Teach like a Turtle

I attended a webinar recently and I heard the presenter, Vicki Davis,  say that we need to “Innovate like a turtle!” She talked about turtles need the right environment to thrive so when we want teachers to try something new, we need to make sure that the environment is just right for them.

After thinking about this, I realized that we need to treat our students the same way.

Most teachers have learned about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how it is important that a student’s basic needs are met or they won’t be able to learn effectively.

But once their basic physical needs (food, bathroom, warmth, sleep) are met, am I doing enough to make sure their learning environment meets their needs.

Are they okay emotionally to learn something new? Or do they need to talk and decompress if something is upsetting them?

Are they sick or affected by allergies and need me to be sensitive to them right now?

Is the lighting bright enough or dim enough to help them?

Are they comfortable enough at their desk? If they are reading something, would they better in a different place?

Do they have all the material and supplies that they need to complete their assignment?

Am I giving them some choices so they will feel they have some power over their own learning?

I think these are as important as meeting their basic physical needs.

What other conditions do you think are important to your student’s learning environment? Please share.

Photo by Luca Ambrosi on Unsplash