What Great Trainers Do

22

Maintaining a Positive Learning Climate

As educators . . . we must recognize that students are not only intellectual but also social and emotional beings, and that these dimensions interact within the classroom climate to influence learning and performance.

——Susan Ambrose, Michael Bridges, Michele DiPietro, and M. Lovett¹

The trainer’s ability to create a positive learning climate is one of the crucial factors for success in leading a workshop. An encouraging environment lowers participant anxiety and fosters a readiness to learn, which sets the stage for a smoothly running workshop. When you’ve succeeded in generating a positive learning environment, you’re likely to overhear participants make comments such as the following:

“I was nervous ...