Well for starters traditional classrooms can be extremely colonial and uncomfortable. This is because students are expected to sit still in a desk and listen to one adult share knowledge. Though some students may benefit from this instructional method, it is not conducive to learning for most. Students are then expected to listen, participate, and keep their bodies still, without causing any disruptions in the classroom. Then when they cannot follow this strict agenda, they are asked to leave the class because they “are not ready to learn”. (Now I know this is not happening in all classrooms, but it is a common experience I have witnessed). Feel free to visit my blog last week, if you need a refresher on cozy corners.( So what?.)
Okay… then what is it and why are they important?
A cozy corner learning centre provides a safe place for young children to go when they can calm down if they’re feeling mad, sad, nervous, or experiencing any big emotions.
Levin, V. (2020). How to Set up a cozy corner in preschool.
- It is a LEARNING TOOL!!!!!!!
- It is used to solve problems and self-regulate emotions which is an important tool they can use at home and in any group space.
- It should be used as a teaching tool to support the social emotional needs of the students in your classroom. (Levin, V. 2020).
- It can help children manage their emotions while staying inside the classroom.
- It can create self-efficacy, where students feel they have power in choosing where they want their bodies to be
- It can be used for children who need self-stimulating tools that may be distracting in the larger classroom space for others
- And many many more reasons….
CAUTIONS
The bottom line is that your calming corner should NOT be used as punishment. It is also NOT a place to send students who are upset just to isolate them from others. See Vanessa’s blog for more information.
Next week I will be talking about how to introduce a cozy corners into a learner centre or classroom.
