In an effort to encourage class participation and create a welcoming environment for students, one Pennsylvania teacher is taking an unusual approach to her classroom decor, the Lebanon Daily News recently reported.
When students walk into Christine Shymchyk’s ninth grade French class, most are struck by the homely feel created by the soft lighting and creamy pumpkin smell emanating through the room.
Shymchyk, a third-year French teacher at McGuffey High School in Claysville, Pennsylvania, believes when students are comfortable, they perform better in the classroom, she told the Daily News.
Shymchyk said she uses the comfortable atmosphere in conjunction with technology to create a working environment where students feel encouraged to apply themselves. For example, her French II class recently completed a digital story in which they brought pictures of their family and talked about them in French, the Daily News reported.
Shymchyk said she likes combining technology such as computer with other styles such as flashcards or an overhead projector to allow students to express themselves.
Educators have found connecting a computing to multimedia technology, such as an HD-TV, LED monitor or
DLP projector, allows students to add some creativity to their presentations and use tools they may need for their future careers.
