This week, I visited with a college student who had just completed a complex floral arrangement. Although this student had taken previous floral design classes before, this arrangement was by far the most challenging she’d ever designed. As she explained how her mentor had helped her through her frustration, I was reminded of the importance of scaffolding learning experiences.

To scaffold learning, make every effort to identify what young people already know and have experienced. Next, work to build on that knowledge and experience, providing appropriate structures or “scaffolds” for the young person to reach the next level. You can take several steps to increase the likelihood that the scaffolding will be effective:

• pique the interest of the young person
• simplify the task; reduce the number of steps involved (and perhaps the complexity of the task) if needed
• help the young person stay motivated to complete the task when it becomes challenging; alter the direction of the activity if needed
• notice what the young person has produced and compare their skills the “ideal product”
• help the young person control their frustration if and when their skills fall short
• encourage risk-taking in problem solving and trying new things
• demonstrate an “idealized version” of the task or finished product

To learn more about how to scaffold learning experiences, check out this great resource from Penn State Extension. Appropriately scaffolding learning experiences can help make learning more effective and more fun for everyone involved!