The first is related to disturbances that may come from other people - friends and family, especially those who live in the same house and have physical access to you, which can become a source of disturbance for your learning process.

The four walls serving as your physical learning environment will make them think twice before disturbing you.

The second reason is related to a similar but slightly different need.

The 'study room' should help you achieve the required quiet for learning. You may lack this quiet due to noise from many external sources that are not human but rather Environmental, etc.

So now that we have understood the importance of the "learning room," it is time to learn how to make one.

First and foremost, you must understand that the four-wall concept is not a recommendation - There is no other way. Brick and mortar are required.

So please, don't make the common mistake and think that if you put a chair and a table in an empty corner space within your house (say a particular hallway) - it counts as if you have created a legitimate learning room. Because you haven't.

The room must be - a room! - Closed one. Because that's the only way you can enjoy the many "benefits" such as physical isolation he can provide you. Mainly in isolating yourself from distractions and creating a vibe of concentration and efficiency, Which will inevitably help you learn better.

A warehouse/parking etc., are also appropriate options if your house lacks such an interior space.

Now, regarding the accessories and design of the space in question. Well, you should stick to the old rule - keep it simple!

In this excellent article, you can read more about how Decorating Your Room Make You Study Better. Please do yourself a favor and read it thoroughly.

Although it is commonly thought that a learning atmosphere must be severe and strict, Don't be afraid to put some "fun and light" learning accessories if they help you study more effectively. After all, we are all human in the end. 

 

 

3. It's All About Timing.

 

There is a famous quote attributed to Coco Chanel:

"There is a time for work and a time for love. That leaves no other time."

You must know that using your time effectively is one of the essential elements in creating a good learning environment in your home.

And 'how is proper time management relevant to your home learning environment,' you must be asking?

For your learning room to ideally fulfill its purpose, You must set strict times for its use.

The human ability to concentrate is limited in time. Whether you like it or not. It even has a fancy scientific name - "Attention span." you can read more about it here.

Therefore, after establishing a learning room, You must assign a specific time in your schedule for its use since your concentration time is naturally limited. Thus, the time designated for learning will be as high quality "and sacred" as possible. And no matter what - this time will be used for learning and learning only!

 

Be strict with your learning time!

 

Once it has been decided in the schedule that a particular hour is designated for learning - you must! Do everything in your power to ensure that it will indeed be so. That way, the learning room will ideally maintain its effectiveness.

By the way, Here are some important tips for the "learning time" you should be familiar with.

As mentioned, your concentration is limited by nature. Make sure you arrive at the learning time as calmly and alert as possible.

Tip number two - Trust us. The world will manage without you for about an hour. So if you were planning to call someone back or take care of this or that arrangement - don't bother yourself with it while studying. It will be waiting for you exactly where you put it.

Tip number three - although you must keep all the rooms of your house clean and tidy during all hours of the day. During learning, this is extremely important. Studies show that Children With Clean Rooms Get Better Grades. Try to implement it.

 

4. Reward.

 

You are probably very familiar with the carrot-and-stick approach.

It is a metaphor for using a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior.

The subject of our articles - creating a good learning environment in your home, is relevant mainly to parents interested in such an environment for their kids.

Therefore, although the carrot and stick approach, which parents mainly apply with their children, is known for its multiple advantages, recently, Opinions have been increasing regarding the need to limit this method. And the argument is that When Disciplining Children, Offer a Carrot, Not the Stick.

Try to create a reward system for your kids.

If he did as requested and used as required and optimally the home study environment you created, Grant him the same amount of time "in a fun format."

It will encourage and motivate him to continue this positive pattern.

One hour of learning in the learning room = One hour of fun.

Reward your child for all the time he spent learning

 

Studies consistently show the importance of a reward approach in creating motivation for positive development in children.

 

5. Keep it simple. 

 

An ancient Chinese scholar once said:
"Keep it simple dumbass!".

Okay, we may have just made this quote up, and no Chinese scholar has ever said such a thing. However, the guiding principle is still clear - You must avoid creating an atmosphere of over-dramatization within your home regarding the learning environment.

Be easygoing about it. 

The more natural your child feels with the learning environment, The easier it will be for them to use it and, thus - more productive.

 

 

 

 

 

We hope that this article - 'Ways to Create a Learning Environment at Home' - has helped you to some extent in your efforts to establish a good learning environment in your home.

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