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A Pledge to My Soon-to-be Students.

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How does this practice affect classroom culture?

2. What does Ms. Wessling include in her pledge?

3. What would you include in your pledge?

School Details

Johnston Senior High School
6500 Northwest 100th Street
Johnston IA 50131

Data Provided By:

Teachers

English Language Arts / 10 11 12 / Teacher

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Sarah Brown Wessling starts school with a pledge to her students. In the pledge, she shares how she will act and her expectations for the class. She hand writes students' names and signs each letter before passing the letters out to each student in her class.

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https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-priorities-classroom-management-ben-johnson

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Writers using APA Style must strive to use language that is free of bias and avoid perpetuating prejudicial beliefs or demeaning attitudes in their writing. Topics covered: age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality.

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In an effort to bring joy and build trust, CMS teacher Barry White Jr. has a special handshake with every. single. student. Full story: http://on.wcnc.com/2kKPUCC

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When it comes to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a teacher, you have to tailor your lesson plan to different learning styles, student backgrounds and a variety of other factors.

If this sounds like a daunting challenge, Eugenia Mora-Flores, EdD, has some reassuring guidance for you. Mora-Flores is the chair of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at USC Rossier.
(Prepare to make a difference in the classroom.)
As a Professor of Clinical Education, former K-12 teacher, author and consultant to K-12 schools across the country, here is her expert advice on how to educate students of varying skills and abilities in your classroom.
Use differentiation
Differentiation is the process of making education accessible for all students. It's a personalized approach to teaching that addresses individual learning needs rather than using one strategy to address everyone.

Additionally, differentiation is a useful tool for promoting equity in the classroom. It not only accounts for different learning styles, but student backgrounds and experiences as well.

Use differentiation to accommodate visual, aural and verbal learners, gifted students and students with moderate disabilities-all while acknowledging the unique cultural perspectives of historically marginalized students.
Differentiate at every phase of the lesson plan
Differentiated instruction means using "a range of strategies to communicate the same information in a lesson," said Mora-Flores.

Lesson plans are typically structured in phases. "In each phase of the lesson, there may be opportunities to accommodate [different] needs. [But we don't want] teachers to think they need to create 15 different lessons."

Here are some common phases with examples of accompanying differentiation strategies:
The introductory phase
In the introductory phase of a lesson, you may want to use visuals to recap the previous lesson, while asking a higher-level question to engage gifted learners. You can also break students into groups to discuss prior learning.
The research/Inquiry phase
In the research phase of the lesson, you can offer a variety of resources for students to learn more about a subject. By providing different modalities such as articles, podcasts, videos, models, experimentation opportunities etc., you ensure that everyone is able to connect with the topic.
The demonstration phase
Use think-alouds (i.e. ask questions and discuss how to understand the content that you're reading) to demonstrate how to acquire comprehension skills.
The practice/application phase
As students work on their own, you can address them individually. Support them by prompting their thinking and guiding them through challenges.
Explore other instructional strategies
Differentiation is a broad term that encompasses many different instructional strategies. In order to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, explore different tactics under the umbrella of differentiation to find out what works for you and your students.

Creating peer interaction groups for students can be effective. Whether it's partnerships, small or large groups, each has its own unique benefits. Switching partners or groups within group discussions can also help keep perspectives fresh.

For students who require support developing their academic language, teachers can use language tools such as sentence frames and key academic vocabulary words, as well as providing opportunities to talk to their neighbors or table mates to rehearse the language.

"We also have strategies that help students organize their thinking," Mora-Flores added. " Graphic organizers [help students] figure out just how to organize the range of information that's coming in."
Consider intentional grouping
Intentional grouping is when teachers organize students by common interests, backgrounds, or other criteria.

For example, students who demonstrate an interest in pursuing a topic at an advanced level or perhaps students with varying academic ability, can work together to tackle a specific question from your lesson plan. Through collaboration, they use their shared interests or attributes to better engage with the material as individuals.
Take a holistic view of students' needs
It's important to consider a wide variety of factors that affect students' ability to learn. Mora-Flores adds that teachers should "look beyond formal identifications of students in our classrooms to really think about students as individuals."

Here are a few important formal (and less formal) categories of students whose needs you should plan to accommodate:

English language learners.

Students with special needs. (This is a broad term-make sure you identify the particular need and plan accordingly.)

Gifted and advanced learners.

Students who prefer collaborative spaces.

Independent workers.

Home and family backgrounds.

Addressing diversity requires thorough planning
All students bring a range of cultural and social experiences and assets to build upon at school. To ensure that your classroom is equitable for everyone, first reflect on class subject matter as a whole.

For example, if you're tasked with teaching American history, compare the range of diversity in the United States versus the European perspective of your textbook. Does it represent the experiences and history of the students in your class?

Then, once you're organizing your lesson plan, determine how to engage students about equity and diversity. Allow them to have critical dialogue with each other so that they can understand different perspectives.
Collaboration enhances learning for everyone
Collaboration is a key tool to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in the classroom. "The opportunity to hear something from a different perspective helps us understand the bigger picture of what we're studying," said Mora-Flores.

Additionally, collaboration can have the following benefits for students with varying needs:

Self-reflection. Hearing about others' experiences can motivate them to refine their point of view.

Exchange of language. Hearing peers articulate their ideas can help students develop their academic language, and ability to share their own thoughts with a range of audiences.

Students feel valued. Collaboration makes students feel like they belong to a community of learners.

Increased empathy. Understanding different experiences helps students empathize with their peers.

A Master of Arts in Teaching empowers you to support more students
While there are other paths to earning your teaching credential, aspiring teachers can build an enhanced set of skills at an accelerated pace through a master of arts in teaching program.

For example, USC Rossier's MAT program prepares you to meet teaching profession standards, as well as standards for supplemental certifications. You acquire the knowledge to teach in a general education classroom, and can choose to pursue an Education Specialist Credential, California Bilingual Authorization for Spanish, or Gifted Education Certificate.

With your enhanced preparation, you'll be equipped to address more student needs in your classroom once you start teaching.

Ready to help all students succeed?
Become a Teacher

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How to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom

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When it comes to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a teacher, you have to tailor your lesson plan to different learning styles, student backgrounds and a variety of other factors. If this sounds like a daunting challenge, Eugenia Mora-Flores, EdD, has some reassuring guidance for you.

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Mood Disorders

As a teacher, you're in a unique position to identify the signs early and help your students navigate their way to better mental health.

How to talk to a student

Wondering what to say when a student shares personal mental health concerns with you? This section will help you get started.

Your Community Resources

Check out this database of mental health resources located in your community.

Search Database

Working with families

This section will help you work with your school's staff to make the right connection with families so you can partner to find solutions.

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As a teacher, you're in a unique position to identify the signs early and help your students navigate their way to better mental health. Wondering what to say when a student shares personal mental health concerns with you? This section will help you get started.

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At a glance

MTSS is a framework many schools use to provide targeted support to struggling students.

The goal of MTSS is to intervene early so students can catch up with their peers.

It screens all students and aims to address academic and behavior challenges.

MTSS stands for multi-tiered system of supports. It's a framework many schools use to give targeted support to struggling students. You may also hear it called the MTSS framework, the MTSS process, or the MTSS model.

MTSS is designed to help schools identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. It focuses on the "whole child." That means it supports academic growth, but many other areas, too. These include behavior, social and emotional needs, and absenteeism (not attending school).

The tiers of support are a huge part of MTSS. They get more intense from one level to the next. For example, a child getting small group interventions may need to "move up" to one-on-one help.

MTSS supports the adults at the school, too. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - the main education law for public schools - cites MTSS as a way to increase teacher effectiveness. ESSA gives states funding that can be used for professional development to help teachers use MTSS.

MTSS isn't the same thing as response to intervention (RTI). MTSS is more comprehensive. But it may include the three tiers of RTI.

About the author

About the author

Peg Rosen writes for digital and print, including ParentCenter, WebMD, Parents, Good Housekeeping, and Martha Stewart.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Melody Musgrove, EdD served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

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MTSS stands for multi-tiered system of supports. It's a framework many schools use to give targeted support to struggling students. Read about the MTSS model and process.

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, social, emotional, and academic growth. It is a way to create positive, predictable, and safe learning environments where everyone is successful.

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The Importance of using Mathematic Manipulation in the classroom 

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The Importance of using Mathematic Manipulation in the classroom 

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Models of Classroom Management as Applied to the Secondary Classroom 

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Models of Classroom Management as Applied to the Secondary Classroom 

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Every teacher knows that they will usually have a student in class who is difficult to manage and work with. Their behavior is usually hard to control and it can be extra work to get them to pay attention and stop distracting others. If you're studying to become a teacher, your courses will help you learn classroom management techniques that will prepare you for difficult students. Additionally, it's extremely valuable to learn about learning theories and recognize that there are different methods and thoughts about how people learn.

Behaviorism or the behavioral learning theory is a popular concept that focuses on how students learn. Behaviorism focuses on the idea that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. This learning theory states that behaviors are learned from the environment, and says that innate or inherited factors have very little influence on behavior.

A common example of behaviorism is positive reinforcement. A student gets a small treat if they get 100% on their spelling test. In the future, students work hard and study for their test in order to get the reward.

Behaviorism is key for educators because it impacts how students react and behave in the classroom, and suggests that teachers can directly influence how their students behave. It also helps teachers understand that a student's home environment and lifestyle can be impacting their behavior, helping them see it objectively and work to assist with improvement.

Behaviorism started as a reaction against introspective psychology in the 19th century, which relied heavily on first-person accounts. J.B. Watson and B.F. Skinner rejected introspective methods as being subjective and unquantifiable. These psychologists wanted to focus on observable, quantifiable events and behaviors. They said that science should take into account only observable indicators. They helped bring psychology into higher relevance by showing that it could be accurately measured and understood, and it wasn't just based off opinions.

Watson and Skinner believed that if they were given a group of infants, the way they were raised and the environment they put them in would be the ultimate determining factor for how they acted, not their parents or their genetics.

Pavlov's Dogs is a popular behaviorism experiment. A group of dogs would hear a bell ring and then they would be given food. After enough time, when the bell would ring the dogs would salivate, expecting the food before they even saw it. This is exactly what behaviorism argues-that the things we experience and our environment are the drivers of how we act.

The stimulus-response sequence is a key element of understanding behaviorism. A stimulus is given, for example a bell rings, and the response is what happens next, a dog salivates or a pellet of food is given. Behavioral learning theory argues that even complex actions can be broken down into the stimulus-response.

In the classroom, the behavioral learning theory is key in understanding how to motivate and help students. Information is transferred from teachers to learners from a response to the right stimulus. Students are a passive participant in behavioral learning-teachers are giving them the information as an element of stimulus-response. Teachers use behaviorism to show students how they should react and respond to certain stimuli. This needs to be done in a repetitive way, to regularly remind students what behavior a teacher is looking for.

Positive reinforcement is key in the behavioral learning theory. Without positive reinforcement, students will quickly abandon their responses because they don't appear to be working. For example, if students are supposed to get a sticker every time they get an A on a test, and then teachers stop giving that positive reinforcement, less students may get A's on their tests, because the behavior isn't connected to a reward for them.

Repetition and positive reinforcement go hand-in-hand with the behavioral learning theory. Teachers often work to strike the right balance of repeating the situation and having the positive reinforcement come to show students why they should continue that behavior.

Motivation plays an important role in behavioral learning. Positive and negative reinforcement can be motivators for students. For example, a student may recieve praise for getting a good grade on a test, this is positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is still motivation to get the student to act in a desired way, but removes an element in order to get the student to do something. For example, a student may not have to do homework if they score well on a test. Both of these motivators are valuable for improved behavior inside the classroom.

If you're interested in educational learning theories, a degree from WGU could help you be prepared to advance your career in education!

Interested in Education?

You could further your career with a degree from WGU.

Learn About Education Degrees

The behavioral learning theory and the social learning theory stem from similar ideas. The social learning theory agrees with the behavioral learning theory about outside influences on behavior. However, the social learning theory goes a step further and suggests that internal psychological processes are also an influence on behavior. Students or individuals may see things being done, but the social learning theory says that internal thoughts impact what behavior response comes out.

Behaviorism doesn't study or feature internal thought processes as an element of actions. Social learning argues that behavior is much more complicated than the simple stimulus and response of behaviorism. It suggests that students learn through observation, and then they consciously decide to imitate behavior. There are underlying emotions like peer pressure and a desire to fit in that impact behavior.

Teachers can implement behavioral learning strategy techniques in their classroom in many ways, including:

Drills. Teachers may practice skills using drill patterns to help students see the repetition and reinforcement that behavioral learning theory uses.

Question and answer. Teachers can use a question as a stimulus and answer as a response, gradually getting harder with questions to help students.

Guided practice. Teachers can be directly involved in helping students go through problems to give them the reinforcement and behavior demonstration you want them to follow.

Regular review. Reviews are important to behavioral learning theory. Going back over material and giving positive reinforcement will help students retain information much better.

Positive reinforcement. Behaviorist classrooms utilize positive reinforcement regularly. This can be in the form of verbal reinforcement and praise, reward systems, added privileges, and more.

While behaviorism is a great option for many teachers, there are some criticisms of this theory. Behaviorism is best for certain learning outcomes, like foreign languages and math, but aren't as effective for analytical and comprehensive learning.

Other critics of behavioral learning say that the theory doesn't encompass enough of human learning and behavior, and that it's not fully developed. Other theories have come forward that take behaviorism further, implying that there are many additional factors to consider when evaluating behavior.

If you are hoping to one day become a teacher, it's important to get the right degree and credentials to help you be prepared for success. It's also important to understand learning theories to be ready to take on students and the classroom. When you understand more about psychology and how students learn, you're much more likely to be successful as an educator.

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Current teachers and those who are studying to become teachers need to understand how learning theories impact their students. The behavioral learning theory or behaviorism is a learning theory that greatly impacts students and how they act in the classroom. Learn more about the behavioral learning theory and how educators can utilize it to help students succeed.

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These handouts include:

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This Ted Talk talks about "designing to the edges" and how to implement UDL on students that are struggling

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The Myth of Average:  Todd Rose at TEDxSonomaCounty

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Example of an IEP setup

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This is an example of how to setup a meeting with students/parents/administration with respect to an IEP

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A lot of students struggle with ADHD. Knowing how this disorder affects students will help maintain good student behavior in and outside of the classroom

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Question 1: List three reasons why some students continue to cause problems even when there is a good classroom management plan in place?

Question 2: Discuss at least one benefit and one challenge of intervening early in the acting-out cycle to prevent problem behaviors from escalating.

Question 3: Think back to the Challenge at the beginning of this module. Ms. Rollison is having trouble with Patrick, who is a model student on some days and is rude and disruptive and refuses to work. Unfortunately, she probably does not have enough information to figure out what Patrick’s triggers are. Although not discussed explicitly in the module, can you think of three methods by which Ms. Rollison could determine his triggers?

Question 4: Ms. Rollison is also having trouble with Tameka, who refuses to do any written work. In this case, Ms. Rollison does have enough information to figure out what Tameka’s trigger is. What is it?

Question 5: Once either Patrick or Tameka enters the Agitation Phase, what would you recommend that Ms. Rollison do? If she doesn’t recognize the Agitation Phase, what would you recommend differently for the Acceleration Phase?

Question 6: What is the primary reason that teachers are often reluctant to engage in debriefing during the Recovery Phase? Why is it important to debrief in spite of this reluctance?

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Behavior management materials

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Incorporating UDL Essential Qualities and Common Core Standards- Speech and Language Impairments

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Assistive Technology

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The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 iris@vanderbilt.edu. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E170001. The contents of this Website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

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Research with Practice in the classroom

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the difference between Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

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This story is about a high school in Utah that had many suicides. What can we do about this? How can we make this stop?

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Multiple Suicides, One Year, One High School

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In less than a year, six students who had attended Herriman High School in Utah committed suicide. The WSJ visited Herriman and found a community searching for answers as they struggle with the loss.

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What Is a 5E Lesson Plan?

The 5E lesson supports inquiry-based instruction. It allows children to make discoveries and process new skills in an engaging way. Teachers can also adequately plan power objectives more effectively by using the 5E process.

Children are not just learning with this method; they are more knowledgeable about their own metacognition because they are coached along and not dictated by teachers merely lecturing. The role of the teacher is to facilitate and support students as they use prior knowledge to build new knowledge.

The five E's of the 5E lesson plan are:

When planning a lesson, each of these areas should be completed. Oftentimes, these lessons may take a few days to complete.

1. Engage

To engage means to excite and to draw your child or student's curiosity. It means to wow them in a way that catches their attention. It is not forcing children to learn but inviting them to do so. This is how lessons are introduced.

It does not have to be difficult or overly detailed, just interesting enough to open students' minds for the learning process to begin. Using technology to engage student learning makes planning very easy for teachers in today's classrooms.

Here are a few ways to engage students at the beginning of a lesson:

Smartboard technology

Videos

Illustrations

Asking questions

KWL charts

Reading a great book

Acting out a character

Introducing a game

2. Explore

Once students are fully in grossed in the lesson, intrigued by a video or maybe a book, now it is time to allow them to explore the concept.

Let's say I do a lesson on camouflage; first, I would engage them with an informative video explaining camouflage with animation. Now in the "explore" phase of the lesson, they will play, let's say, a game where they will go outside and break up into teams. Each team will be given a minute to find as many various colored strings scattered in the grass.

The goal of exploring is to give the learner the opportunity to practice or work with their new knowledge in some way. The most effective explorations allow for mistakes or trial and error. It is looking at a concept before discussing all the details, with hopes that students will discover answers to possible questions through exploration.

3. Explain

Students now have an opportunity to hear from their educator. The teacher's role so far has been to mainly facilitate learning; now, they can use their expertise to answer questions students may have about what they are learning. They also may pose questions to the student to see what they are able to explain about what they have learned.

Checking for misunderstandings helps the teacher to observe what objectives need to be clarified or taught. So, for example, with the camouflage lesson, once the students have picked as many strings as possible, they should count each color that they picked.

Which color did they pick up the most, which color did they pick the least amount of? Have them make a chart, so they can look at their findings and compare as a group. Students should notice that they picked fewer green strings because the green was blending in with the grass. They have more of a different color like purple because of its contrast in color.

This explaining is done without the teacher having to do much lecturing. The lesson is reinforced by what the students have seen from their exploring.

4. Elaborate

Here the students can participate in an extension or a different activity that either re-teaches an objective or teaches more details about the concept being taught. Here differentiation can be used.

A student above level will need an elaboration that extends or enriches the lesson. A student below level will need perhaps a repeat of the same explore activity with more teacher input to guide students through again to correct misunderstandings.

Again with the camouflage, elaboration may be discussing what other animals besides say frogs use camouflage? What elements in their habitat allow them to do so? Or the teacher might say, "Let's look at our charts again from the results of our game." Doing so will allow him or her to re-teach or elaborate on what was misunderstood.

5. Evaluate

Finally, after the objectives are taught, it is time to assess. What have students effectively learned? What do they not understand? What should be done to help them?

Assessments do not have to be the traditional quiz or essay. It can be a reflection, project, book report, or model. Like with the camouflage lesson, the evaluation could be an assignment where students come up with five facts about camouflage and illustrate each in their own unique way.

They might make a model, paint a picture, or make a mini-book with drawings and facts to illustrate what they learned. Using a rubric the teacher or parent can now easily grade or make note of what is learned and of what needs to be retaught.

Make It Easy on Yourself When Planning

Many veteran teachers find the 5E lesson plan just more to do. I think that it makes teaching the lesson easier in that the students are more willing to learn, the activities are set up, the lesson sequence is well thought out, and the objective is thoroughly covered.

Use the following words when questioning and make sure to keep the scientific method in mind:

What do you observe?

Make a hypothesis.

Analyze the data; what can you conclude?

What connections can you make?

Questions & Answers

Question: Can we use it in English language lesson plan? If yes then How?

Answer: Yes! Every lesson can be planned with this approach because it is based on the learning cycle. The brain of a learner must be intrigued or curious to be fully immersed and engaged. All lessons can start with a wondering, or with a hook to engage learners to think deeper and ask more questions.

Question: What are the teaching questions and their answers for this lesson plan?

Answer: You create the appropriate questions for your lesson. Think about the central concept you are teaching. How can you vary your questions to get students to think critically and analyze the concept? Be thoughtful and intentional about what you want students to be able to realize about the concept based on your questions. Think about the skills you want them to accomplish.

Question: What are the objectives of lesson plans?

Answer: Any objective can be taught with the model especially Math and Science subjects
© 2012 Dominique Broomfield MEd
Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on August 18, 2020:

Hi! If you have any questions, please feel free to message me:)

Dallas W Thompson on August 18, 2020:

Interesting

Stephanie Smith McConnell on April 29, 2020:

Is the feed still active?

Stephanie Smith McConnell on April 28, 2020:

Do you have any 5E lesson plan examples completed for preschool? I have searched the internet and all I can find is an outline the same as I find under your "5E Interstate".

Prafulla Kumar Naik on February 08, 2020:

How we can make questions in different subjects

Ayesha Mughal on December 09, 2019:

Can any body give me a topic for pre test r post test according to 5e learning model

Saheba on October 16, 2019:

Lesson plans for pp2 class

Ugyen Tenzin on September 24, 2019:

That was a great information, but would you mind telling me a bit similarities and difference between 5E instructional design and lesson plan.

Muneera banoo on July 27, 2019:

Plz give me lesson plan of india at a glance

Ragjavs on June 24, 2019:

Needed lesson plan for classes 6 7 8 CBSE syllabus in 5e mod

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on May 05, 2019:
https://discover.hubpages.com/education/Where-the-...
ELA and Social Studies Example

Neerja on March 16, 2019:

Please help me with a sample lesson plan for grade 8maths. Rational numbers, square and square roots, exponent and powers.

Saroj on February 17, 2019:

Can u please Help me with lesson plan for science topic with 5E

Yasèen bhikba on December 08, 2018:

Very nice. I would like to translate it urdu

Anita Patrick4 on November 20, 2018:

I am now attending college and is in my second year now and i'm learning how to write a 5E lesson plan in my methods lecture, but i am still unable to grasp the full concept of the format for writing this plan for teaching practice. Dominique can you please help to guild me through the steps to take when writing this 5E plan?

paulette on November 13, 2018:

how would you write a 5E plan for a practical class?

Tabitha Pitts on October 20, 2018:

Oh my gosh! Thank you! Thank you! NOW it ALL makes sense!!!! I thank God for you!!! Wow!!

Crystal Hussaney on October 18, 2018:

A very clear-cut and insightful presentation on the 5-E's Lesson Plan.

I appreciate it.

Well done!

Asha manoj on September 28, 2018:

Pls send a lesson plan based on 9th class

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on September 27, 2018:

Hi everyone! I am seeing lots of request for additional resources and examples! I will link 5E lessons that I have created to this article in the coming week.

I would say that any subject and grade can benefit from this plan format.

1. Start with the activity that will really center students around the concept.

2. Next what questions do you want to ask students before and during the activity that will lead them to think deeper?

3.. How will you extend the activity

and finally how will you Check for understanding?

shrikant on September 27, 2018:

Respected sir how to make the lesson plan

anna neena george Goa India on June 02, 2018:

dominique thanks for your ideas on 5E model

i am doing a mini project using 5E model on grade 7.

topics i have taken are Triangle and its properties, Comparing quantitites,Visualising solid shapes.

if you have any material on these topics pl give.

it would be a great help.

Toaua on April 17, 2018:

pls explain more about 5e's lesson plan

arti sharma on March 24, 2018:

Pls give the example of mathematics on the basis of this 5E lesson plan for 8th class plsss

binod on March 23, 2018:

Thank u

Rajni prajapat on March 23, 2018:

plz give a lesson plan exapmple

joseph on March 07, 2018:

thank you so much

Katrina on February 09, 2018:

This example was an excellent description of what entails the 5E model.

mohira on January 17, 2018:

it is very useful but could you bring an exact examples for it please, i mean how to use it in learning a language?

sandra on January 16, 2018:

I love it thank you, very clear

Rosa T on January 09, 2018:

So very useful. Thanks a lot.

........ on December 21, 2017:

supper definitios

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on December 03, 2017:

I wish I new Hindi:)

What is a good email to send you a link?

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on September 24, 2017:

No problem:)

Sumbul on September 23, 2017:

Excellent piece of information. After reading this article I realized that most of my lessons stops at step 3 and then I jump directly on evaluation. Thank you so much Dominique Broomfield for giving a wonderful insight.

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on September 05, 2017:

You can do it Michelle! In my experience it really helps to reach more students the first time around and lessens the need for reteaching because it builds the concept effectively in students' minds.

Michelle on September 05, 2017:

Do think if this is thoroughly understood will definitely change d chalk n talk teaching style to that of a more student centered learning classroom.like d format trying to master it

S C Das on September 04, 2017:

Excellent !

virpal sran on June 30, 2017:

Excellent helpful for teaching

Dr.Raffi.MD on December 18, 2016:

Grate resources.

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on April 18, 2012:

Thanks, I am glad that there are other professionals that feel like the 5E plan is a good thing. A lot of my colleagues when I learned it college,

thought it was confusing.

Matthew Foreman from Las Vegas on April 18, 2012:

This is great information. I learned similar techniques when I went through my training as a teacher in a non-profit organization. I later incorporated that into my experiences as a volunteer basketball coach.

Thanks.

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on April 18, 2012:

Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I find this format helps me plan better, I think effective teachers practice most of what this format details when they are experienced. I think new teachers can use this to build their skill.

Dominique Broomfield MEd (author) from Colorado, USA on April 18, 2012:

Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I find this format helps me plan better, I think effective teachers practice most of what this format details when they are experienced. I think new teachers can use this to build their skill.

Paul Richard Kuehn from Udorn City, Thailand on April 17, 2012:

This should be an interesting and useful hub for any teacher. As an EFL teacher in Thailand, I basically have been using your 5E lesson plan with success for my classes. I am sharing this with my followers.

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The 5E lesson supports inquiry-based instruction. It allows children to make discoveries and process new skills in an engaging way. Teachers can also adequately plan power objectives more effectively by using the 5E process. Children are not just learning with this method; they are more knowledgeable about their own metacognition because they are coached along and not dictated by teachers merely lecturing.

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a great movie for reference on how to deal with student behavior and classroom management

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These are some examples of how to stay motivated as a teacher

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1. Set yourself goals
One of the things that can make teachers lose motivation is the whole thing becoming a grind of lesson after lesson with no clear final aim. There is another whole article on possible goals to keep yourself motivated on TEFL.net.

2. Bring in something you enjoy
Perhaps because it reminds them of more self-indulgent teachers, serious teachers often need to be told to do something in class that they enjoy like designing a worksheet to be used with their an extract from their favourite book or video. A well designed task and the enthusiasm of the teacher for the material usually make up for any lack of previous knowledge by the students.

3. Teach your students something important
Another great demotivator is the succession of minor language points and readings on amusing but trivial topics that don't seem to add up to much compared with the subject matter of a biology, ethics or law teacher or lecturer. It can take some effort to tie it in with language presentations and skills development, but the fact that our subject is language means that it is actually easier for us to pick and choose the big, interesting topics than it is for teachers working their way through the philosophy syllabus.

4. Learn something about/ from your students
Another thing that can turn into a blurred sequence is the procession of new students coming in and out of your classroom. One way to stop this feeling is to find out as much about them as individuals as you can, but the thing that is more likely to stick with you over the years is if you manage to learn something new about the world from them, e.g. by asking them to do projects and/ or presentations on their hometowns or hobbies.

5. Read
As the aim is to read for inspiration rather than directly for a promotion or qualification, if you don't have the time, energy or patience for an Applied Linguistics book, try dipping into a book with more practical ideas; a TEFL magazine, website or blog; a popular science linguistics book; a popular paperback on language like "Mother Tongue" by Bill Bryson; or even a self-help book.

6. Write
Even writing a diary on how your teaching is going can make it more interesting and show you ways out of whatever hole you in, and if you can get yourself published that can give you a real buzz and a way of stretching yourself that has a clear progression from game ideas on the web to getting your name on the front page of the most popular TEFL magazines and publishing a book that can keep you going for years, if not forever...

7. Go to workshops
As useful, convenient and (sometimes) cheap as reading and writing are, if you want a sense of perspective and a little push, there is no substitute for hearing other people talk about having the same problems as you. If your temporary drop in motivation means you are likely to lack the energy for a full blown course, a workshop or two might just give you the pep you need.

8. Give workshops
As teachers, most of us learn more from teaching than studying and live off the attention of standing up there at the front and getting approval, so giving workshops can be an even better way of coming up with new ideas than going to someone else's. An easy start is to give a 30 to 50 minute workshop on practical teaching ideas in your own school.

9. Take a break
Like sports training or anything else, sometimes a bit of a break is what you need to get the best out of yourself. If you can't afford to take extra time off or think a break on your CV will set your career back, a little time in a management job, teacher training job, ELT publishing job or in a summer school can be almost as refreshing as a complete break from TEFL.

10. Use teaching to learn about the world
TEFL can get to seem like a small, incestuous world where the things you learn after the first couple of years take you further away from people who haven't got a head full of specialist jargon. You can reverse this effect by using your reading and your classes to widen your horizons, e.g. by reading business and management books if you have Business English courses, expanding Applied Linguistics reading to include more general books on psychology, childhood development or neurology etc.

11. Take a qualification
Not only would I recommend taking a qualification like a Diploma or MA when you are feeling unmotivated, I would suggest leaving those qualifications until you are feeling stuck in a rut and so can really appreciate being told to do things differently. The only difficulty is getting your energy levels up, which the other tips here can help with.

12. Show yourself how far you have come
If you feel like you are treading water, it could be because you can't see the river banks and so can't notice how far you have come. You can show yourself this by re-reading a book you read during your teacher training or early in your career, watching a video of or observing beginner teachers, re-reading some of your old coursework or trying a lesson plan or worksheet you haven't for ages and see how much better it goes now.

13. Peer observations
Although a good DoS or teacher trainer can sometimes give you the little pointer you need to shake your classes out of boredom for you and/ or your students, the whole build up to it, the paperwork and the fact that you might be judged on a lesson on a bad day, week, month or term for you can make you less than receptive to the whole process and the feedback. One way of getting the positives without sapping too much of your remaining energy is to swap observations with another teacher. Watching someone else's lesson can be particularly motivating- it's an effort-free way of picking up new ideas, and anything you see which is not so good is a great ego-booster for you.

14. Do the opposite
Humans being what they are, it can sometimes be when everything is going exactly to plan, e.g. you have finally got that all Business English schedule you've been asking for, is when you start to get bored. If so, what you need is a bit of cross pollination, in the form of seeing what complete beginners can teach you about teaching Advanced, what monolingual classes can teach you about pairwork in multilingual classes etc.

15. Do something you hate
If touchy-feely Humanistic language teaching (for example) is something that makes your skin creep just to think about it, make yourself try it. You've got nothing to lose- if it is as pants as you expect, you can feel better about what you usually do in class, and if it is okay you have another whole area of teaching to explore.

Leave a comment

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1. Set yourself goals One of the things that can make teachers lose motivation is the whole thing becoming a grind of lesson after lesson with no clear final aim. There is another whole article on possible goals to keep yourself motivated on TEFL.net. 2.

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I often lament the conundrum that when I have nothing to do, it is super hard to get anything done...

Raise your hand if you've reorganized your sock drawer, seen every COVID-19-related meme, or learned the latest and greatest TikTok dance recently? You, like most of us, probably are suffering from a lack of motivation over the past few weeks. Motivation is often impacted by the powerful emotion of fear, and there is quite a bit of fear these days. But as the saying goes, if there's a will, there's a way!

Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

As educators, we know the topic of motivation well. We balance our classroom management techniques on a fulcrum of intrinsic vs extrinsic motivators.

While we may strive to incite intrinsic motivation, do remember that we all need a gold star once in a while! Extrinsic rewards aren't inherently bad. It's when extrinsic rewards are excessive that they can have what is called an "overjustification effect," which negates any initial intrinsic motivation one might have had. In actuality, extrinsic motivators can encourage us to try something we may not have thought we were interested in; they can push us up and over that hump; they can provide feedback or reinforcement. So go ahead, incentivize and reward a student or even yourself from time to time. Just aim to do it in a way that sparks curiosity and boosts confidence, both of which can increase intrinsic motivation over time.

How else can you pique intrinsic motivation for yourself? Remember to:

Dream big! - Move beyond your "present bias," and envision your future self.

Commit to goals - Whether small or big, write down or visualize your goals to bring them into focus and make them concrete and actionable.

Feed your passion - Recognize what makes you feel happy, fulfilled or accomplished. Dedicate time in your day for that type of work, even if some may categorize it as a "hobby."

Even with a strong sense of intrinsic motivation, we all can get caught up in the vortex of procrastination. For most, procrastination is not an issue with time management but with emotion management (e.g., anxiety, fear, frustration, insecurity, self-doubt), which is definitely understandable given our global circumstances. Let's say you feel a sense of anxiety when you think about a certain task you need to do.. so you take a break from thinking about it. The break provides a temporary good feeling of relief ... but then when you revisit the task at hand, you are burdened with guilt for having put it off plus the underlying anxiety ("procrastination cognitions"). All of which compounds the issue, and thus perpetuates the cycle of procrastination!

So how can you help address the emotional management side of life?

Practice self-compassion

Self-compassion leads to more positivity and more productivity. Give yourself permission that our day-to-day routines are not our normal ones, and we do need time to adjust. It's normal to not feel as productive as we normally perceive ourselves to be.

Modify goals

Teachers know this best! There is a reason why we write all in pencil in our planbooks. Similarly, consider how you may need to revise your current goals. Focus on long-term goals but break the path to success into smaller steps or smaller goals (see what makes a SMART goal).

Jump in

Take a deep breath, and go! Don't wait for a particular mood to shift or set in. Procrastination can cause guilt, but guilt is associated with procrastinating in the first place!

Procrastinate for a few more minutes (well, 13:56 to be exact) and watch Tim Urban's TED Talk, Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator:

At the end of the day, remind yourself that we, procrastinators, can be quite visionary, so it's not all bad! The negative feelings we have come from a sense of self-awareness, and self-awareness is a critical life skill to have.

Success can still be found if you're willing to embrace and work within constraints. And when seeking motivation, remember to:

Slow down: much of our lack of motivation comes for a feeling of "situational overwhelm"

Reframe the situation: find the positive in the negative (one of my favorites recently is the popular meme reminding us that "You're not stuck at home, you're safe at home")

Sing this message loud and proud when times get a tad too tough; the theme song from the movie Frozen resonated with so many due to its core message!

Darri Stephens is a former member of Teach for America and a seasoned educator, with more than 10 years' experience in Los Angeles and New York City public schools. She's a published author, who has also worked for education-focused media companies including Nickelodeon, IMAX, EdSurge, and Discovery Education. With master's degrees in education from both Harvard and Stanford, she's passionate about creative curriculum development that pushes boundaries, especially considering the influx of today's technologies. Her most recent positions as Senior Director of Content at Common Sense and Director of Education at Wonder Workshop underscore her love of instructional design, writing, and the ever-changing edtech world - so much so that she has now founded her own content consulting agency, Darrow Ink.

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How Teachers Can Stay Motivated During Tough Times | Resilient Educator

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I often lament the conundrum that when I have nothing to do, it is super hard to get anything done...

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The key to classroom management

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Do not worry! A few helpful classroom management tips can help you turn this chaos into meaningful learning experiences. How you do that depends on your classroom management style. Just like an artist has their own approach, so do teachers. In this article, we'll explore common classroom management styles you can learn from.

Why Is Classroom Management So Important?

Classroom management is the glue that holds the classroom together. As teachers, we have to prepare and be ready for whatever situations may enter our doors - and that's quite a lot. Unfortunately, we are not always privy to the outside lives of our students and what emotions they may bring with them.

However, with the right classroom management style that fits your approach to classroom management models, you can be there to support students in a variety of ways. Classroom management not only guides students but also enforces expectations and helps them meet objectives.

Let's discuss a few styles you may want to employ as well as additional approaches that can be used in conjunction with them or as supplements. One thing you may notice as you read through these is that just utilizing one can be a recipe for disaster. It's important to take inspiration from each to build out your own special type of classroom management style.

The Boss
Sometimes referred to as The Authoritarian.
This particular classroom management example places all power and focus on the teacher. There is very little room for students to have a say in their learning or how the class is handled.

That's not to say this is a negative - far from it. This may be a management style for educators who prefer to have complete control over what and how learning is taking place in their classroom.

The teacher calls the shots: lessons, outcomes, objectives, activities, are all guided by the educator. There is not necessarily an opening for students to branch out, because everything has been decided for them. This particular type of management style has the potential to reduce the number of potential disruptive behavior issues because there is very little unstructured time in this type of classroom.

One risk with this particular management style is that there will be less of a rapport built between a student and teacher. Depending on the grade level you teach, this could be positive or negative. Younger students oftentimes require a strong bond and rapport with their teachers to help foster their learning. As students get older, this can change, and that particular rapport building may be more difficult or not required.

The Middle Ground
Sometimes referred to as The Authoritative.
This type of classroom management style is a lighter version of "the boss." In this model, the teacher or educator still "calls the shots" within the room. However, there is more room for student participation and input on how a lesson proceeds.

This type of style also provides a bit more flexibility for students to feel valued within the classroom as well as the opportunity for a bond to be built between educator and learner.

Students are able to voice their thoughts on how concepts and routines can be improved without fear of being told no because they are the student and not the teacher.

The "You Do You!"
Sometimes referred to as The Indulgent.
In this classroom management style, students may have more creative control in how they operate with their lessons and learning. This can be a wonderful mindset and plan for classroom management.

However, teachers must be careful that this doesn't go too far and fall into a situation where the students begin to run the classroom with their behaviors. Teachers have to be careful they do not hit a tipping point with their students where the balance of control completely flips from the teacher to students.

What does that mean exactly? In a "You Do You" style, the teacher actively prepares materials for their students but then collaborates with them on the execution. This can be a very powerful motivator because it fosters a sense of collaboration and ownership of learning.

Students oftentimes feel extremely comfortable in these situations and will often build positive rapport with their teachers. It's important that teachers build those bonds but also remain the leader of the room too. Otherwise, it leads to students feeling there is very little control or guidance from the adult in the room.

The "Just Do Your Work"
Sometimes referred to as Permissive.
This particular classroom management style is oftentimes the weakest that can be chosen by teachers when in the classroom. This is because when teachers often rely on a permissive attitude or stance with learners, they have given up complete control of the room.

The teacher may be bogged down with the bureaucracy of teaching and settle for the success of just having students turn in assignments so that grades can be recorded. This is ultimately a disservice to both the teacher and student.

Why? In a sense, the teacher has sort of thrown in the towel. The end goal in this classroom management style is to make sure assignments are completed, which is a small fraction of what learning truly entails. This can have negative effects on behavior as well. When teachers feel this way about their role, students are sure to pick up on it and act accordingly.

Other Classroom Management Styles

Sage on a Stage

This particular classroom management style comes into very clear focus when teachers are actively reviewing or informing students of lessons and activities. These particular teachers sometimes have difficulty letting go of control of the classroom and passing it to their students in order to accomplish the tasks at hand.

The term Sage on a Stage refers to all eyes and ears being centered on the "wise" teacher. The teacher is the one that is hand-delivering the knowledge to learners and is the only source of knowledge.

Lectures and constant note-taking are prevalent in this type of teaching and classroom management strategy. As such, there are very few opportunities for student creativity in this style.

It's important to note, there will be times when teachers need to command their students' attention to teach a key task or piece of knowledge. However, as with any of these classroom management strategies, it's extremely important not to solely rely on this type of strategy when teaching the classroom.

Guide on the Side

This teaching and classroom management strategy typically is the antithesis of the "Sage on a Stage." In this particular model, the teacher acts as a resource for students when it comes to their learning.

This strategy is nicely paired with others listed earlier in this article to help teachers meet the holistic academic and behavior needs of their students.

As a "Guide on the Side," the educator allows their students to take the lead on their assignments or projects in the classroom. The teacher acts as a resource that students can turn to when they encounter challenges or need support.

It is extremely important though not to relinquish full control of the classroom. The students within your classroom must understand the importance of staying on task in order to maintain this type of learning.

Proactive vs. Reactive

The final styles are proactive and reactive discipline and classroom management styles.

Proactive management happens when the teacher takes the lead and clearly sets out objectives and goals for their students. This may also tie into some type of behavior management system whether it be with a token economy, positive behavior supports, or PBIS rewards.

The opposite of this would be to be a reactive teacher. This is where you would see a strategy implemented like a "clip up/clip down" chart. The student is then made aware of their behavior by the reaction of the teacher.

Source: Clutter Free Classroom

Both can work in the proper settings. Your approach depends on how you want to present your expectations to your class.

Your Unique Classroom Management Style

There are many more potential classroom management rules you can utilize. The key component to remember with classroom management is that one strategy is often not enough. Think of it as an actor getting typecast into a particular role. It is okay to branch out and adopt multiple strategies in order to be a successful teacher for your students.

Ultimately, our goal as teachers is to educate and create an environment that fosters success for our students. That's why your classroom management style matters, and by combining multiple strategies to suit your class's individual needs, you can help your students thrive. You can also further your research by checking out our list of the best classroom management articles.

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Discover The Secrets of Effective Classroom Management Styles | Article

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Explore the principles of successful classroom management and how to find your own style in the classroom.

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The Importance of Strong Relationships Between Teachers & Students

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A Strategy to Solve Unfinished Learning

Anxiety, stress, and in some cases, trauma are prevalent as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are facing food and housing insecurities, isolation caused by school and business closures, uncertainty due to parents losing jobs, and the fear of catching the coronavirus or grief of losing family members to it. Educators are facing their own personal stresses, in addition to being concerned about teaching academic content and about the well-being of their students, which can ultimately wear on their well-being.

But even with all of these stressors, teachers and students are trying to remain connected to schools and each other. Strong relationships with teachers and school staff can dramatically enhance students' level of motivation and therefore promote learning. Students who have access to more strong relationships are more academically engaged, have stronger social skills, and experience more positive behavior. Unfortunately, too many students do not have this experience. A survey of 25,400 sixth to 12th graders in a large diverse district, found that less than a third of middle schoolers had a strong relationship with their teachers, and that number dropped to 16% by the time students reached 12th grade. Students from low-income backgrounds report even fewer strong relationships with their teachers.

When schools closed their doors in March 2020, these connections went away for many. But building trusting relationships will be critical to addressing the months of stress and missed classroom instruction, or unfinished learning, that has followed. Estimates show that as many as 3 million students are offline, hard to find, or have left school altogether as a result of school closures. In some places, data shows as many as 1 in 5 students did not participate in virtual learning in the spring. Building and maintaining strong "developmental relationships" that reconnect students with adults in school buildings will matter more now and in coming months than in previous school years. Without these trusting relationships and connections, educators cannot catch students up.

Strong relationships between adults and students must include: expressing care, challenging growth, providing support, sharing power, and expanding possibilities (see related chart for explanations). Importantly, these relationship-building actions must be done with an equity lens, one that supports positive racial, cultural, and ethnic identity development. The country's attempt to reckon with 400 years of anti-blackness in response to recent acts of racial violence and injustice is highlighting the long-standing systemic inequities affecting students of color. And the pandemic is exacerbating them.

Creating strong relationships between students and those charged with educating them therefore will require adults to acknowledge the long-standing harms caused by racism in schools. Bias and discrimination, both implicit and explicit, can easily lead to harmful in-school practices that erase students' cultural identities. Relationship building, however, must be done intentionally with the needs of students of color in mind and with a strength-based lens that recognizes and values the rich cultural and linguistic assets they bring to the classroom.

In this brief, we highlight the important practices of fostering strong relationships between students and adults, as well as how to build these relationships in ways that encourage and support students to engage in tasks that move them beyond their current understanding and skills.

What Do We Know About What Works?

District and school leaders considering emphasizing relationships as a strategy to help students catch up and stay connected with school will have to make intentional and important decisions about structuring time for teachers and staff, investing in activities, training on building developmental relationships, and about how to most effectively group students.

As school leaders consider what type of strategy could work best with their staff and students to build strong developmental relationship, they will have to make challenging decisions based on their specific circumstances or contexts. These decisions will come with tradeoffs. In this brief, we draw on research on strengthening student-teacher relationships, school-based mentoring, school-based after-school programming, and school-based case management to provide insight on those tradeoffs. The following chart shows how implementing different elements of building strong developmental relationships impacts the effectiveness of those relationships.

How Effective are Strong Relationships?

We looked at the research to help leaders navigate complicated decisions. The chart below shows how implementing various features of strong relationships impact effectiveness.

Critical Questions for Leaders

Who benefits most from strong relationships?

Students from all backgrounds and ages benefit from strong relationships.

Below are critical questions to ask, based on available research, as schools and districts are building plans to completed unfinished learning.

Why are strong relationships important?

Strong relationships provide a foundation for student engagement, belonging, and, ultimately, learning. The more high-quality relationships students have with their teachers, the better their engagement in school.

How can schools strengthen relationships among students and staff?

The most important thing schools can do to foster these relationships is to have a culture that explicitly values adults nurturing relationships with students and providing teachers and school staff with the time, space, and occasions to interact repeatedly with individual students, especially those that seem less engaged.

Which adult relationships are most impactful?

All in-school adults should strive for strong relationships with students. When students have strong relationships with their teachers, in-class motivation increases the most. In these instances, students are motivated by teachers' high expectations as well as their own.

How should schools group students to foster relationships between adults and students?

Smaller groups are most effective for fostering relationships. One-on-one interactions allow for the greatest opportunity for individualized attention and support, but some adults and students benefit from a larger group setting.

What tasks will foster strong relationships in individual or group settings?

Activities are most effective when they are based on students' interests or goals.

What training do adults need to build strong relationships?

Schools should provide all the adults in the school building with training on the elements of developmental relationships, time, and strategies to build developmental relationships. Schools should also provide individual feedback based on observations of adult interactions with students. This training will ensure that relationships are stronger and more effective in accelerating academic learning.
students of color.

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The Importance of Strong Relationships - A Strategy to Solve Unfinished Learning

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Strong relationships with teachers and school staff can dramatically enhance students' level of motivation and therefore promote learning. Students who have access to more strong relationships are more academically engaged, have stronger social skills, and experience more positive behavior.

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Improving Students' Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential Supports for Learning

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Cite This Webpage

Rimm-Kaufman, S. (2015, March 9). Improving students' relationships with teachers. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/relationships

Positive relationships can also help a student develop socially

Improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive and long-lasting implications for both students' academic and social development. Solely improving students' relationships with their teachers will not produce gains in achievement. However, those students who have close, positive and supportive relationships with their teachers will attain higher levels of achievement than those students with more conflict in their relationships.

Picture a student who feels a strong personal connection to her teacher, talks with her teacher frequently, and receives more constructive guidance and praise rather than just criticism from her teacher. The student is likely to trust her teacher more, show more engagement in learning, behave better in class and achieve at higher levels academically. Positive teacher-student relationships draw students into the process of learning and promote their desire to learn (assuming that the content material of the class is engaging, age-appropriate and well matched to the student's skills).

High quality academic instruction

High quality academic instruction is designed to be appropriate to students' educational levels. It also creates opportunity for thinking and analysis, uses feedback effectively to guide students' thinking, and extends students' prior knowledge.

What do good teacher-student relationships look like and why do these relationships matter?

Teachers who foster positive relationships with their students create classroom environments more conducive to learning and meet students' developmental, emotional and academic needs. Here are some concrete examples of closeness between a teacher and a student:

A high school student chooses to share the news that he recently got a part in a community play with his teacher because he knows that his teacher will show genuine interest in his success.

A fourth grade boy who is struggling in math shows comfort in admitting to his teacher that he needs help with multiplying and dividing fractions even if most of the students in the class have moved beyond this work.

A middle school girl experiences bullying from other students and approaches her social studies teacher to discuss it because she trusts that the teacher will listen and help without making her feel socially inept.

Positive teacher-student relationships contribute to school adjustment and academic and social performance

Positive teacher-student relationships - evidenced by teachers' reports of low conflict, a high degree of closeness and support, and little dependency - have been shown to support students' adjustment to school, contribute to their social skills, promote academic performance and foster students' resiliency in academic performance (Battistich, Schaps, & Wilson, 2004; Birch & Ladd, 1997; Curby, Rimm-Kaufman, & Ponitz, 2009; Ewing & Taylor, 2009; Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Rudasill, Reio, Stipanovic, & Taylor, 2010).

Teachers who experience close relationships with students reported that their students were less likely to avoid school, appeared more self-directed, more cooperative and more engaged in learning (Birch & Ladd, 1997; Decker, Dona, & Christenson, 2007; Klem & Connell, 2004). Teachers who use more learner-centered practices (i.e., practices that show sensitivity to individual differences among students, include students in the decision-making, and acknowledge students' developmental, personal and relational needs) produced greater motivation in their students than those who used fewer of such practices (Daniels & Perry, 2003).

Students who attended math classrooms with higher emotional support reported increased engagement in mathematics learning. For instance, fifth graders said they were willing to exert more effort to understand the math lesson. They enjoyed thinking about and solving problems in math and were more willing to help peers learn new concepts (Rimm-Kaufman, Baroody, Larsen, Curby, & Abry, 2014). Among kindergarteners, students reported liking school more and experiencing less loneliness if they had a close relationship with their teachers. Further, kindergarteners with better teacher-student relationships showed better performance on measures of early academic skills (Birch & Ladd, 1997).

The quality of early teacher-student relationships has a long-lasting impact. Specifically, students who had more conflict with their teachers or showed more dependency toward their teachers in kindergarten also had lower academic achievement (as reflected in mathematics and language arts grades) and more behavioral problems (e.g., poorer work habits, more discipline problems) through the eighth grade. These findings were greater for boys than for girls (Hamre & Pianta, 2001). Further work indicates that kindergarten children with more closeness and less conflict with teachers developed better social skills as they approached the middle school years than kindergarten children with more conflictual relationships experiences in the past (Berry & O'Connor, 2009). A recent study examining student-teacher relationships throughout elementary school (first through fifth grade) found that teacher-student closeness linked to gains in reading achievement, while teacher-student conflict related to lower levels of reading achievement (McCormick & O'Connor, 2014).

What do positive teacher-student relationships look and feel like in the classroom?

This video clip shows a third grade teacher facilitating positive communication among peers by conducting a "Thoughtful Thursday" activity in which students discuss thoughtful actions or words they have experienced from classmates throughout the week. The student talks about the "safeties" (student safety-patrol members) outside the school and how they welcomed him to the school.

In this video clip, a preschool teacher is facilitating positive peer interactions by communicating with students in a warm, calm voice and making encouraging statements, such as "Very good teamwork!'

How to develop positive relationships with your students:

Show your pleasure and enjoyment of students.

Interact with students in a responsive and respectful manner.

Offer students help (e.g., answering questions in timely manner, offering support that matches students' needs) in achieving academic and social objectives.

Help students reflect on their thinking and learning skills.

Know and demonstrate knowledge about individual students' backgrounds, interests, emotional strengths and academic levels.

Avoid showing irritability or aggravation toward students.

Acknowledge the importance of peers in schools by encouraging students to be caring and respectful to one another.

In contrast, what do negative teacher-student relationships look and feel like?

Teachers who have negative relationships with a student show evidence of frustration, irritability and anger toward that student. Teachers might display their negativity through snide and sarcastic comments toward the student or describe the feeling that they are always struggling or in conflict with a particular student. Often, teachers will describe a specific student as "one who exhausts them" or "a student who leaves them feeling drained and burned out."

Negative teacher-student relationships can amplify when teachers show irritability and anger toward several or many of the students in the classroom. In these types of classrooms, teachers may find themselves resorting to yelling and harsh punitive control. Teacher-student communications may appear sarcastic or disrespectful. Student victimization or bullying may be common occurrences in such negative classrooms (Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2006).

Negative teacher-student relationships are stressful for both teachers and students (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009; Lisonbee, Mize, Payne, & Granger, 2008) and can be detrimental to students' academic and social-emotional development (McCormick & O'Connor, 2014; O'Connor, Collins, & Supplee, 2012).

Do's:

Make an effort to get to know and connect with each student in your classroom. Always call them by their names, find out information about their interests and strive to understand what they need to succeed in school (Croninger & Lee, 2001; Whitlock, 2006).

Make an effort to spend time individually with each student, especially those who are difficult or shy. This will help you create a more positive relationship with them (Pianta, 1999; Rudasill, Rimm-Kaufman, Justice, & Pence, 2006; Spangler Avant, Gazelle, & Faldowski, 2011).

Be aware of the explicit and implicit messages you are giving to your students (Pianta, et al., 2001; Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2002; Hemmeter & Conroy, 2012). Be careful to show your students that you want them to do well in school through both actions and words.

Create a positive climate in your classroom by focusing not only on improving your relationships with your students, but also on enhancing the relationships among your students (Charney, 2002; Donahue, Perry & Weinstein, 2003; Wentzel, 2010).

Be aware that you are modeling behavior for your students, whether intentional or not.

Students notice your interaction style. They notice whether you show warmth and respect toward them, to other students and to adults at your school. Often, they will model their own behavior after your behavior.

Students notice the methods you use to manage strong emotions. They notice positive strategies, such as taking a deep breath or talking about your frustrations. Likewise, they notice negative strategies, too, such as yelling at students or making mean or disrespectful jokes about colleagues (Jones, Bouffard, & Weissbourd, 2013). Be aware that students will often adopt the strategies that you use.

Don'ts:

Don't assume that being kind and respectful to students is enough to bolster achievement. Ideal classrooms have more than a single goal: teachers hold students to appropriately high standards of academic performance and offer students an opportunity for an emotional connection to their teachers, their fellow students and the school (e.g., Gregory & Weinstein, 2004; Wentzel, 2010).

Don't give up too quickly on your efforts to develop positive relationships with difficult students. These students will benefit from a good teacher-student relationship as much or more than their easier-to-get-along-with peers (Baker, 2006; Birch & Ladd, 1998; Hartz & Williford, in press).

Don't assume that respectful and sensitive interactions are only important to elementary school students. Middle and high school students benefit from such relationships as well (Allen et al., 2013; Meece, Herman, & McCombs, 2003; Reyes, Brackett, Rivers, White, & Salovey, 2012).

Don't assume that relationships are inconsequential. Some research suggests that preschool children who have a lot of conflict with their teachers show increases in stress hormones when they interact with these teachers (Lisonbee et al., 2008).

Don't wait for negative behaviors and interactions to occur in the classroom. Instead, take a proactive stance on promoting a positive social experience by including students in discussions about prosocial interactions and consistently modeling those positive interactions for them (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009).

How to cultivate positive relationships in your classroom

Know your students

Knowing a student's interests can help you create examples to match those interests.

If a student who loves basketball comes to you with a question about a math problem, you might respond to her with a problem involving basketball.

If a student who speaks Spanish at home comes to you with a question about English vocabulary, you might answer his question and then ask him what the word is in Spanish and how he'd use it in a sentence. This type of specific responding shows that you care about your students as people and that you are aware of their unique strengths (i.e., fluency in another language).

Knowing a student's temperament can help you construct appropriate learning opportunities.

If a girl in your class is particularly distractible, you can support her efforts to concentrate by offering her a quieter area in which to work.

If a boy in your classroom is very shy, appears engaged but never raises his hand to ask questions, you can assess his level of understanding of a concept in a one-on-one conversation at the end of class.

Give students meaningful feedback

Notice the way that you give feedback to your students. If possible, watch a video of your own teaching.

Are you giving students meaningful feedback that says you care about them and their learning, or are you constantly telling your students to hurry?

In your conversations, are you focusing on what your students have accomplished or are you concentrating your comments on what they have not yet mastered?

Does your body language, facial expression and tone of voice show your students that you are interested in them as people too?

Are you telling them to do one thing, yet you model quite different behavior? For example, are you telling your students to listen to each other, but then look bored when one of them talks to the class? Be sure that the feedback you give to your students conveys the message that you are supporting their learning and that you care about them.

Are you paying more attention to some students than to others?

In this clip, a third grade teacher is monitoring and assisting her students during an independent reading activity. She kneels down next to one of her students and asks him questions to determine if he comprehends the story. The teacher positions herself in close proximity to the student and speaks to him with a calm and respectful tone of voice, which conveys the message that she is here to support him.

Make sure to provide social and emotional support and set high expectations for learning.

Be respectful and sensitive to adolescents

Supportive teacher-student relationships are just as important to middle and high school students as they are to elementary students. Positive relationships encourage students' motivation and engagement in learning. Older students need to feel that their teachers respect their opinions and interests just as much as younger students do. Even in situations where adolescents do not appear to care about what teachers do or say, teacher actions and words do matter and may even have long term positive (or negative) consequences.

How to improve relationships with difficult students

Develop positive discourse with students with challenging behavior

Think about what you say to the difficult students in your classroom. Are you constantly bombarding your more challenging students with requests to do something? Do you find yourself constantly asking students to stop doing what they are doing? No one likes being badgered and pestered, and your students are no exception.

Try to find a time or place when you can have positive discussion with the problem student.

Notice and mention the positive behaviors they exhibit.

Remind yourself that even if a challenging student appears unresponsive to your requests, she is hearing the messages that you are giving her. Her responses may not change her immediate behavior but may matter in the long term.

Make extra effort to develop and sustain relationships with difficult students

Difficult students require more energy on your part. For example, you may need to spend time with them individually to get to know them better - to understand their interests as well as what motivates them. This will not only allow you to tailor your instruction to their interests and motivation, but the time spent will also allow them to develop trust in you. Recent research on high school students who have frequent and intense discipline problems shows that when adolescents perceive their teachers are trustworthy people, they show less defiant behavior (Gregory & Ripski, 2008). Persistent teacher-student conflict throughout the elementary years increases the likelihood that children will exhibit negative externalizing behaviors (O'Connor et al., 2012), so it is important for teachers to build close relationships at an early age with children at-risk for behavioral issues.

This video clip highlights a teacher talking about how developing positive relationships is particularly important with behaviorally difficult children.

Forming positive relationships with behaviorally difficult students

These video clips show two teachers talking about the ways positive relationships with their students helps to reach and motivate them.

Theoretical perspectives to explain student behavior

Three theoretical perspectives - attachment theory, social cognitive theory and self-system theory - help to explain why students behave in certain ways in your classroom and how you can use your relationships with them to enhance their learning.

Attachment theory

Attachment theory explains how students use their positive relationships with adults to organize their experiences (Bowlby 1969). Central to this theory is that students with close relationships with their teachers view their teacher as a "secure base" from which to explore the classroom environment. In practice, students with this "secure base" feel safe when making mistakes and feel more comfortable accepting the academic challenges necessary for learning. Strong teacher-student relationships can even act as a buffer against the potentially adverse effects that insecure parent-child attachment can have on students' academic achievement (O'Connor & McCartney, 2007).

Social cognitive theory

Social cognitive theory posits that students develop a wide range of skills simply by watching other people perform those skills. Thus, modeling behavior can be a positive and effective modality for teaching (Bandura, 1986). Applied to the classroom environment, teachers play a critical role as live models from which students can learn social behaviors and positive communication skills. Social cognitive theory also sheds light on the importance of feedback and encouragement from teachers in relation to student performance. Teachers serve as role models and help regulate student behavior through interactions and relationships.

This video clip shows a 16-year-old boy describing one way his teacher is modeling behavior. Given the relationship he describes, it is easy to see the influence that this teacher has on the student.

Self-System theory

Self-System theory emphasizes the importance of students' motivation and by doing so, explains the importance of teacher-student relationships (Harter, 2012; McCombs, 1986). Students come to the classroom with three basic psychological needs - competence, autonomy and relatedness - all of which can be met in a classroom through students' interactions with teachers and with the learning environment (Deci & Ryan, 2002).

Classroom practices that foster the feelings of competence, autonomy and relatedness are likely to produce the engagement and motivation required for academic learning and success.

Competence refers to a student's need to feel capable of academic work.

Autonomy suggests a feeling that he or she has some choice and ability to make decisions.

Relatedness implies that a student feels socially connected to teachers or peers.

Positive teacher-student relationships help students meet these needs. Teachers offer feedback to students to support their feelings of competence. Teachers who know their students' interests and preferences, and show regard and respect for these individual differences, bolster students' feelings of autonomy. Teachers who establish a personal and caring relationship and foster positive social interactions within their classrooms meet their students' needs for relatedness (or social connection to school). Taken together, effective teacher-student relationships confirm to students that teachers care for them and support their academic efforts.

These video clips shows competence and autonomy from an 8-year-old child.

The students in my school have severe emotional and behavioral problems and my school has few economic resources - can good relationships really help?

Teacher-student relationships contribute to students' resiliency. Often, we assume that hard-to-change factors such as class size, teacher experience or availability of instructional supplies are crucial for predicting student achievement. In fact, these factors are not as important as having positive relationships.

In one study of almost 4,000 students (who were ethnic minority groups and from poor families), the presence of positive relationships with teachers and the experience of a positive and orderly school environment in elementary and middle school were strong predictors of gains in math outcomes - much stronger than class size, teacher experience, or availability of instructional supplies (Borman & Overman, 2004).

In another study, urban high school students with behavior and emotional problems were assigned to an intervention involving weekly interactions with teachers, monthly calls to the students at home and increased praise from adults. Those students involved in the intervention showed higher grade point averages over the five-month intervention period compared to their peers who were not receiving the intervention (Murray & Malmgren, 2005). Studies like this point to an important message - across ages and in all content areas, students will be more engaged and motivated if teachers meet students' essential need for social connection.

Can positive teacher-student relationships help to reduce the prevalence of bullying behavior in students?

The behaviors and emotions that young children display when interacting with peers play a critical role in their involvement with bullying throughout the school years. Teachers have the ability to reduce bullying behaviors that occur in the classroom by establishing a positive climate in which pro-social actions are both encouraged and rewarded (Hanish, Kochenderfer-Ladd, Fabes, Martin, & Denning, 2004). Through teacher-student relationship, teachers can assist students in understanding how to better understand and regulate emotions they are feeling. Teachers can also involve students in discussing alternative strategies to deal with social conflict and in establishing prosocial rules for the classroom (Allen, 2010; Fraser et al., 2005).

How does the importance of the teacher-student relationship compare to other important relationships, such as parent-student relationships, in students' lives?

From early childhood through adolescence, positive teacher-student relationships appear to complement the other important relationships in students' lives.

For young students, increased parental engagement (i.e., warmth and sensitivity, support for autonomy, involvement in learning) is associated with greater social bonds with other caregiving adults, including teachers (Sheridan, Knoche, Edwards, Bovaird, & Kupzyk, 2010).

In middle school students, the perception of their teacher (whether they felt that their teacher was supportive toward them or not) predicted students' interest in learning and their engagement in the classroom. At this level, parental support plays a complementary role by predicting youths' motivation in school (Wentzel, 1997).

In high school, parent and teacher supportiveness (combined with parent and teacher monitoring and high expectations) contribute to gains in mathematics achievement (Gregory & Weinstein, 2004). At this age, parent and teacher monitoring of behavior as well as high parent and teacher expectations play an important role in achievement.

This video clip is of a teacher talking about the complementary role that her relationship with the child and the family plays in managing a child's behavior in the classroom.

What are the factors contributing to positive teacher-student relationships?

Multiple factors determine teacher-student relationships: teacher characteristics and student characteristics each play an important role in predicting the quality of interactions that teachers have with individual students. Although less well-studied, other factors (school social climate, school policies, etc.) also contribute to the quality of these relationships.

Will more positive teacher-student relationships improve the peer relationships in my classroom?

Yes, positive teacher-student relationships can promote improved peer relationships in your classrooms through direct and indirect approaches. Teachers can directly promote positive social behaviors by orchestrating the relationships within a classroom in a positive manner (Battistich et al., 2004). Teachers can use positive teacher-student relationships indirectly to promote peer relationships as well. Students tend to be more accepting of peers who show engagement in the tasks of school (e.g., show attention, participate in classroom activities), and positive teacher-student relationships enhance students' engagement. Positive teacher-student relationships improve student-to-student acceptance in both current and future years (Hughes & Kwok, 2007).

Are positive teacher-student relationships easier to form in some situations than others?

Some situations (such as in elementary school, where each teacher is assigned only twenty or so students) provide more opportunities for the development of close teacher-student relationships. Other situations (such as the middle school or high school levels, where teachers routinely provide instruction to four or five groups of twenty-five or more students) make it more difficult to form positive teacher-student relationships with all students (Feldlaufer, Midgley, & Eccles, 1988; Meece et al., 2003), and thus, it takes more effort.

It is also easier to focus attention on positive teacher-student relationships in schools where the administrators believe that trust and positive relationships are important for improving students' performance (Bryk, Sebring, Allensworth, Luppescu, & Easton, 2010 ). A distinguishing characteristic of schools with high performing students is the presence of an adult school community that works together in a coordinated manner to create a social environment that supports teachers' efforts to establish good relationships with students (Allensworth & Easton, 2007).

If teacher-student relationships reflect both characteristics of the teachers and characteristics of the student, how stable are these relationships over time?

The quality of teacher-student relationships is surprisingly stable over time. In other words, if a kindergarten teacher has a conflictual relationship with a student; it is likely that the child's first and second grade teachers will also experience conflict in their relationship with that same child. This stability is more evident when the relationships are conflictual rather than when the relationships are close or dependent (Howes, Phillepsen & Peisner-Feinberg, 2000; Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004). Most likely, the stability stems from the "internal working model" that students create in their mind about how relationships with adults typically ought to work.

Here is a video clip of a 16-year-old boy talking about a high school teacher. The teen talks about a teaching method that complements his learning style and motivates him to ask questions. The teacher allows students to question his thinking, a type of questioning that fosters learning, as the student describes. The quality of this give-and-take between the teacher and students provides one example of a teacher-student interaction that appeals to adolescents and enhances the teacher-student relationship.

Are there any unintended consequences associated with creating positive teacher-student relationships?

Ideally, classroom environments need to be nurturing while at the same time holding students to high academic standards (Curby, LoCasale-Crouch, et al., 2009; Stuhlman & Pianta, 2009). Classrooms that focus on nurturance without offering opportunities for academic learning do not produce increases in students' achievement (Allensworth & Easton, 2007; Lee & Smith, 1999).

Do positive teacher-student relationships work for all school subjects?

Positive teacher-student relationships play an equally important role in students' success across all subjects (McCombs & Miller, 2006). Students' social and emotional needs are present throughout the day and the year, regardless of the subject area.

Can positive teacher-student relationships support students' self-control?

In the past decade, there has been increased interest in methods to support students' development of self-control. Executive functioning is one component of self-control that refers to students' working memory, ability to direct attention, and the ability to control their responses in different situations. Through their relationships and interactions with students, teachers can help to develop and improve students' executive functioning skills and the behaviors that emerge because of those skills. For example, a higher degree of emotional support provided by the classroom teacher is associated with a reduction in students' off-task behavior (Rimm-Kaufman, Curby, Grimm, Nathanson, & Brock, 2009). Additionally, students with low effortful control perform similarly to children with high effortful control (i.e., the ability to substitute an automatic or immediate response for a more appropriate one, such as raising one's hand instead of calling out) on tests of reading and mathematics if they experience positive relationships with their teachers (Liew, Chen, & Hughes, 2010). Teacher-student relationships help students develop executive functioning skills regardless of whether they are low or high in these skills in the beginning of the school year. (See Willingham, 2011, for more useful information.)

This video clip provides an example of how a teacher's supportive interactions with an eight year old boy helps him get back on track and show more self-control in his behaviors.

How do you evaluate teacher-student relationships?

Several common and readily available instruments have been developed to assess teacher-student relationships. Although used primarily for research, these instruments can also serve as diagnostic tools to identify strengths and weakness in your own teaching. Some of these instruments rely on teacher reports of relationships, others are observationally-based measures of teacher-student interactions in the classroom, and yet others rely on students' reports of their relationships with teachers. One particularly innovative technique to use with young children relies on children's drawings of their teachers.

There are less formal ways to assess your relationships with students:

Invite a school psychologist into your classroom to observe your interactions, take notes and reflect with you about the child with whom you have a challenging relationship.

Set up a video camera and analyze your own interactions with the student who is causing you difficulty.

Give your students anonymous questionnaires (on paper or on-line) or ask small groups of students about how they feel while they are in your classroom.

Through this process, it is important to realize that even the best teachers have difficulties with a few students from time to time. The reasons for these difficulties are numerous and getting help from a collaborating teacher, the school psychologist, or a supportive administrator may offer you an outside view of what is occurring and help you improve your relationships with the challenging students in your classroom.

Are positive teacher-student relationships a "magic bullet"?

No, positive teacher-student relationships are only one part of a teachers' repertoire of classroom management and discipline strategies. High quality relationships complement high quality classroom management. Furthermore, it is not possible to develop positive relationships with every student. As a teacher, you can strive toward accomplishing that goal but realize that having an ideal relationship with each student may be unobtainable.

How are positive teacher-student relationships linked to classroom climate?

Improving teacher-student relationships constitutes only a first step toward creating a classroom community that is conducive to student's social and academic development.

Several student characteristics are risk factors for problematic relationships

Boys typically have more conflict and less closeness in their relationships with teachers than girls (Baker, 2006; Howes et al., 2000; Hughes, Cavell, & Wilson, 2001).

High levels of teacher-student conflict may affect girls and boys differently. For example, teacher-student conflict appears to affect math achievement more negatively for girls than for boys (McCormick & O'Connor, 2014).

Students with more internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) show greater dependency on their teachers than their average counterparts (Henricsson & Rydell, 2004), whereas students with more externalizing problems (e.g., aggression, problem behaviors) show more conflict with teachers (Murray & Murray, 2004; O'Connor et al., 2012).

Students who exhibit more problem behaviors at home and school tend to develop more conflictual and less close relationships with their teachers (Birch & Ladd, 1998; Murray & Murray, 2004; O'Connor et al., 2012).

Students with emotional disturbances or mild intellectual disability have more negative relationships with teachers than students without these problems (Murray & Greenberg, 2001).

Bold preschool students with poorly developed language skills are perceived by their teachers as having more conflictual relationships. Shy preschool students with better language skills are perceived by their teachers as more dependent upon them (Rudasill et al., 2006).

For students at risk for problematic teacher-student relationships, teachers needed to make extra efforts to offer the social and emotional support likely to help them meet the challenges they face in school.

Teachers vary in their ability to create positive teacher-student relationships. Some teachers simply have an easier time developing positive relationships with students - personality, feelings toward students, their own relationship histories may all play a role. A few personal characteristics of teachers have been identified as important predictors of positive teacher-student relationships in elementary schools. Research has found that preschool and kindergarten teachers are more likely to develop close relationships with students who share their same ethnic background. In contrast, it was found that Caucasian pre-service teachers working in their 10-week field placement sites perceived African-American and Hispanic students as more dependent than these same teachers perceived White students. Asian-American and Hispanic pre-service teachers perceived African-American students as more dependent upon them as compared to Asian-American or Hispanic students (Kesner, 2000).

Pre-service teachers who recall their own upbringing as caring and nurturing were also more likely to experience closeness with the students in their field placement classrooms (Kesner, 2000). Teachers' beliefs and the types of practices that teachers prefer also appear to be important. Kindergarten teachers who use more age-appropriate, student-centered teaching practices reported less conflictual relationships with their kindergarten students than those who use more didactic, teacher-centered strategies (Manticopoulous, 2005). Much less is known about the teacher characteristics that contribute to positive teacher-student relationships at the middle and high school level.

Measures of teacher-student relationships

Student-teacher relationship scale (STRS; Pianta, 2001) is a teacher-report instrument designed for elementary school teachers. This instrument measures a teacher's perception of conflict, closeness and dependency with a specific child. Another instrument designed for teachers of middle and high school is the teacher-student relationship inventory (TSRI, Ang, 2005). It measures teachers' satisfaction with their students, the help they perceive they are offering to their students and their level of conflict with their students.

Classroom assessment scoring system (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro & Hamre, 2006) examines the presence of supportive relationships in the classroom. This system measures teachers' sensitivity as well as positive and negative climate in the classroom. Different forms of this instrument are available for preschool through twelfth grade.

Assessment of learner-centered practices (ALCP) is a set of validated survey instruments designed for teachers and students. These surveys, each designed for a different age group (grades K-3, 4-8 and 9-12), provide teachers with tools for self-assessment and reflection (McCombs, 2004). The emphasis of this work has been to identify discrepancies between teacher and student perceptions in order to assist teachers as they reflect upon and change their practices (McCombs & Miller, 2006). The ALCP process focuses on student learning and motivational outcomes, as well as the classroom practices that contribute most to maximizing these outcomes.

Feelings about school (Valeski & Stipek, 2001) examines young children's perceptions of their relationships with teachers and their overall feelings toward school. Young children's attitudes about school can also be assessed by having a child draw a picture of him/herself and his/her teacher at school and analyzing the picture for signs of negativity (Harrison, Clarke, & Ungerer, 2007).

Loneliness and social dissatisfaction questionnaire for young children (Cassidy & Asher, 1992) evaluates students' feelings of loneliness and discontentment with peer relationships in elementary school.

Teacher treatment inventory (Weinstein & Marshall, 1984) is a self-report measure that can be used with middle and high school students to rate their perception of the frequency of specific teacher behaviors. This measure can be used along with an adapted measure of perceived social connection.

Teacher-student relationships and the classroom climate

How do teacher-student relationships relate to classroom climate?

When first grade teachers use practices that demonstrate caring toward students and practices that foster interpersonal skills among students, students are less likely to reject one another (Donahue et al, 2003). In addition, aggressive students who have positive relationships with teachers are more likely to be accepted by peers than aggressive students who lack positive relationships with their teachers (Hughes et al., 2001). Ultimately, constructive teacher-student relationships have an important positive influence on the social skills of difficult as well as typical students (Zins, Elias, Greenberg, & Weissberg, 2000). Such findings suggest that enhancing individual teacher-student relationships has beneficial and cumulative effects for other aspects of classroom life.

Improving teacher-student relationships is only the first step toward meeting students' emotional and relational needs. A teacher should also work on producing a caring community of learners. Such efforts improve the nature of interactions among students and promote students' engagement in school (Hamre & Pianta, 2005; McCombs, 2004; Meece et al., 2003; Weinberger & McCombs, 2003).

Interventions

Studies have examined the effectiveness of interventions designed to create more caring school and classroom communities; each has resulted in specific recommendations for improving teacher-student relationships as well as peer-relationships.

1. The Child Development Project (CDP) focuses on fostering caring peer relationships, including students in decision-making during classroom meetings, and teaching students to better understand the feelings, needs and perspectives of others. The goal of CDP is to promote positive development among students and build upon their strengths. Students exposed to this intervention feel more positive about school and are more motivated (e.g., showed more task orientation and greater intrinsic motivation) than their counterparts not receiving this intervention in elementary school (Solomon, Battistich, Watson, Schaps, & Lewis, 2000). Likewise, CDP appears to have some long-lasting effects; students enrolled in the CDP elementary schools were less antisocial and more prosocial in middle school as well (Battistich et al., 2004). Further, in a district that pressed for high achievement, CDP was linked to positive effects on achievement outcomes as well as gains in socio-emotional skills.

2. The responsive classroom (RC) approach is a classroom-based intervention designed to integrate social and academic learning. When RC was examined to determine whether there were links between the use of its approach and the quality of teacher-student relationships, it was found that teachers using more RC practices had closer relationships with students in their classrooms (Baroody, Rimm-Kaufman, Larsen & Curby, 2014; Rimm-Kaufman & Chiu, 2007).

3. The RULER approach is another school-based social-emotional intervention that is designed to teach students critical skills related to emotions (labeling, expressing, regulating, etc.). This intervention was developed to align with the language arts curriculum in grades K-12. Investigations of RULER'S effectiveness have revealed that students whose teachers utilize more RULER approaches in the classroom demonstrated improved social skills and emotional intelligence (Reyes, Brackett, Rivers, Elbertson, & Salovey, 2012).

4. Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS) is an additional intervention intended to strengthen the social-emotional learning skills of students in pre-K through grade 6. Primary goals of the intervention include building problem-solving skills, developing conflict-resolution strategies, forming positive relationships, and increasing self-control and self-awareness. Teachers who implemented the PATHS curriculum in the early elementary grades reported increases in prosocial interactions and higher levels of academic engagement in their classrooms (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 2010).

When does the strategy work?

What developmental differences are associated with teacher-student relationships?

Teacher-student relationships are as important to adolescents as they are to younger students. Feeling a connection and sense of relatedness to a teacher represents an essential need of all children and teens (Gregory & Ripski, 2008). However, it is worth noting that the nature of positive teacher-student relationships changes depending on the age of the student involved. In other words, the precise behaviors that might be perceived by a kindergarten child as nurturing and caring (e.g., a doting smile, a one-armed hug), in contrast, might be perceived by adolescents as over-involved and cloying. It is also important to realize that in the early years of school, students' perception of their relationship with teachers and teachers' perception of those same relationships are quite similar. As children grow and develop, the gap between their perceptions of teachers and teachers' perception of them grows and widens (McCombs & Miller, 2006).

Students experience stressors as they grow and develop. Positive, healthy relationships can help students with the developmental transitions they experience.

Do good teacher-student relationships work better for some students than others?

Teacher-student relationships are important to virtually all students. However, high quality teacher-student relationships appear to be most significant for students who are at risk for school problems based on early behavioral and learning issues (Baker, 2006; Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2002). In one study, high quality teacher-student relationships appeared to be better predictors of classroom adjustment, social skills and reading performance for students showing initial externalizing problems (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity), internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety, depression) and learning problems (e.g., attention problems) (Baker, 2006) than for students without these initial risk factors.

In another study, sensitive and supportive relationships proved to be more important in predicting increased self-reliant behavior and less off task, negative and aggressive behaviors in the kindergarten classroom for bold, outgoing children. (Comparable levels of sensitivity and support of the teacher played less of a role in children's classroom behavior for shy, hesitant children [Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2002). Teacher sensitivity and emotional supportiveness played a greater role in predicting children's academic achievement gains in first grade (after taking into consideration children's earlier achievement) for children "at risk" for school failure than for those without these risk factors (Hamre & Pianta, 2005).

Similarly, a recent study on children from rural families found that high emotional support provided by teachers was associated with increased behavioral self-control and lower levels of aggression in first grade students. This study also found that attending an emotionally-supportive classroom was equally important for students regardless of whether they were from families living with poverty or not and whether they were from families headed by a single parent or two parents (Merritt, Wanless, Rimm-Kaufman, Cameron, & Peugh, 2012).

In another study, poor teacher-student relationships correlated with a reading achievement gap between African-American and White students, all of whom initially demonstrated below average literacy skills. Specifically, when Hughes and Kwok (2007) studied a group of low achieving readers, they found that first grade children who had poorer relationships with their teachers were less engaged in school and had lower academic achievement in second grade. It is very important to note that Hughes and Kwok found that African-American children had poorer relationships with their teachers than children of other ethnic backgrounds (i.e., Caucasian, Hispanic). This suggests how important it is for teachers to develop the best possible relationship with all students, regardless of their ethnic background. Taken together, such findings suggest that high quality teacher-student relationships can partially compensate for disadvantages in other facets of students' social-emotional lives.

High quality teacher-student relationships are equally important for all students, regardless of ethnicity. Students are more likely to experience positive relationships with teachers who share their ethnicity. However, other factors besides ethnicity (e.g., the teachers' skills in creating good relationships, the child's tendency toward behavior problems) are probably more important than ethnicity in predicting the quality of teacher-student relationships.

Ethnicity

Several themes emerge in relation to the study of teacher-student relationships among ethnic minority students.

Virtually all peer-reviewed studies on teacher-student relationships included students who are ethnic minorities in their samples. Many include only ethnic minority students. Such studies have found that high quality teacher-student relationships are important for all children and youth (e.g., Murray & Malmgren, 2005; Decker, Dona, & Christenson, 2007). For example, close teacher-student relationships played an equally important and positive role in influencing the behavioral competence of both Hispanic and White non-Hispanic preschool children (Ewing & Taylor, 2009).

One study shows young students are more likely to experience positive relationships with teachers who share their ethnicity (Saft & Pianta, 2001). Although this finding emerged, the magnitude of its effect is very small, suggesting that other factors besides ethnicity are more important in predicting the quality of teacher-student relationships.

Third, there is a "folk wisdom" that some children and youth, particularly African American students, will not respond well to the outwardly warm, nurturing, and supportive behaviors typical in classrooms led by White teachers. This idea is often espoused in books and articles, however, there is very little research evidence to supports this assertion. The prevalent view recommends warm and demanding behaviors toward African American students (Gregory & Weinstein, 2008). Here are a few studies to consider in thinking about your interactions with African American students.

In one study, African American high school students' inclination to cooperate with and trust teachers depended on students' perceptions of whether their teacher cared about them and held high expectations for success (Gregory & Weinstein, 2008). As stated by one African American high school student," ...when she talk to you with seriousness, she mean it, but then she also have a smile like 'I'm on your side.' I mean, 'I feel where you're coming from but I'm still your teacher' (Gregory & Weinstein, 2008, p. 470).

In another study, researchers conducted interviews of eight academically-successful African American high school graduates from single-parent, low income families. The students reflected on factors that contributed to their achievement. All of the graduates reported that having a supportive and warm mentorship relationship with a teacher, coach, or school counselor contributed to their academic success. In some cases, the mentors were very persistent in their efforts to help the students succeed (Williams & Bryan, 2013).

Student and teacher stressors

Student Stressors

Positive teacher-student relationships can offset some of the normal stressors that students experience as they grow and develop. The transition to middle school can be a stressful time for children; middle school students often show declines in motivation, self-esteem and academic performance (Feldlaufer et al., 1988).

Students who perceive greater support from their teachers experience less depression and have more growth in self-esteem between the sixth and eighth grades (Reddy, Rhodes, & Mulhall, 2003).

Students who perceive their teachers as respectful, eager to support their autonomy, focused on setting realistic and individualized expectations for performance, and offering nurturing and constructive feedback are more motivated in school (Wentzel, 1997). More specifically, if a student believes "my teacher trusts me" or "my teacher calls on me to give the answer," he or she is more likely to be interested in class, more likely to conform to the positive social norms of the classroom, and more eager to master the academic material being taught (Wentzel, 1997).

Teacher Stressors

Like other professionals in demanding roles, teachers may experience depleted energy and increased stress or "burnout." Physically and emotionally exhausted teachers struggle to sustain strong relationships with students (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Teachers are developing people and their psychological health is crucial to their success in the classroom, especially their ability to create high quality relationships with students (Rimm-Kaufman & Hamre, 2010). Teachers need to take time to care for themselves and receive support from others to improve their capacity to work with students.

During difficult times, an important source of support for teachers is the adult community within the school (Bryk et al., 2010). Increased collaboration and communication among teachers and other educational personnel can provide the social support needed to reduce feelings of stress and to renew teachers' energy. Teachers who feel positively about their own ability to cope with challenging situations and to form close relationships with others are more likely to provide higher quality environments that improve student outcomes (Brown, Jones, LaRusso, & Aber, 2010). There is a growing body of research showing how important it is for teachers to tend to their own psychological health and well-being.

In this closing video, teachers and students describe qualities that make a great teacher.

Where can I get more information?

Several books designed for teachers may be useful in promoting teacher-student relationships. Most of these books address the needs of children in early and middle childhood:

Charney, R. (2002). Teaching children to care: Classroom management for ethical and academic growth, K-8. Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

Howes, C. & Ritchie, S. (2002). A matter of trust: Connecting teachers and learners in the early childhood classroom. New York: Teachers College Press.

Pianta, R. C. (1999). Enhancing relationships between children and teachers. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Several research briefs and blogs about teacher-student relationships and social emotional learning in pre-K, elementary and secondary grades:

Allen, K. P. (2010). Classroom management, bullying, and teacher practices. The Professional Educator, 34(1), 1-15.

Allen, J., Gregory, A., Mikami, A., Lun, J., Hamre, B., & Pianta, R. (2013). Observations of effective teacher-student interactions in secondary classrooms: Predicting student achievement with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System - Secondary. School Psychology Review, 42 (1), 76-98.

Allensworth, E. M., & Easton, J. Q. (2007). What matters for staying on-track and graduation in Chicago public high schools. Consortium of Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. Retrieved from https://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/07%20What%20Matters%20Final.pdf

Ang, R. P. (2005). Development and validation of the teacher-student relationship inventory using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The Journal of Experimental Education, 71(1), 55-74.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Baker, J. A. (2006). Contributions of teacher-child relationships to positive school adjustment during elementary school. Journal of School Psychology, 44, 211-229.

Battistich, V., Schaps, E., & Wilson, N. (2004). Effects of an elementary school intervention on students' "connectedness" to school and social adjustment during middle school. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 24(3), 243-262.

Berry, D., & O'Connor, E. (2009). Behavioral risk, teacher-child relationships, and social skill development across middle childhood: A child-by-environment analysis of change. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 31(1), 1-14.

Birch, S. H., & Ladd, G. W. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and early school adjustment. Journal of School Psychology, 55(1), 61-79.

Birch, S. H., & Ladd, G. W. (1998). Children's interpersonal behaviors and the teacher-child relationship. Developmental Psychology, 34(5), 934-946.

Borman, G. & Overman, L. (2004). Academic resilience in mathematics among poor and minority students. Elementary School Journal, 104(3), 177-195.

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume 1. Attachment. New York: Basic Books.

Brown, J. L., Jones, S., LaRusso, M. D., & Aber, J. L. (2010). Improving classroom quality: Teacher influences and experimental impacts of the 4Rs program. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(1), 153-167.

Bryk, A. S., Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, E., Luppescu, S., & Easton, J. Q. (2010). Organizing schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Cassidy, J. & Asher, S.R. (1992). Loneliness and peer relations in young children. Child Development, 63, 350-365.

Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (2010). Effects of a multiyear social-emotional learning program: The role of student and school characteristics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 156-168.

Croninger, R. G., & Lee, V. E. (2001). Social capital and dropping out of high school: Benefits to at-risk students of teachers' support and guidance. Teacher College Record, 103(4), 548-581.

Curby, T. W., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Konold, T. R., Pianta, R. C., Howes, C., Burchinal, M., Bryant, D., ...Barbarin, O. (2009). The relations of observed pre-k classroom quality profiles to children's achievement and social competence. Early Education and Development, 20(2), 1556-6935.

Curby, T. W., Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Ponitz, C. C. (2009). Teacher-child interactions and children's achievement trajectories across kindergarten and first grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101 (4), 912-925.

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Decker, D. M., Dona, D. P., & Christenson, S. L. (2007). Behaviorally at-risk African American students: The importance of student-teacher relationships for student outcomes. Journal of School Psychology, 45(1), 83-109.

Donohue, K. M., Perry, K. E., & Weinstein, R. S. (2003). Teachers' classroom practices and children's rejection by their peers. Applied Developmental Psychology, 24, 91-118.

Ewing, A. R., & Taylor, A. R. (2009). The role of child gender and ethnicity in teacher-child relationship quality and children's behavioral adjustment in preschool. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24(1), 92-105.

Feldlaufer, H., Midgley, C. & Eccles, J. S. (1988). Student, teacher, and observer perceptions of the classroom environment before and after the transition to junior high school. Journal of Early Adolescence, 8(2), 133-156.

Fraser, M. W., Galinsky, M. J., Smokowski, P. R., Day, S. H., Terzian, M. A., Rose, R. A., & Guo, S. (2005). Social information-processing skills training to promote social competence and prevent aggressive behavior in the third grade. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(6), 1045-1055.

Gregory, A., & Ripski, M. (2008). Adolescent trust in teachers: Implications for behavior in the high school classroom. School Psychology Review, 37(3), 337-353.

Gregory, A., & Weinstein, R. S. (2008). The discipline gap and African Americans: Defiance and cooperation in the high school classroom. The Journal of School Psychology, 46(4), 455-475.

Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory of children's school outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72, 625-638.

Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can instructional and emotional support in the first-grade classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure? Child Development, 76(5), 949-967.

Hanish, L.D., Kochenderfer-Ladd, B., Fabes, R. A., Martin, C. L., & Denning, D. (2004). Bullying among young children: The influence of peers and teachers. In D. L. Espelage, & S. M. Swearer. (Eds). Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention (pp. 141-150). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Harrison, L. J., Clarke, L., & Ungerer, J. A. (2007). Children's drawings provide a new perspective on teacher-child relationship quality and school adjustment. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22, 55-71.

Harter, S. (2012). The construction of the self: Developmental and sociocultural foundations (2nd. ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Hartz, K., & Williford, A. P. (in press). Differential susceptibility to sensitivity: Maternal and teacher influences on children's kindergarten behavior problems. Infant and Child Development.

Hemmeter, M. L., & Conroy, M. A. (2012). Supporting social competence of young children with challenging behavior in the context of Teaching Pyramid model. In R. C. Pianta, W. S. Barnett, L. M., Justice, & Sheridan, S. M. (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood education (pp. 416-434). New York: Guilford Press.

Henriccson, L., & Rydell, A. (2004). Elementary school children with behavior problems: Teacher-child relations and self-perception. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50(2), 111-138.

Howes, C., Phillipsen, L. C., & Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2000). The consistency of perceived teacher-child relationships between preschool and kindergarten. Journal of School Psychology, 58(2), 115-132.

Hughes, J. N., Cavell, T. A., & Wilson, V. (2001). Further support for the developmental significance of the quality of the teacher-student relationship. Journal of School Psychology, 39(4), 289-301.

Hughes, J., & Kwok, O. (2007). Influence of student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships on lower achieving readers' engagement and achievement in the primary grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 39-51.

Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491-525

Jones, S. M., Bouffard, S. M., & Weissbourd, R. (2013). Educators' social and emotional skills vita to learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 94, 62-65.

Kesner, J. E. (2000). Teacher characteristics and the quality of child-teacher relationships. Journal of School Psychology, 28(2), 135-149.

Klem, A. M., & Connell, J. P. (2004). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74(7), 262-273.

Lee, V., & Smith, J. B. (1999). Social support and achievement for young adolescents in Chicago: The role of school academic press. American Educational Research Journal, 36(4), 907-945.

Liew, J., Chen, Q., & Hughes, J. N. (2010). Child effortful control, teacher-student relationships, and achievement in academically at-risk children: Additive and interactive effects. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25, 51-64.

Lisonbee, J., Mize, J., Payne, A. L., & Granger, D. (2008). Children's cortisol and the quality of teacher-child relationships in child care. Child Development, 79(6), 1818-1832.

Manticopoulos, P. (2005). Conflictual relationships between kindergarten children and their teachers: Associations with child and classroom context variables. Journal of School Psychology, 43, 425-442.

McCombs, B. L. (1986). The role of the self-system in self-regulated learning. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 11, 314-332.

McCombs, B. L. (2004). The learner-centered psychological principles: A framework for balancing a focus on academic achievement with a focus on social and emotional learning needs. In E. Zins, R. P. Weissberg, M. C. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Building academic success on social emotional learning: What does the research say? (pp. 23-39). New York: Teachers College Press.

McCombs, B. L., & Miller, L. (2006). The journey to learner-centered practices: A series for teachers and administrators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

McCormick, M. P., & O'Connor, E. E. (2014). Teacher-child relationship quality and academic achievement in elementary school: Does gender matter? Journal of Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication.

Meece, J. L., Herman, P., & McCombs, B. L. (2003). Relations of learner-centered teaching practices to adolescents' achievement goals. International Journal of Educational Research, 39(4-5), 457-475.

Merritt, E. G., Wanless, S. B., Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Cameron, C., & Peugh, J. L. (2012). The contribution of teachers' emotional support to children's social behaviors and self-regulatory skills in first grade. School Psychology Review, 41(2), 141-159.

Murray, C., & Greenberg, M. T. (2001). Relationships with teachers and bonds with school: Social and emotional adjustment correlates for children with and without disabilities. Psychology in the Schools, 38(1), 25-41.

Murray. C., & Malmgren, K. (2005). Implementing a teacher-student relationship program in a high-poverty urban school: Effects on social, emotional and academic adjustment and lessons learned. Journal of School Psychology, 43(2), 137-152.

Murray, C., & Murray, K. M. (2004). Child level correlates of teacher-student relationships: An examination of demographic characteristics, academic orientations, and behavioral orientations. Psychology in the Schools, 41(7), 751-762.

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Reyes, M. R., Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S. E., Elbertson, N. A., & Salovey, P. (2012). The interaction effects of program training, dosage, and implementation quality on targeted student outcomes for THE RULER Approach to social and emotional learning. School Psychology Review, 41(1), 82-99.

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Improving students' relationships with teachers

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Improving students' relationships with teachers has positive implications for students' academic and social development.

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Students' brains are hard at work every moment of the day, learning skills and connecting new information with old. Those same brains are also constantly processing information when it comes to their relationship with you, their teacher.

Positive student relationships are fundamental to success. When students feel supported, they're more likely to engage in learning and have better academic outcomes. Plus, when students have positive interactions with teachers, they have fewer behavioral problems. These relationships are more important - and more challenging - than ever in uncertain times, like during the coronavirus pandemic.

Neuroscience can help us understand what's happening in students' brains when they feel safe and understood. Here are four reasons why positive teacher-student relationships are important - and how you can build those relationships.

1. Positive relationships build motivation.

This creates a cycle. You provide positive feedback. The student's brain releases dopamine. The student feels good and is motivated to feel that way again. With this increased motivation, students spend more time and attention working on a skill. They build those skills. You give more praise - sparking the release of more dopamine. And the cycle starts all over again.

On the flip side, when students don't receive positive feedback, they're less likely to enter the positive cycle of motivation and learning.

How to do it: To build a positive relationship, you need to have more positive interactions than negative ones. More specifically, researchers recommend having five positive interactions for every one negative interaction. Positive interactions could include greeting students by name as they arrive, giving praise for working hard, or asking about a student's pet.

Students who learn and think differently often have more negative interactions than positive ones. For example, students with ADHD may receive constant reminders from teachers to be on time and stay on task.

This doesn't mean that you should never provide students with corrective feedback and reminders. But make sure the positive interactions outweigh the negative ones. The more you get to know your students, the more you'll recognize when they need praise or encouragement, and when they're open to constructive feedback. You can keep a tally of how many reminders you give a student to complete an assignment. Try to find five times as many positive things to comment on and tally up as well.

2. Positive relationships create safe spaces for learning.

Think about how this applies to your own life. If you have a supportive principal who has established psychological safety in your school, you might be more likely to challenge yourself and try new ideas in your classroom. But if school leaders consistently give critical feedback, you might not feel psychologically safe enough to try something new. It's the same for students.

Building psychological safety is harder with some students than others. Think of the last time you saw a student seeming to overreact. This behavior may result from trauma or chronic stress in the student's life (such as having a learning or thinking difference or growing up as part of a marginalized group). This can cause them to feel threatened in situations that other students find harmless. The brain learns that the environment is not safe and remains on alert to potential danger.

For these students, when something is perceived as a threat, a region of the brain called the amygdala sets off an alarm. The amygdala is known for its role in detecting threats in the environment. Its job is to keep us safe and alive. Think of an animal that must decide whether to run or freeze when it sees a predator.

The amygdala triggers the release of cortisol (also called the stress hormone) and epinephrine (also called adrenaline). This sends extra energy throughout the body. The muscles tense up and the heartbeat quickens, preparing for fight or flight. When the threat detection system in the brain is highly activated, learning cannot happen. This is the opposite of psychological safety.

In students, this might look like:

Avoiding assignments

Putting their head down

Yelling or making negative comments

Walking out of the classroom or leaving a live video lesson

Acting out physically or aggressively

While building psychological safety may be even more difficult with these students, it is especially important for them. That's because oxytocin also helps keep the amygdala's threat detection system quiet. Over time, when students are surrounded by people they trust, their threat detection system is less likely to activate, and they're better able to learn.

For students who are at risk for a fight-or-flight reaction, your approach will need to differ slightly. Use strategies like when-then sentences so they can know exactly what positive outcome to expect when they complete a task, while giving students the power of choice. Expect that they may overreact sometimes, and provide the space and time needed to calm down. By remaining calm, you're not only reminding yourself to react to their behavior as a form of communication and respond appropriately. You're also building psychological safety and trust.

3. Positive relationships build new pathways for learning.

As you teach the new information, new neural pathways connect the old information with the new. If students don't understand the context or aren't able to link the new information to anything they currently know, they'll have a hard time understanding the lesson.

Ask students to share what they know about a topic. Every student has a different set of background knowledge. For example, if you know a student is a talented artist, you can leverage their knowledge of different kinds of paintbrushes to explain friction. Or you can make an analogy about the relationship between the characters in a student's favorite book and the domestic strife in the Civil War.

4. Positive relationships improve student behavior.

Neuroscience research has started to uncover why this imitation happens - and how it can be used to encourage positive behaviors. Studies have shown that when people observe an action being performed, it activates some of the same neural pathways that would be active if they actually performed the action. This is called the mirror-neuron system.

Essentially, our brains are practicing the action that we're seeing, even though our bodies don't move. Studies show that when people see an action first, they are able to perform the action more quickly than if they had not seen the action.

How to do it: Start by thinking through what behaviors and social skills you're modeling for your students. For example, you likely already model social skills like turn-taking, cooperation, and empathy on a daily basis. You can take it a step further and explain the behaviors you're modeling. The next time you're feeling frustrated, tell your students how you're feeling. Talk about how you deal with frustration, such as taking a few deep breaths.

For younger students, use pre-correcting and prompting as a classroom management strategy. It allows you to explicitly tell, show, and remind students how to approach tasks or situations.

Young children are even more likely than adults to imitate the behaviors they see. That's because they're still learning social skills and appropriate behavior. Plus, the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that allows us to choose where to direct our attention and to regulate our behaviors and emotions) isn't fully developed until we're in our 20s. Childhood is a prime time to model behavior and social skills for students.

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Building positive relationships with students: What brain science says

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Brain science tells us why positive student relationships can lead to their success.

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Educators Share Their Fears and Worries

When students experience depression or anxiety, it affects their mood, energy level, and ability to concentrate. This can lead to struggles with their academics and create challenges for educators in their efforts to accommodate them.

Earlier this year, we heard from several students who spoke candidly about their mental health and offered insight into their feelings of overwhelm, stress, and panic. With this understanding, we asked you, their educators, to open up about the biggest challenges you face in addressing student mental health.

Specifically, we asked, What are the biggest challenges you face in addressing student mental health? What experiences have stood out to you?

Here, we are featuring the answers of six educators who chose to share their struggles in the classroom and what troubles them most. In reading their experiences, we hope you take comfort in knowing you are not alone if you, too, face similar issues striking a balance between teaching and providing students with emotional support.

Uma Gupta, associate director of business analytics and associate professor at the University of South Carolina Upstate, United States: The biggest struggle I have is the fear of inadvertently violating the boundaries of student privacy. This is a highly nuanced area. I worry that a student might get upset that I thought something was amiss or complain that a faculty member asked personal questions.

Students are often reluctant to speak out, share their struggles, or even hint that there might be something wrong. I want to help, but I am not always sure of the best way to do that. I care deeply about my students because I am a parent. If my child was struggling with something, I would hope a faculty member would be there for them.

Alessandro Pirisinu, adjunct professor of economic and statistical sciences at the University of Cagliari, Italy: The first (and the biggest) challenge teachers in Italy face is students' lack of self-esteem. Our students feel uncertain about their own futures, particularly about the lack of jobs. In Italy, at least a third of young adults under 24 are unemployed.

The biggest challenge for teachers is getting students to focus on what we're doing in class. Too many students seem as if they are blocked by some unknown fear, and they fail to get a good education because of it. This is a major source of worry for the future of Italy.

Regina Milan, associate teaching professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, United States: The sheer number of students suffering from mental health issues is my biggest challenge. It is unmanageable to teach and be a mental health counselor. My university has over 15,000 students and not enough counselors considering that almost one in two college students report feelings of anxiety and depression. It is difficult to advocate for so many students.

Teaching is becoming impossible. I am very flexible, but at some point, students must do the work or withdraw and seek treatment. A bigger crisis happens at the end of the semester if they don't.

Civi Jacobsen, instructor at Georgian College, Canada: There are so many students with high anxiety levels. I spend more than a third of my time teaching basic coping skills, like calming, so they can listen effectively and successfully complete assignments. I feel like I am not teaching them the "real" stuff, and it can feel discouraging and exhausting.

I noticed my students were not asking questions during class or in their small groups and later learned that it was because students think asking questions is rude or could make them look inept. I was constantly getting panicked emails from students (who were in class and reviewed the materials) asking me to clarify instructions so they wouldn't "get it wrong." It seems like a vicious cycle-students worry so much they can't effectively listen to instructions, don't ask questions, and don't do well on the assignment.

To help my students develop the skill of asking open-ended and close-ended questions, I first introduce a game called 20 Questions to work on close-ended (yes or no) questions. In a subsequent class, I have students share a link to their favorite (instrumental) inspirational song with the intention of building community and having students ask each other open-ended questions about their choices.

These skill-building activities are not in the curriculum, but I have to normalize asking questions; demonstrating the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions is relevant to the course and the entire program.

Yvette Mucharraz y Cano, director of the Research Center for Women in Senior Management (CIMAD) and human resources professor at IPADE Business School, Mexico: One of the main challenges I observe both in my research and in my students is the effect of burnout. I have groups of full-time MBA, executive MBA, and executive education students and, especially with female executives, I've noticed increased levels of burnout over the last several years. The impact on women has been more significant, as they are in many cases also primary caregivers and responsible for household activities-areas in which the workload has also increased.

Burnout was a pre-existing condition; but adapting to the changing circumstances during the pandemic required a different set of skills, including the development of resilience and flexibility and the ability to navigate through uncertainty. All this while addressing personal and family challenges and understanding the hybrid world. Burnout has become a chronic condition that is reflected in exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced levels of professional efficacy.

Hybrid work allows for more flexibility and seems to alleviate some of the tensions derived from entering the complex work-life system. More than ever, it seems new working structures require reconciling organizational and individual expectations to engage talent and maintain high levels of productivity.

Nellie El Enany, assistant professor in the department of management at The American University in Cairo, Egypt: Experiencing a mental health challenge is not easy for any of us. For students who are transitioning through higher education and finding their sense of self, it can be extremely difficult to focus on studies and plan for the future while still managing to find the emotional bandwidth to socialize and stay healthy and happy.

Open conversations about mental health are critical. It should not have taken the COVID-19 pandemic to get us all talking more about mental health in higher education. These conversations should have been happening a long time ago. Perhaps the silver lining is that it has pushed us all to talk more openly about mental health, which has always carried stigma and awkwardness. At least now we have a green light to say, "I'm not feeling mentally OK." And like I say to my students, "It's OK not to feel OK all the time."

Over my 15 years working in higher education, I've had a lot of students struggling with panic attacks, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and psychogenic epilepsy and have referred them to our institution's Center for Student Well-Being when needed.

As educators, we are essentially on the front line, and we must create a psychologically safe space where students are comfortable talking about how they feel, because often they are experiencing the same feelings of shame, helplessness, isolation, and fear. We wear many hats, and one of those is someone who is always there to listen without judgment, to share our own experiences, to be relatable, and to take action when needed.

To Support Your Students, First Take Care of Yourself

Educators today have the difficult task of considering their students' mental health struggles while continuing to teach and, in many cases, also dealing with their own mental health. Although there is no one right way to support students who are struggling, start on the right foot by candidly discussing mental health and regularly promoting self-care and mindfulness.

Small gestures have large ripple effects. Even if you feel powerless as an educator, you do have the ability to support your students by taking care of yourself first. Once you do, you'll be better equipped to have authentic and meaningful conversations about mental health with your students and accommodate them more appropriately.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, reach out to your institution's mental health services or seek crisis support in your country.

Yvette Mucharraz y Cano is a human resources and communication professor at IPADE Business School in Mexico. She is also the director and board member of the Women's Research Centre (CIMAD) at IPADE. Her practitioner's experience has been as a Human Resources and Organizational Development executive for more than 20 years. Her research is focused on organizational disaster resilience and sustainability.

Nellie El Enanyis an assistant professor in the School of Business at The American University in Cairo. El Enany teaches human resource management, entrepreneurship and innovation, international business, and entrepreneurial leadership for solving critical global issues. El Enany's research interests center on issues of identity, including identity construction, stigma, legitimacy, and identity work.

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Addressing Mental Health in the Classroom

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Educators share their struggles, as well as what troubles them most when addressing mental health in the classroom and supporting students today.

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The Importance of Mental Health Awareness in Schools

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Mental health awareness is an important issue for all educators, who are often the first line of defense for their students. Education professionals have recognized the impact that a student's mental health has on learning and achievement, and they realize that there's a great deal that can be done to help students with mental health issues. As a high school teacher with more than 23 years of experience, I welcome the fact that mental health awareness is finally becoming an important part of a school's function and curriculum.

Seeing the Signs in My Student

A few years ago, a student in my senior class changed drastically in a short period of time. I noticed that Melina no longer did her homework, and she didn't even try on her essays. Previously meticulous in her appearance, Melina would come to school disheveled, wearing the same clothes. When I tried to speak to her, she was uncharacteristically distant and withdrawn. Because I had some training in mental health awareness, I knew Melina was in some sort of trouble.

Luckily, my school had social workers on staff who could speak to Melina and assess her issues. They discovered that Melina was depressed and suicidal, and she needed an immediate psychiatric intervention. Melina was hospitalized for a period of time, but she was able to return to my classroom a few months later. With the help of medication and therapy, she managed to graduate with her class.

Understanding the Impact

The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that one in five people live with some sort of mental disorder or disease. Despite the fact that the average age of early signs of mental illness is 14, most individuals don't seek help until adulthood. Underlining the seriousness is the fact that 60 percent of high school students with mental illness don't graduate.
Further reading: Ease Student Anxiety in the Classroom
New York mental health experts recognized that earlier intervention could result in more positive outcomes for these students. Beginning in July 2018, New York will be the first state in the nation to require mental health education for all students. The overall mission of New York's School Mental Health (SMH) program is to promote healthy social, emotional, and behavioral development of students, and "break down barriers to learning so the general well-being of students, families, and school staff can be enhanced in collaboration with other comprehensive student support and services."

The SMH program supports the emotional health and academic growth of all students with the following:

Integrating comprehensive services and support throughout every grade level

Assessing mental health needs through universal, selective, and targeted interventions

Providing access to behavioral and mental health services and programs

Leveraging higher-level personnel, such as those working with the Department of Education, for necessary support and services

Building collaborative relationships between the school and students' families and communities

Spreading Awareness Across the Nation

Until mental health education is a mandatory aspect of all schools, teachers and administrators can work to promote awareness with their students. Key elements to shine a light on include the concept of self-care and responsibility for one's own mental health and wellness, with an emphasis on the fact that mental health is an integral part of health, and the concept of recovery from mental illness.

Teachers and students should be provided with ways to recognize signs of developing mental health problems, and there should be opportunities around the awareness and management of mental health crises, including the risk of suicide or self-harm. Further, instruction should address the relationship between mental health, substance abuse, and other negative coping behaviors, as well as the negative impact of stigma and cultural attitudes toward mental illness.
Further reading: Social-Emotional Learning
Because teens spend most of their day at school, it just makes sense to have mental health awareness and education become part of the curriculum. When we empower students with knowledge, and encourage dialogue, students will be able to get the help they need.

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The Importance of Mental Health Awareness in Schools

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Mental health awareness is an important conversation few schools have with their students. Introducing the right resources can make a huge difference.

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School-based mental health is becoming a vital part of student support systems. According to the most recent data in 2005, over one-third of school districts used school or district staff to provide mental health services, and over one-fourth used outside agencies to provide mental health services in the schools.1 The President’s Now Is the Time plan to improve access to mental health care in our schools and communities emphasizes the urgency to “make sure students and young adults get treatment for mental health issues” through early identification, referral for treatment, training for school teachers in early detection and response to mental illness, assistance for schools to address pervasive violence, and training for additional mental health professionals to provide mental health services in schools.2 Federal agencies such as the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Institute of Medicine are also calling on schools to enhance early identification methods to assess and connect students with mental health.3

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How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

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How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

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Of the many challenges educators face, one of the most formidable-and least obvious-is student mindset. Teaching students to comprehend, absorb, and apply new material and concepts is challenging under any circumstances. The undertaking is much greater, however, when students doubt their ability to learn.

Can simply believing you have the ability to learn increase your ability to learn? According to growth mindset researchers, the answer is yes.

A more detailed look at mindset theory, as well as some of the ways that teachers can foster growth mindset in the classroom, illustrates mindset development's importance in education.

What Is Growth Mindset?

One theory of intelligence holds that people can be categorized according to their implicit beliefs about ability. People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities are innate, while people with a growth mindset believe that they can acquire abilities through effort and study.

Carol Dweck, a psychologist, developed the fixed versus growth mindset theory. The Stanford University professor's pioneering research, as well as her 2006 book, Mindset:The New Psychology of Success, popularized the concept of fixed and growth mindsets.

To gain a better understanding of what growth mindset is, compare the differences between fixed and growth mindset outlooks and behaviors.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

Fixed and growth mindsets profoundly affect the way that individuals respond to failure. People with a fixed mindset view failure as a result of their lack of ability, while people with a growth mindset see the opportunity to expand their abilities and to work harder and smarter.

The fixed mindset vs. growth mindset dichotomy can also be expressed in terms of goals. People with a fixed mindset wish to appear intelligent because they believe that failing to do so reveals a weakness. People with a growth mindset are much less apprehensive about how their intelligence is perceived because they believe that knowledge and ability can be improved through effort. These outlooks produce almost diametric goals related to learning: a person with a fixed mindset wants to avoid appearing unintelligent; a person with a growth mindset wants to overcome challenges.

While the basic concept of fixed mindset vs. growth mindset is simple, mindset designations are much more nuanced in reality. An important factor of the mindsets is that they can be different in different domains. For example, a person may have a growth mindset in athletic or artistic endeavors but have a fixed mindset in academic endeavors.

Furthermore, mindsets aren't absolute, immovable states. The fixed or growth mindset exists on a spectrum, and even those positions can vary. A person may have a predominant growth mindset in one area-math, for example-but an especially challenging problem may trigger a response that's more consistent with a fixed mindset.

Dweck has described the growth mindset theory as a response to the self-esteem movement, which held that lavishing students with praise builds confidence that leads to improved achievement.

Mindset researchers propose a different approach. Instead of giving students general praise or praising outcomes-an ineffective practice in Dweck's view-teachers should focus on praising students' efforts and the steps they take to overcome challenges and make progress. By doing so they reinforce the simple but powerful idea that ability can be improved.

Benefits of a Growth Mindset in Education

Dweck's early research demonstrated multiple potential benefits to encouraging a growth mindset in education. One of her studies showed that praising students' efforts rather than their intelligence made them more likely to pursue more difficult challenges. Another study demonstrated the influence of simple mindset interventions. Her research showed that students who were taught about developing intelligence went on to perform better in school and exhibit more motivation in the classroom.

Growth mindset has been widely embraced inside and outside of education. (Growth mindset has become a popular topic in the business world, for example.) However, the concept isn't without its critics. Skeptics point out that few researchers have been able to replicate Dweck's results, and much of the corroborating research that's been done has been done by Dweck and her colleagues. Still, mindset research continues to advance, and evidence of the benefits of a growth mindset in education continues to mount.

How to Foster a Growth Mindset in Students

Learning how to foster a growth mindset in students requires time and practice. The approach requires consistent instruction that reinforces and demonstrates the idea that students can improve their ability. At the most basic level, mindset techniques involve shifting emphasis away from outcomes and toward efforts and process. Rather than praising an accomplishment, the instructor praises the efforts and learning steps that led to the positive outcome.

Looking at examples of how instruction and language can be altered to encourage a growth mindset illustrates how teachers can change the way that students perceive the learning process:

Fixed mindset statement: "It's OK if you're having trouble. Maybe algebra isn't one of your strengths."

Growth mindset statement: "When you learn how to do a new kind of problem, it develops your math brain."

Another example stresses the importance of encouraging students to work through problems:

Fixed mindset statement: "Great effort. You tried as hard as you could."

Growth mindset statement: "The goal isn't to get it right immediately. The goal is to improve your understanding step by step. What can you try next?"

Teaching students to be encouraged when they experience difficulty can also reinforce growth mindset:

Fixed mindset statement: "Don't worry, you'll get it if you keep trying."

Growth mindset statement: "That feeling you're experiencing of algebra being hard is the feeling of your brain developing."

A growth mindset approach still demands optimal performance from a student-simply rewarding efforts isn't effective, and, in fact, it can be harmful if the student's efforts are ultimately fruitless.

Part of growth mindset instruction is teaching students to ask for help and to use any resources that can assist them. Just as students are still responsible for learning the material, teachers are still responsible for giving them the tools they need to learn.

10 Strategies for Fostering a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Helping students develop a growth mindset requires deliberate effort from teachers, but many of the methods can be easily integrated in their existing practices. The following strategies and tips can help educators foster a growth mindset in the classroom:

1. Normalize struggle. Struggle is part of the learning process, and emphasizing and reinforcing that idea helps students react positively when they feel challenged.

2. Encourage engagement with challenges. Portray challenges as fun and exciting, and easy tasks as boring.

3. Embrace the word "yet". If someone makes the statement "I'm not a math person," adding a simple qualifier will signal that a process exists for gaining ability. "You're not a math person yet."

4. Tout the value of hard tasks to the brain. Promote the idea that brains are malleable "muscles" that can be developed. Research on brain plasticity supports the idea of neural growth, and mindset research has shown that believing the brain can grow has a demonstrative effect on behavior and achievement.

5. Demonstrate mistakes and celebrate corrections. Mistakes should be viewed as learning opportunities. Teachers can model this outlook in reactions to their own mistakes and steps they take to correct a mistake.

6. Set goals. Having students set incremental, achievable goals demonstrates the attainability of growth and progress.

7. Develop cooperative exercises. Working together to solve problems emphasizes process and reinforces the importance of getting help and finding solutions. It also deemphasizes individual outcomes.

8. Provide challenges. Part of developing a growth mindset is teaching students to overcome obstacles. A particularly hard math problem or complex writing assignment that stretches their abilities can provide opportunities for growth and further instruction that emphasizes problem-solving.

9. Avoid praising intelligence. This may seem counterintuitive, but praise for "being smart" reinforces the idea that intelligence is a fixed trait. This can be demotivating for the students being praised ("I'm smart; I don't have to try harder"), as well as for those who don't not receive the praise ("That student is smart; I'm not").

10. Don't oversimplify. "You can do anything!" may feel like harmless encouragement, but if students aren't put in a position to overcome challenges, they'll conclude that such statements are empty, and the educator will lose credibility.

How to Foster a Growth Mindset in Teachers and Administrators

Extending the concept of growth mindset theory to teachers and administrators is critical. Research suggests that growth mindset approaches are more effective in supportive environments. However, individuals interested in promoting growth mindset initiatives can encounter resistance. Cultural changes in any institution or system are difficult, but understanding those challenges is the first step to finding common ground and moving forward.

Overcoming Challenges

Changing the instructional practices and policies that teachers and administrators have established can be difficult for many reasons:

Teachers and administrators who have invested time and effort in their current methods of instruction and classroom culture may resist change, particularly if their methods have been successful.

Teachers and administrators who are routinely asked to make changes or adopt new teaching methods may feel skeptical about a new method's benefits.

Teachers and administrators commonly work under tight time constraints that make it difficult to learn new methods or implement new policies.

Teachers and administrators may have fixed mindsets themselves and discount the mindset theory's validity.

Efforts to overcome resistance to growth mindset initiatives should focus on the demonstrated benefits to students. A shared goal of helping students can ease the challenges of culture change.

Five Tips for Creating a Growth Mindset Teaching Culture

Working together to reframe their shared challenges and goals can help both teachers and administrators develop growth mindsets and culture:

1. Value the process over the result. Valuing the process over the result can be difficult in a results-driven environment, but teachers and administrators who value the growth mindset and its long-term benefits are more likely to stay the course.

2. View challenges as opportunities. Students aren't the only ones facing challenges; teachers and administrators can benefit just as much from an outlook that celebrates the process.

3. Experiment with different teaching methods and learning strategies. Helping students build the skills they need to improve is a key element of the growth mindset approach. Teachers and administrators who embrace a growth mindset shouldn't be afraid to experiment.

4. Celebrate growth. Finding teaching strategies that reach students and help them learn should be celebrated with the students, as well as with other teachers and administrators. This reinforces the emphasis on effort and process. It also provides opportunities to share valuable learnings.

5. Communicate about your growth mindset. Sharing successes and failures among teachers and administrators helps to establish a culture that values challenges and a growth mindset.

Providing Tools for a Lifetime of Learning

A growth mindset's defining characteristic-the belief that intelligence is malleable-provides a powerful formula for improving student outcomes. Students who believe that they can get smarter and that effort makes them smarter will put in the effort that leads to higher achievement.

The understanding that they can always learn new skills and overcome challenges through hard work is a lesson students can carry well beyond their school years. As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, many of the learning challenges that students will face can't be foreseen. By helping them develop a mindset that doesn't shrink from challenges and teaching them learning methods that can be applied to any subject or obstacle, educators prepare students for increasingly dynamic work environments and an increasingly complex world.

Educators interested in how education and learning can be life changing should explore American University's School of Education degree programs, including its online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and online Master of Education (MEd) in Education Policy and Leadership. Preparing teachers and policy makers to transform the education system to benefit all learners is a core principle of American University's School of Education.

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How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom | American University

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Embracing a growth mindset can help students learn more and overcome challenges. Explore strategies for fostering a growth mindset in the classroom.

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Improving Teaching and Learning for the 2023-24 Academic Year

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Improving Teaching and Learning for the 2023-24 Academic Year

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The challenge to improve teaching and learning school-wide is a task leaders across the world attempt to tackle each year. The ever changing environment of education, coupled with constantly moving goalposts leave us wondering how it is possible to improve collectively as a school. The 2023-2024 academic year poses new challenges not seen in recent years. The rising cost of living, energy price increases, post-covid struggles and a reliance on teachers taking on extra responsibility to name a few. Leaders have to be wary about where they focus their attention, to maximise their position among other great schools.

How to improve teaching and learning in the classroom

The most important factor for student achievement is not the curriculum, leadership or class size - it's teaching quality (Coe, 2014). If you are a teacher, we have highlighted some fresh ways in which teachers can improve their teaching practice:

1. Incorporate new technologies

The internet is packed full of digital learning tools and online classroom resources that keep students engaged and encourage deeper, more meaningful learning. It is hard, however, for the modern teacher to know which resources actually make a difference with so many available to them.

New digital learning tools can positively affect teaching and learning in the classroom by:

helping teachers streamline their workflow

applying the knowledge learnt

revisiting prior knowledge

encouraging creativity

assisting in behaviour management

Some teachers are likely to be aware of digital assisted learning tools like Kahoot (a popular fastest finger quiz game) and Quizlet. However, there are many applications that the modern teacher is using to increase student engagement and regulate behaviour. For example, an app called TooNoisy measures classroom volume and beeps to help students monitor their noise and behaviour. While an app called Book Creator allows teachers to easily pick and edit templates to create books for their students. Then there's also ThingLink, which is an app that is built specifically for student engagement, allowing teachers to easily build real-life learning environments and situations using interactive media.

Artificial Intelligence

Another immerging technological advance is the recent development in artificial intelligence. It is likely only a matter of time before AI is introduced into tools that affect schools and classrooms, so it's important we discuss the implications of this in detail. In our blogs about AI in education, we discuss:

How AI built into the IRIS Connect platform can analyse videos of teaching and provide feedback for improved teacher PD

What we think the future of AI in education looks like

Ethics and codes of practice

The deeper value of AI for teacher PD and instructional coaching

You can view these blogs here: ' Artificial Intelligence and Professional Development: Lena's Story' and ' Making Sense - AI in Education'.

2. Share teaching, planning and organisational tips with other teachers

Whether you're an ECT, an experienced teacher or even a leader, sharing teaching techniques and practices is a great way to enhance you and your colleagues' teaching quality.

If you have a colleague or a group of colleagues you trust, getting some non-judgmental feedback on your classroom ideas could prove important in whether you incorporate them into your practice. The effects of coaching and mentoring have been shown to have promising outcomes for the improvement of practice (Kraft MA, 2018).

Likewise, allowing more experienced colleagues to observe your teaching is a great way to gain valuable feedback - just make sure you are moving away from traditional lesson observation, and more towards modern, research proven observation . It is also important to have a focus on small action steps that teachers can improve and develop, to make tangible differences to their classroom practice.

3. Reflect

The ability to reflect is a powerful thing - if you have the means to do so. Being able to teach a class and continually adapt as a practitioner with the experience gained is something that is arduous to achieve when the focus is on the lesson and tasks at hand.

Using video to reflect on teaching practices allows teachers to gain a new level of depth and awareness, seeing their teaching from the perspective of an observer or one of their students. The reason video is a very successful reflection tool is because the classroom is a high-stakes environment that requires a greater cognitive load. It produces an immense amount of information on working memory that has a limited capacity. According to Professor John Hattie, teachers only see and hear 20% of what's happening during any given lesson. To be able to reflect on current teaching practices on top of dealing with all other aspects of teaching a lesson, is too much for anyone to perform.

Video allows teachers to view their teaching as an outsider, pick up on things visually that you would not be able to do on your own, and give teachers an amazing view of student learning and interactions.

4. Understand learner behaviours

Ellis and Todd (2018) describe learner behaviour as ' behaviour that is necessary in order for a person to learn effectively in the group setting of the classroom.' It allows for students to productively engage in classroom learning and make the most of their lesson time. To understand these learner behaviours is to create a learning environment fit for each individual child, maximising their ability to absorb and perceive information from their teacher.

These learner behaviours can be cognitive, emotional or social and are affected by a number of different factors such as their relationship with themselves, their teachers, peers and their work. Their relationship with themselves involves pupils' concept of their identity, their self-esteem, self-confidence and motivation. Their relationships with their teachers have a huge impact on their ability to learn and are affected by self-fulfilling prophecies - if a student is labelled a certain way by their teacher, they will accept that label and develop a self-concept based around this label. Positively or negatively. These labels are often a broad assumption of a student, rather than the complex individual that they are.

To create a positive learning environments, teachers can:

Set clear classroom expectations

Use positive specific, purposeful praise so students know what they are doing well and can build mental models so they can replicate it

Make the learning challenging and scaffold where needed

Try to remove the fear of failure

Allow time for students to speak about their thoughts and feelings

Model positive learning behaviours

Learner behaviours are very difficult to monitor as factors outside of the classroom influence them, but it might be wise for the teacher to spend a bit of time looking at how they can make their classroom environments fit for positive learning.

How to improve teaching quality across the school

The quality of teaching and learning is affected by multiple factors, some of which are out of the control of a classroom teacher such as previous learning, maturity, aspiration levels, diet and nutrition. However, there are other factors that can be influenced as a school leader:

1. Encourage regular communication between staff

Staff that build strong relationships with their colleagues allow for a more positive and creative learning environment. Encouraging these relationships is beneficial for the culture of a school as it increases the likelihood of a culture of collegiality - which in turn improves staff morale, reduces staff turnover and unites the staff force, allowing a more stable ship to steer.

Communication often leads to collaboration, which has enormous growth potential. For example, teacher collaboration:

Increases efficiency and saves time by sharing responsibility

Improves professional development by sharing skills and knowledge

Provides better outputs as multiple professional strengths are utilised

Develops an environment where staff feel supported, valued and empowered

2. Create a culture of relaxed improvement

There is a fine line to walk as leaders when encouraging improvement from their teachers. It is vital that teachers develop their skills, not only for the good of the school, but most importantly, themselves. The goal is to provide teachers with the tools they need to develop as a practitioner, but not manage their performance so strictly that it negatively affects their development and wellbeing. Staff need to implement new changes or approaches if they are to do so with fidelity. Giving staff time will help with this.

There are many ways to do this. Traditional lesson observation has been shown to be ineffective at increasing the rate of positive professional development. They are often infrequent and tied to performance management, which is not favoured by staff or research. They also look at learning as a snapshot, where progress is measured in a tiny window. When actually, individual lessons are part of a wider scope of learning, linking to a knowledge-rich curriculum.

Implementing a professional development solution that encourages staff to reflect, observe, feedback and collaborate will deliver whole school improvement, often for a cheap price.

3. Analysing and identifying staff needs

What are staff most concerned about? What is holding them back from continuing to deliver excellent lessons? Understanding the issues surrounding your staff's ability to perform is the first step towards fixing the problems. A report published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) showed that personal development is not a one size fits all. It needs to be implemented with care, taking into consideration the context and needs of the school.

Headteacher of Grove Road Community Primary School, Chris Harrison, created an online curriculum model incorporating a bank of resources, lesson clips and templates accessible to his staff. He wanted his subject leaders to have a strong grasp of what their subject looks like across school, where the strengths and gaps are, and how these are being addressed. As a result of this implementation, subject leaders were more comfortable when discussing their areas of leadership, ECTs feel supported, and staff are more confident in their practice. Identifying what his staff needed for development was paramount in being able to introduce a system that successfully addressed these.

4. Create open communication channels for staff

Research shows that school staff feel undervalued when there is a perceived lack of support from their leadership team. They have to have the means to be able to feedback their thoughts with Senior Leadership. This means in terms of physical communication channels, as well as a leadership team that is capable and willing to accept and take onboard such feedback when it is presented. One of these is much easier to achieve than the other, but both are important for leaders to think about when looking at the knock-on effect this has on teaching.

5. Encourage regular reflection

Reflecting on our practice is a vital step towards continual improvement. The Literacy Improvement Partnership states that the first step of the improvement cycle is reflecting on current practice. Only by reflecting on our practise, can we analyse it in detail, spot opportunities, and make improvements.

So how do we encourage regular reflection?

By communicating the importance and impact of reflection on teacher empowerment and improved personal development. Encouraging regular reflection can:

Allow teachers to spot errors in their teaching practice

Improve teacher communication skills

Empower teachers to take control of their personal development

See themselves through the eyes of a student

Use a new perspective to refine their teaching style

Speed up their professional independence

What are the upcoming barriers for excellent teaching and learning?

The impact of increasing energy prices and the cost of living crisis

How will the cost of living crisis affect teachers and schools? The government has allocated some funding for schools, but further costs will have to be absorbed by other budgets. A knock-on effect is that in some schools, teachers will not have enough resources to deliver the curriculum, which obviously negatively affects the quality of education received by the students.

This isn't the only barrier. Care becomes even harder to maintain for students. How does a teacher distinguish between parents that are neglecting their child, and a family that is struggling to feed them and wash their uniform? How can schools support parents when it is difficult to identify who needs support, as more families struggle to make ends meet? The effect of increased living costs is a barrier that impacts every stakeholder of a school differently, but will undeniably influence teaching and learning.

Taking on additional responsibilities

As we know, student mental health and wellbeing outcomes are directly affected by their teachers' wellbeing (Harding et al., 2019), so when teachers are given too many additional responsibilities, not only are teachers' professional development affected, but the learning and wellbeing of students are directly affected. With a third of teachers leaving the profession before they've served 5 years (former Minister of School Standards, Nick Gibb), and an ever decreasing budget, more and more responsibilities are distributed among teachers.

Like every year, teachers have limited time inside and outside the classroom, and they have a to-do list that would require more than 24 hours in a day to complete. According to Kyriacou, C, ' workload is one of the main sources of teacher stress .' In this academic year, the need for agency staff will still be apparent, but the funds will not be there to support them. Unfortunately, it means that teachers will have to support their colleagues and take on responsibilities that they otherwise would not have to bear.

Teachers still feeling the catchup after COVID-19

There has been damage done to the learning of students as a result of the global pandemic. The EEF report on the impact of Covid-19 on pupil attainment showed that 'sustained support will be needed to help disadvantaged pupils catch up'. Some students have not developed the expected skills that previous pupils would normally acquire by their age. The result of this is that schools are having to work extremely hard to make sure they obtain these skills and are inline with the national averages. Yet another burden that schools are facing this year.

Worries about real world problems like the war in Ukraine

It is hard to focus on issues inside a school when there are large scale conflicts in the world, such as the war in Ukraine. Russia's conflict with NATO plays a huge role in the energy price increase as they have reduced their supply of gas, and many western countries are not self-sustaining. It brings unnecessary worries to parents, pupils, teachers and leaders that the world is not as stable as we might initially think and we are only a few decisions or actions away from disasters like pandemics and world wars.

How can IRIS Connect support you?

Unfortunately, IRIS Connect cannot influence geo-political situations or the condition of the global economy. However, what IRIS Connect can help with is empowering your school to improve its teaching quality this academic year despite these challenges.

Through IRIS Connect teachers can:

Record and objectively reflect on their practice to identify areas for improvement

Access evidence-based theory and video examples of strategies in action, modelled by real teachers, in their own classrooms

Work together with colleagues and coaches to get feedback, share best practice and collaboratively improve their practice

Bridge the gap between theory and classroom practice with UnityPD, our unified professional development solution.

As an IRIS Connect user, you already have access to all the tools needed to help facilitate change and improve teaching and learning this academic year at your school. If you need help with the platform, would like refresher training or to discuss strategies on how to best roll it out to all your staff, please get in touch and our consultants will be happy to assist.

If you are not an IRIS Connect user yet but would be interested in finding out more about our all-in-one CPD solution for your school, let us know and we'll arrange a free demo for you.

References

Cordingley, P. and Higgins, S. and Greany, T. and Buckler, N. and Coles-Jordan, D. and Crisp, B. and Saunders, L. and Coe, R. (2015) 'Developing great teaching : lessons from the international reviews into effective professional development.', Project Report. Teacher Development Trust, London.

Kraft MA, Blazar D, Hogan D. The Effect of Teacher Coaching on Instruction and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of the Causal Evidence. Review of Educational Research. 2018;88 (4) :547-588.

Harding, S. , Evans, R., Morris, R., Gunnell, D., Ford, T., Hollingworth, W., Tilling, K., Bell, S., Grey, J., Brockman, R., Campbell, R., Araya, R., Murphy, S., & Kidger, J. (2019). Is teachers' mental health and wellbeing associated with students' mental health and wellbeing? Journal of Affective Disorders, 242, 180-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.080

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Improving Teaching and Learning for the 2023-24 Academic Year

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A look at ways to improve teaching and learning for classroom teachers and school leaders, taking into consideration the upcoming barriers to learning.

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The Seven Principles Resource Center

Winona State University
The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education grew out of a review of 50 years of research on the way teachers teach and students learn (Chickering and Gamson, 1987, p. 1) and a conference that brought together a distinguished group of researchers and commentators on higher education. The primary goal of the Principles' authors was to identify practices, policies, and institutional conditions that would result in a powerful and enduring undergraduate education (Sorcinelli, 1991, p. 13).
The following principles are anchored in extensive research about teaching, learning, and the college experience.

1. Good Practice Encourages Student - Instructor Contact

Frequent student - instructor contact in and out of classes is an important factor in student motivation and involvement. Instructor concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few instructors well enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans.

Implementation Ideas:

Share past experiences, values, and attitudes.

Design an activity that brings students to your office during the first weeks of class.

Try to get to know your students by name by the end of the first three weeks of the term.

Attend, support, and sponsor events led by student groups.

Treat students as human beings with full real lives; ask how they are doing.

Hold "out of class" review sessions.

Use email regularly to encourage and inform.

Hold regular "hours" in the Michigan Union or residence halls where students can stop by for informal visits.

Take students to professional meetings or other events in your field.

2. Good Practice Encourages Cooperation Among Students

Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one's own ideas and responding to others' reactions improves thinking and deepens understanding.
Implementation Ideas:

Ask students to share information about each other's backgrounds and academic interests.

Encourage students to prepare together for classes or exams.

Create study groups within your course.

Ask students to give constructive feedback on each other's work and to explain difficult ideas to each other.

Use small group discussions, collaborative projects in and out of class, group presentations, and case study analysis.

Ask students to discuss key concepts with other students whose backgrounds and viewpoints are different from their own.

Encourage students to work together.

3. Good Practice Encourages Active Learning

Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to instructors, memorizing assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.
Implementation Ideas:

Ask students to present their work to the class.

Give students concrete, real life situations to analyze.

Ask students to summarize similarities and differences among research findings, artistic works or laboratory results.

Model asking questions, listening behaviors, and feedback.

Encourage use of professional journals.

Use technology to encourage active learning.

Encourage use of internships, study abroad, service learning and clinical opportunities.

Use class time to work on projects.

4. Good Practice Gives Prompt Feedback

Knowing what you know and don't know focuses learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. In getting started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to know, and how to assess themselves.
Implementation Ideas:

Return examinations promptly, preferably within a week, if not sooner.

Schedule brief meetings with the students to discuss their progress.

Prepare problems or exercises that give students immediate feedback on how well they are doing. (e.g., Angelo, 1993)

Give frequent quizzes and homework assignments to help students monitor their progress.

Give students written comments on the strengths and weakness of their tests/papers.

Give students focused feedback on their work early in the term.

Consider giving a mid-term assessment or progress report.

Be clear in relating performance level/expectations to grade.

Communicate regularly with students via email about various aspects of the class.

5. Good Practice Emphasizes Time on Task

Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task. Learning to use one's time well is critical for students and professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching for instructors.
Implementation Ideas:

Communicate to students the amount of time they should spend preparing for class.

Expect students to complete their assignments promptly.

Underscore the importance of regular work, steady application, self-pacing, scheduling.

Divide class into timed segments so as to keep on task.

Meet with students who fall behind to discuss their study habits, schedules.

Don't hesitate to refer students to learning skills professionals on campus.

Use technology to make resources easily available to students.

Consider using mastery learning, contract learning, and computer assisted instruction as appropriate.

6. Good Practice Communicates High Expectations

Expect more and you will get it. High expectations are important for everyone-for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves, and for the bright and well motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when instructors hold high expectations for themselves and make extra efforts.
Implementation Ideas:

Make your expectations clear at the beginning of the course both in writing and orally. Tell them you expect them to work hard.

Periodically discuss how well the class is doing during the course of the semester.

Encourage students to write; require drafts of work. Give students opportunities to revise their work.

Set up study guidelines.

Publish students' work on a course website. This often motivates students to higher levels of performance.

Be energized and enthusiastic in your interaction with students.

7. Good Practice Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning

There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of learning to college. Students rich in hands-on experiences may not do so well with theory. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. They can be pushed to learning in new ways that do not come so easily.
Implementation Ideas:

Use a range of teaching activities to address a broad spectrum of students.

Provide extra material or exercises for students who lack essential background knowledge or skills.

Identify students' learning styles, backgrounds at the beginning of the semester.

Use different activities in class - videos, discussions, lecture, groups, guest speakers, pairwork.

Use different assignment methods - written, oral, projects, etc. - so as to engage as many ways of learning as possible (e.g., visual, auditory).

Give students a real-world problem to solve that has multiple solutions. Provide examples and questions to guide them.

Contributors: The Teaching Excellence Center at Brigham Young University; Northern Essex Community College; Dennis Congos, University of Central Florida; Edward Nuhfer, University of Colorado at Denver and Delores Knipp, United States Air Force Academy; and James W. King, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, 39(7): 3-7.

Sorcinelli, M.D. (1991). Research findings on the seven principles. In A.W. Chickering & Z.F. Gamson (Eds.) Applying the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education (pp. 13-25). New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 47. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Adapted with permission from The Seven Principles Resource Center, Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota.

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Enhancing Student Learning: Seven Principles for Good Practice

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The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education grew out of a review of 50 years of research on the way teachers teach and students learn (Chickering and Gamson, 1987, p. 1) and a conference that brought together a distinguished group of researchers and commentators on higher education.

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If you've heard about the , you may have thought it's simply that too few people are going into the profession. But the truth is more complicated. teacher shortage crisis

In fact, many educators change schools often and even leave teaching altogether early on in their career. Both issues are big contributors to the ongoing problem of too few teachers in California for students from preschool through high school.

"Teaching is one of the most complex professions because it's not just about content knowledge and knowing how to teach," says Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor, Teacher Education & Public School Programs.

"It's collaborating with adults, it's understanding children's social and emotional development, it's working with families, it's working with leadership, it's working with the community," she explains. "The teacher is at the center of this ecosystem and she has to ensure all students learn, all students succeed."

Teaching is one of the most complex professions because it's not just about content knowledge and knowing how to teach."

- Dr. Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Teacher Education & Public School Programs

The California State University prepares more of California's P-12 teachers than all other California institutions combined - and nearly 8 percent of the nation's teachers - making the challenge of reducing teacher turnover and improving retention directly relevant to the CSU.

So the findings in a recent report, "Teacher Turnover: Why It Matters and What We Can Do About It," didn't come as a surprise to Grenot-Scheyer or CSU teacher-preparation faculty. In fact, the report validates the CSU's ongoing efforts to prepare teachers for the day-to-day realities of their profession to ensure both they and their students succeed.

The State of Teacher Retention

The report, which was released by the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) in August, found that:

The cost of teacher turnover is high. About 90 percent of the nationwide annual demand for teachers is created when teachers leave the profession, with two-thirds of teachers leaving for reasons other than retirement. Teacher movement out of schools costs more than $20,000 to replace each teacher who leaves an urban school district. Most important, high turnover rates reduce achievement for students whose classrooms are affected.

Teacher turnover rates vary across the U.S. Turnover rates are lowest in the Northeast, where states tend to offer higher pay, support smaller class sizes, and make greater investments in education. Rates are highest in the South - nearly 17%, the report found - compared to about 12% in California.

Teachers are most likely to leave schools that serve low-income and underserved students. Turnover rates are 70 percent higher for teachers in schools serving the largest concentrations of students of color and 50 percent higher for teachers in Title I schools, where there are more low-income students.

Teachers leave mostly for the same reasons (and that typically doesn't include the size of their paycheck). Dissatisfaction with testing and accountability pressures, lack of administrative support, lack of opportunities for advancement and dissatisfaction with working conditions are among the most common reasons cites, the report found.

Stemming the Educator Exodus

Among other recommendations, the LPI report advises that federal, state, and district policymakers improve specific factors associated with turnover, including compensation, teacher preparation and support, and teaching conditions. Dr. Grenot-Scheyer agrees, noting that the following factors often determine whether or not a teacher stays at a school or in the teaching profession at all:

adequate time for planning and collaboration with others

reasonable class size

resources, including "high-quality, thoughtful professional development and support to help teachers continue to learn and grow so they can meet the needs of all students"

stable, consistent leadership that supports professional development

"When those factors are in place, teacher retention is high, attrition is low, and, of course, students benefit," she notes.

How the CSU Sustains Excellent Educators

The problem of teacher attrition has been on the CSU's radar for a long time. A decade ago, the CSU released " A Possible Dream: Retaining California's Teachers So All Students Learn," by Ken Futernick, Ph.D., then the director of K-12 studies at the Center for Teacher Quality.

A number of the new LPI report's recommendations for improving teacher retention echo efforts already in place across CSU campuses, including:

teacher residency programs, such as RISE at CSU Chico, a 12- to 18-month master's degree program

high-quality mentoring and induction into the classroom experience

school leadership development programs, such as a doctoral degree in educational leadership, a master's degree in educational administration and the Administrative Services Credential, all offered at CSU.

Education students at the CSU have a clinical (classroom) experience starting in their first year, with subsequent experiences building upon one another and culminating in a final student-teaching experience of one or two semesters.

Every teacher preparation program on a CSU campus partners with local school districts to develop and support clinical field sites for teacher candidates. Faculty work with school district staff to ensure that teacher candidates have diverse, high-quality field experiences from their first observation through to their last student teaching experience before graduating.

"Our student teachers are implementing the district curriculum in schools, where they are having to use the knowledge and skills they have developed in their teacher preparation programs with real students and the constraints of classrooms," says Grenot-Scheyer.

Once a student teacher graduates and is hired by a school district, their professional development continues. CSU and district faculty collaborate to provide mentorship and further learning.

Many students go on to do graduate-level work and earn their master's in curriculum instruction, educational technology, counseling, school psychology and other fields, says Grenot-Scheyer: "We are attracting back our graduates into these graduate programs for them to develop even more skills to be more effective within whatever position they happen to take."

Agents of Change for California's Communities

The work teacher candidates do at school sites is crucial to helping to ensure retention after graduation, especially in the first years of their career, when they're the most vulnerable. "When teachers tend to leave is early on, when they have not yet mastered their craft," Grenot-Scheyer explains. "Teaching is very much a craft that you get better at with support and time and resources, so having a strong induction program is critical."

To that end, the CSU has partnered with a school district and a community college to create "Grow Your Own" pipeline programs. These identify students as early as middle school and high school who demonstrate an interest in becoming a teacher or want to make a difference in their community.

The students are first recruited through a "Future Teachers Club" program at their school and eventually apply to a CSU campus or go to a community college for two years and then transfer directly into a CSU teacher preparation program. The graduates then go back to their community to teach or become a leader in education.

These efforts, says Grenot-Scheyer, organically increase not just recruitment but retention of teachers who are naturally motivated by a desire to contribute to the place where they live.

An example is the "Teacher TRAC" program at Cerritos Community College, a decade-long partnership with CSU Long Beach that has resulted in hundreds of teachers coming through the pipeline and going back to their communities to teach. "People come into this profession because they want to make a difference for their students, or they love their content and want to share their passion for, say, math and science," she continues.

"Some of our graduates have become very successful change agents in the districts in which they grew up. And that's how it should be."

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How to Keep More Teachers in the Classroom (Hint: It Will Take More Than a Bigger Paycheck)

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If you've heard about the , you may have thought it's simply that too few people are going into the profession. But the truth is more complicated. teacher shortage crisis In fact, many educators change schools often and even leave teaching altogether early on in their career.

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Classroom Organization Idea's Every Teacher Can Use

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Classroom Organization Idea's Every Teacher Can Use

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Elementary classroom organization. Ask any veteran teacher why it's important, and you're bound to get an earful - both about how it helps and how it can be a challenge! But when you're facing an open classroom and wondering how to whip things into shape, what you really need are solid classroom organization ideas.

Not only do we have some of the best organization ideas to start your school year off on the right step, but we've also taken a look at how to organize a classroom in ways that will bolster learning.

How Does Classroom Organization Affect Learning?

As Teach Starter resource creator (and 13-year teaching veteran) Brittany Collins puts it: Classroom organization isn't just for you, the teacher. It's also for your students, to help them find what they need, when they need it. They don't need to waste valuable lesson time wandering around, looking for their clipboards or headphones, because they're in the same place every time. Plus when you've got a solid organization system in your classroom, students also know where and how to put things away, which helps keep the learning space neat and more conducive to learning.

Ever heard the old saying about a messy desk (or room) and a messy mind? That's not just an old wives' tale. Research shows that a well-organized classroom makes students feel safe and creates structure, which in turn can improve academic outcomes.

Classroom Organization Ideas

So you need to manage the copious amount of paperwork that will most likely start hitting your desk within hours of starting the school year, consider these classroom organization ideas and hacks to make all that ... STUFF ... easier to keep track of! From organizing your teacher desk to student stuff, let's dive in, shall we?

Create Classroom Jobs

Want to get students involved in classroom organization from the first day of school? Classroom jobs go a long way toward fostering organizational skills in students and ensuring they have buy-in to make their classroom an organized and welcoming space!

Make filling out a classroom job application their day one homework assignment to start the year off right!

Create a Turn-In Bin

Teaching your students to be organized is a skill that will serve them for the rest of their lives, and this trick will do just that ... while also helping with your classroom organization. Southern California teacher Paige has a "turn-in bin" in her classroom with file folders marked for each student. That way students know that when it's time to turn in their work, they shouldn't just drop it somewhere on her desk, where it runs the risk of being lost or creating a chaotic working environment.

Instead, students know to go to their classroom turn-in bin, find the folder marked with their name, and add their work. In turn, Paige already has everything sorted by the students! Genius!

Need a label for your turn-in bin? Make a custom one in Studio!

Make "Sharpened" and "Unsharpened" Containers

Make it easier to grab a sharpened pencil with containers labeled with "sharpened" and "unsharpened." This lets students - and let's face it, you - know where to drop unsharpened pencils so they can get right back to work ... and leave the sharpening for the class sharpener to take care of during downtime. Need fun labels? You can make your own in Studio.

Sort Your Drawers By Day of the Week

To create the drawer set up below, use a set of five desk drawers (we purchased this one from Target). Use some washi tape to decorate each drawer (who doesn't love a bit of washi tape?). Finally, you can use any of our customizable tray labels to create the days of the week.

Once downloaded, we printed these tray labels two to a page to get the correct size for the drawers. Now you've got an organized system for your week of lesson plans and everything you need day by day!
Print an editable weekly lesson plan template for easy weekly planning!
Dish Rack = Student Work Filing System

Have you tried using a dish rack in the classroom? Hear us out! You can put students' work samples in there, making them easily accessible for meetings that you may have for that particular student. The front compartments of the dish drying rack could be used for pencils or name tags - whatever you may need handy on your desk during the day.

Grab an inexpensive rack at the dollar store and use one of these customizable name tags to label each folder (we used the 16 name tags to a page option).

Organize It All With Binder Clips

We all know the feeling. Your desk is clean at the beginning of the day, then during the craziness that is a school day, your desk is suddenly covered in the paperwork that then gets put into every growing Mount Paper on your desk. That's where these printable binder clip label templates become surprisingly helpful as a classroom organization idea.

Organize by Color

Is there anything we teachers won't color code? Quick answer: NO! And for good reason too - color coding is proven to help students organize their thinking and make connections. But it doesn't just help our students. Color coding can make classroom organization a snap too.

Take this fun classroom organization idea from kindergarten teacher Mackenzie Lee Fuggett who bought plastic candy jars from the dollar store and loaded each one with individually colored markers. It makes it easy for students to know where to return each marker, and it's pretty to boot!

Office Supply Organization

You can't do classroom organization hacks without featuring the ever-famous office supply drawers! These drawers and the different ways to decorate them have been all over social media! I purchased these drawers from our local hardware store and used washi tape (again, I may be addicted) to decorate each drawer.

Then, use our customizable desk name tags to label each drawer with whatever you want! This organization hack prevents your drawers in your desk from getting full of all of those bits and bobs that you seem to collect as a teacher.

Sub Tub

Sometimes you know when you're going to have a sub ... and then sometimes you get walloped by a case of strep throat that kicks in on a Saturday, and you've got to worry about what's going to happen on Monday morning.

Grab a milk crate, a laundry basket, or really any container that will fit the supplies you need for your substitute to get the job done, and set it up in one spot in the classroom where you can easily direct your sub.

How does this keep you organized? Let's put it this way: Have you ever come back to chaos when you had to be out unexpectedly? Exactly. The more you can prepare your sub, the more organized things will remain!

Don't forget these must-haves for your sub tub:

teaching resource

Print this "while the teacher was gone" template for your sub to fill out when you are away.

1 page Grades: PK - 6

teaching resource

Use this selection of templates to provide information to substitute teachers that come into your classroom.

16 pages

Classroom Closet Organization

Storing all of those amazing resources that you have spent hours and hours printing and laminating is always a big question we get asked! Of course, you can store them in colored baskets, but sometimes, those amazing resources get forgotten about.

Using coat hangers and a tie hanger is just perfect! It's another simple, yet effective, solution to ensure you get your use out of those teaching resources you have spent so much of your life creating!

Student-Centered Work Bins

Much like the turn-in bin, creating bins that let students know where to find the work they need puts the kids in the driver's seat when it comes to classroom organization! Set up milk crates with extra work, make-up work, extra supplies ... really anything kids might need where they can help themselves.

Not only does it help with your classroom management, but it can help keep YOU organized as you have a specific place to put each thing!
Don't forget to print labels for each bin!
Tabletop Organization

Do you organize your classroom seating in groups or pods? You're going to need this trick from teacher April of @inseasonspaces . Buy inexpensive plastic plates and containers, and hot glue the containers to the plate for easily organized supplies that you can put on each table for your students!

It may take some time to set up some of these organization hacks, but we promise it will relieve some of the disorganized haze teachers often find themselves in when they look down at their messy desk or work area!

Need more classroom organization tips? Check out tons of resources for organizing that you can print in no time!

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12 Elementary Classroom Organization Ideas Every Teacher Can Use

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Elementary classroom organization. Ask any veteran teacher why it's important, and you're bound to get an earful - both about how it helps and how it can be a challenge! But when you're facing an open classroom and wondering how to whip things into shape, what you really need are solid classroom organization ideas.

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The platform tackling teacher burnout head-on

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The platform tackling teacher burnout head-on

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After 13 years of teaching in the public school system, Empowered educator Kenneth Nelson Jr. was tired of the same old routine.

He taught social studies and physical education alongside his wife, Traciellya, who had taught English and social studies for a decade. Though they had enjoyed their time teaching, they gradually grew frustrated at how the system left little room to treat students as individuals, or employ creative ways of learning.

"Every year, it was, 'We're going to use this lesson plan to gauge how the children are going to finish on the state test,'" he remembers. "You're not really geared toward the student. It's all about numbers. It's not about relationships."

He and Traciellya began picturing what they would do differently if they ran their own school.

"You want to do something impactful, you want to do something more powerful," he says.

But within his public school system, Nelson says teachers weren't encouraged to be innovative. Instead, he says, their role was to be more of a cheerleader for students, traditionally relegated to the behind-the-scenes rather than treated like guides in their students' learning journeys. Nelson felt powerless to lead the change he wanted for himself and his students.

Then he attended an Empowered RiseUp session, which offers activities, classroom resources, training, community, and support tools to K-12 educators committed to offering individualized, experience-based learning opportunities. The organization also brings educators together to support one another as they expand their methods and break out of traditional routines to guide students in discovering their unique talents, passions, and purpose.

"That was the most explosive conference I've been to, and I've been a football coach," Nelson Jr. says. "I was like, 'Wow, this is what education is missing.' It was unlimited action the whole time."

He was so affected that he attended another conference the same summer. By the end, he had found the tools and self-advocacy to found his own school: E.P.I.C. Academy.

"It gave us all all the resources, all the ideas. I mean, everything," Nelson says. "And I said, 'What better way to start. You have all of the backing and the resources. What better time to start than now?'"

A teacher support network fighting against burnout

According to recent data from the Labor Department, teachers are quitting at the highest rate on record. Many believe standardized testing and outdated traditional learning routines are causing teacher burnout.

Among K-12 educators in the U.S., 44% describe being "always" or "very often" burned out at work, which is higher than employees in any other industry. Of all K-12 employees, teachers experience burnout at the highest rate (52%).

Teachers often remain background "cheerleaders" for students, rather than taking center stage themselves. In doing so, they accept an external locus of control and a fixed (rather than growth) mindset, leading to going with the status quo in classrooms rather than innovating and thinking outside of the box. Ultimately, teachers are often treated as tools for students' growth. In reality, they themselves are learning and growing right alongside their students.

Empowered provides teacher support network for all educators

Within Empowered, community is critical. Educators do not go through these journeys alone; they are connected to other educators looking to grow in the same ways. They are able to compare ideas, share successes, and support each other, increasing the odds of success for all.

"I can tell you the biggest asset from Empowered was [the community]," Nelson Jr. says. "They stayed in contact with us almost on a month by month basis. They sent us a lot of encouraging greeting cards. They checked in on us along the way."

As the Nelsons have utilized unique lessons and programs from Empowered, the community has checked in to see how it has gone. When they posted examples of their innovative work on the Empowered community spaces, "Man, it was a bunch of support coming from the community on that."

The more educators teach empowered, the more students benefit, too

Empowered is transformational for both sides of the desk. Teachers are empowered with a growth mindset and grit. This in turn leads them to pass this on to their students, guiding them to realize their passions, unique strengths, and adaptability.

Empowered's resources have helped the Nelsons use a variety of different teaching methods. This includes a lot of activity-based learning, to reach students with a variety of different learning styles.

"Whenever we had a dull moment in school, whenever we needed a pick-me-up, we dug into the Empowered bag," Nelson Jr. recalls.

Expanding their teaching abilities and receiving the support of the Empowered community has allowed the Nelsons to better guide and empower their students.

"They're looking for an opportunity to make an impact," Nelson Jr. says of his students. "Not only in their own lives, but for somebody else in the classroom. They come to me giving me encouraging words like, 'Hey, we're doing a great job. We have so much fun here, we're learning.'"

What's next for this online teacher community

There are 3.2 million teachers in the country who, in their lifetime, will teach more than 3,000 students. Empowered is doing its best to reach as many of them as possible. To date, they have shared tools, resources, and inspiration with more than 40,000 educators on social media, and an additional 18,000 through their monthly email. Nearly 8,000 educators - a number that is steadily growing each week - in every state are part of the Empowerment Hub, sharing ideas and encouragement with the community.

For Nelson, Jr. that means that every time Empowered offers an event or conference, both he and his wife will be there. They just finished acting as facilitators at the Atlanta Conference, and may be facilitators again next year. Right now, they're preparing for the new school year - with Empowered's help.

"My wife said, 'Maybe we do something explosive the first day of school," Nelson Jr. says. "So I'm going to dig into my Empowered hat. We're gonna open up with a bang."
Empowered is supported by Stand Together Trust, which provides funding and strategic capabilities to innovators, scholars, and social entrepreneurs to develop new and better ways to tackle America's biggest problems.

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The platform tackling teacher burnout head-on

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44% of teachers say they are burned out at work, which is higher than employees in any other industry. Learn how educators are overcoming teacher burnout.

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What is a lesson Plan?

A lesson plan is the instructor's road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during the class time. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning. Having a carefully constructed lesson plan for each 3-hour lesson allows you to enter the classroom with more confidence and maximizes your chance of having a meaningful learning experience with your students.

A successful lesson plan addresses and integrates three key components:

Learning Objectives

Learning activities

Assessment to check for student understanding

A lesson plan provides you with a general outline of your teaching goals, learning objectives, and means to accomplish them, and is by no means exhaustive. A productive lesson is not one in which everything goes exactly as planned, but one in which both students and instructor learn from each other. You may refer to an example of a 3 hour lesson plan here.

Before Class: Steps for preparing a lesson plan

Listed below are 6 steps for preparing your lesson plan before your class.

1. Identify the learning objectives

Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify the learning objectives for the lesson. A learning objective describes what the learner will know or be able to do after the learning experience rather than what the learner will be exposed to during the instruction (i.e. topics). Typically, it is written in a language that is easily understood by students and clearly related to the program learning outcomes. The table below contains the characteristics of clear learning objectives:

Characteristic

Description

Clearly stated tasks

Free from jargon and complex vocabulary; describe specific and achievable tasks (such as 'describe', 'analyse' or 'evaluate') NOT vague tasks (like 'appreciate', 'understand' or 'explore').

Important learning goals

Describe the essential (rather than trivial) learning in the course which a student must achieve.

Achievable

Can be achieved within the given period and sufficient resources are available.

Demonstrable and measurable

Can be demonstrated in a tangible way; are assessable; achievement and quality of achievement can be observed.

Fair and equitable

All students, including those with disabilities or constraints, have a fair chance of achieving them.

Linked to course and program objectives

Consider the broader goals - i.e. course, program and institutional goals.

The Bloom's Revised Taxonomy of Educational Objectives ( link) is a useful resource for crafting learning objectives that are demonstrable and measurable.

2. Plan the specific learning activities

When planning learning activities you should consider the types of activities students will need to engage in, in order to develop the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate effective learning in the course. Learning activities should be directly related to the learning objectives of the course, and provide experiences that will enable students to engage in, practice, and gain feedback on specific progress towards those objectives.

As you plan your learning activities, estimate how much time you will spend on each. Build in time for extended explanation or discussion, but also be prepared to move on quickly to different applications or problems, and to identify strategies that check for understanding. Some questions to think about as you design the learning activities you will use are:

What will I do to explain the topic?

What will I do to illustrate the topic in a different way?

How can I engage students in the topic?

What are some relevant real-life examples, analogies, or situations that can help students understand the topic?

What will students need to do to help them understand the topic better?

Many activities can be used to engage learners. The activity types (i.e. what the student is doing) and their examples provided below are by no means an exhaustive list, but will help you in thinking through how best to design and deliver high impact learning experiences for your students in a typical lesson.

Lecture

Convey concepts verbally, often with visual aids (e.g. presentation slides).

Quiz

Exercise to assess the level of student understanding and questions can take many forms, e.g. multiple-choice, short-structured, essay etc.

Student presentation

Oral report where students share their research on a topic and take on a position and/or role.

Simulation

Replica or representation of a real-world phenomenon that enables relationships, contexts, and concepts to be studied.

Discussion

Formal/informal conversation on a given topic/question where the instructor facilitates student sharing of responses to the questions and building upon those responses.

Feedback

Information provided by the instructor and/or peer(s) regarding aspects of one's performance or understanding.

Guest Speaker

Feelings, thoughts, ideas and experiences specific to a given topic are shared by an invited presenter.

Concept Mapping

Graphical representation of related information in which common or shared concepts are linked together.

Real-world projects

Planned set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations, either individually or collaboratively

It is important that each learning activity in the lesson must be (1) aligned to the lesson's learning objectives, (2) meaningfully engage students in active, constructive, authentic, and collaborative ways, and (3) useful where the student is able to take what they have learnt from engaging with the activity and use it in another context, or for another purpose.

3. Plan to assess student understanding

Assessments (e.g., tests, papers, problem sets, performances) provide opportunities for students to demonstrate and practice the knowledge and skills articulated in the learning objectives, and for instructors to offer targeted feedback that can guide further learning.

Planning for assessment allows you to find out whether your students are learning. It involves making decisions about:

The number and type of assessment tasks that will best enable students to demonstrate learning objectives for the lesson.

Examples of different assessments

Formative and/or summative

The criteria and standards that will be used to make assessment judgements.

Student roles in the assessment process

Self-assessment

Peer assessment

The weighting of individual assessment tasks and the method by which individual task judgements will be combined into a final grade for the course.
Information about how various tasks are to be weighted and combined into an overall grade must be provided to students.

The provision of feedback
Giving feedback to students on how to improve their learning, as well as giving feedback to instructors how to refine their teaching.

To learn more about designing assessment, click here.

4. Plan to sequence the lesson in an engaging and meaningful manner

Robert Gagne proposed a nine-step process called the events of instruction, which is useful for planning the sequence of your lesson. Using Gagne's 9 events in conjunction with Bloom's Revised Taxonomy of Educational Objectives ( link) aids in designing engaging and meaningful instruction.

Gange's Nine Events of Instruction by CourseArc is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

1. Provide guidance: Advise students of strategies to aid them in learning content and of resources available. With learning guidance, the rate of learning increases because students are less likely to lose time or become frustrated by basing performance on incorrect facts or poorly understood concepts.
To find out more about scaffolding student learning, click here.

2. Practice: Allow students to apply knowledge and skills learned.

Allow students to apply knowledge in group or individual activities.

Ask deep-learning questions, make reference to what students already know or have students collaborate with their peers.

Ask students to recite, revisit, or reiterate information they have learned.

Facilitate student elaborations - ask students to elaborate or explain details and provide more complexity to their responses.

3. Assess performance: To evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional events, test to see if the expected learning outcomes have been achieved. Performance should be based on previously stated objectives.
Utilise a variety of assessment methods including exams/quizzes, written assignments, projects, and so on.

4. Enhance retention and transfer: Allow students to apply information to personal contexts. This increases retention by personalising information.

Provide opportunities for students to relate course work to their personal experiences.

Provide additional practice.

5. Create a realistic timeline

A list of ten learning objectives is not realistic, so narrow down your list to the two or three key concepts, ideas, or skills you want students to learn in the lesson. Your list of prioritized learning objectives will help you make decisions on the spot and adjust your lesson plan as needed. Here are some strategies for creating a realistic timeline:

Estimate how much time each of the activities will take, then plan some extra time for each.

When you prepare your lesson plan, next to each activity indicate how much time you expect it will take.

Plan a few minutes at the end of class to answer any remaining questions and to sum up key points.

Plan an extra activity or discussion question in case you have time left.

Be flexible - be ready to adjust your lesson plan to students' needs and focus on what seems to be more productive rather than sticking to your original plan.

6. Plan for a lesson closure

Lesson closure provides an opportunity to solidify student learning. Lesson closure is useful for both instructors and students.

You can use closure to:

Check for student understanding and inform subsequent instruction (adjust your teaching accordingly)

Emphasise key information

Tie up loose ends

Correct students' misunderstandings

Preview upcoming topics

Your students will find your closure helpful for:

Summarizing, reviewing, and demonstrating their understanding of major points

Consolidating and internalising key information

Linking lesson ideas to a conceptual framework and/or previously-learned knowledge

Transferring ideas to new situations

There are several ways in which you can put a closure to the lesson:

State the main points yourself ("Today we talked about...")

Ask a student to help you summarize them

Ask all students to write down on a piece of paper what they think were the main points of the lesson

Bibliography

1. Ambrose, S., Bridges, M., Lovett, M., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M. (2010). How learning works: 7 research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

2. EDUCAUSE (2005). Potential Learning Activities. Retrieved April 7 2017, from EDUCAUSE website: https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NLI0547B.pdf.

3. Fink, D. L. (2005). Integrated course design. Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center. Retrieved from http://ideaedu.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Idea_Paper_42.pdf .

4. Gagne, R. M., Wager, W.W., Golas, K. C. & Keller, J. M (2005). Principles of Instructional Design (5th edition). California: Wadsworth.

5. Gredler, M. E. (2004). Games and simulations and their relationships to learning. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research for educational communications and technology (2nd ed., pp. 571-82). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

6. Richardson, J.C., & Swan. K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students' perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks 7(1), 68-88.

7. Schuell, T.J. (1986). Cognitive conceptions of learning. Review of Educational Research, 56, 411-436.

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A lesson plan is the instructor's road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during the class time. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning.

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No matter what content or subject you're teaching, having a lesson plan prepares you for class by providing a clear outline for the day. Your lesson plans don't need to be complex or lengthy - they just need to contain elements about what you're teaching, how you're going to be teaching this material, and what goals and objectives you want your students to meet as part of the curriculum.

Regardless of the sections within a lesson plan, each class you teach should build on the previous lesson and move seamlessly into the next. Of course, it's easier to build lesson plans that flow from class to class when you know what goes into creating one!

4 advantages of building a lesson plan

In any class, there are going to be things that you can't predict. But the more prepared you are, the easier it will be to adapt to the unexpected so you can effectively teach and respond to your students. Here are some of the main benefits of lesson plans:

1. Inspire personal confidence

Having a lesson plan lets you stay in control of the class and the lesson. As your confidence comes across to students, you'll find it easier to keep them focused and on track.

2. Evaluate your own lessons

Lesson plans allow you to evaluate your own teaching performance as you compare your methods with the plan you've prepared. This is a good way to make adjustments to your teaching style and/or techniques.

3. Organization

Lesson plans help you think in an organized manner, visualizing each step of the outline as you work from one concept to the next. A disorganized class presents too many opportunities for students to get off task and misbehave.

4. A guide for substitute teachers

With your lesson plan as a guide, substitute teachers will know exactly what your students are learning that day, making it easier for them to stay on track to meet any curriculum objectives that are set for your class.

The components of a great lesson plan

While there's no single way to create a lesson plan, there are some important components that go into building each one.

Every lesson that you build is an entire segment that you create to teach your students something new. As you build a lesson it's important to keep all your students in mind and ask the following essential questions before you begin:

Who are your students?

This may seem silly - of course, you know who your students are ... right? Before you can write an effective lesson plan, you need to really know your students. This includes information such as their interests, ability levels, whether they work better independently or in groups, any special needs that may require lesson tweaks, and their backgrounds. Knowing their learning preferences can also be helpful - some students learn better with visual aids, while others do better as auditory learners. You can incorporate videos to appeal to both kinds of learners!

What do your students already know?

Knowing your students' prior knowledge of a subject can help you plan lessons. If you've been building lesson plans all along to follow a curriculum, you'll already know what you've previously presented to your students; this allows you to continue with the flow.

What's the best way to get them to learn?

Determine the best ways to get your students to learn. Younger students may do well with a lot of interactive teaching, while an older class may do better with a lecture and slideshow. After the first few classes, you'll have a better idea of how to keep your students engaged.

You can break down the teaching techniques that you can use in your lesson plan into:

The types of students you have in your class; including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners.

The type of learning and goals you're aiming for. As an exercise, fill in this blank: "By the end of today's class, I'm hoping my students will have learned or be able to ___."

The resources, materials, and teaching environment that are available to you, such as a classroom, a field trip, or selected readings in a study hall.

Steps to building your lesson plan

Once you've identified the components that need to go into teaching your class, you're ready to use these eight steps to build your lesson plan:

1. Identify the objectives

To build a lesson, you first need to identify the objectives of each class. What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the period? Are there specific things that your students should know or be able to do? If you're teaching younger students, a lesson objective may be that they're able to identify animals that live in the rainforest after reading a chapter about animals in Brazil. For older students, this goal may involve having learned how to solve algebraic equations.

2. Determine the needs of your students

With this particular lesson, are you introducing new material or reviewing what you've already taught in a previous class? At the start of the class, be sure to let students know what to expect so they can stay focused on meeting your objectives. When reviewing material, some of your students may need more encouragement than others. Identifying these needs in your lesson plan will help you prepare.

3. Plan your resources and materials

Make a list of the resources and materials you'll need to teach this lesson, such as paper, pens, and rulers. Don't forget to include technology resources in your plan when appropriate - laptops, and gamified learning tools, like apps or educational websites.

4. Engage your students

What's the point of a lesson if your students aren't engaged? You want them to be interested in what you're teaching. Thus, to prepare, you need to get them interested in what this lesson is all about. Give them an outline of what you're going to be presenting. Then, introduce the subject more informally. For example, if you're teaching students a formula, try deriving it from scratch to build their intuition for where it comes from. Or, if you're discussing certain historical events, try to draw parallels between those and any current events so students can relate to the material.

5. Instruct and present information

Once you've set the stage for what you'll be teaching, it's time to present the information to your students. This is the time to instruct and use whatever resources you've included in your lesson plan. Involve your students in the process whenever possible so they're engaged. For example, you could ask students to come to the board and solve certain problems or answer questions.

Whether it's reading from a book, using props such as blocks for younger students, or displaying graphics on the screen for older students, it's all about presenting information and concepts in a meaningful way. Don't forget to account for the different learning styles of your students so you can use teaching methods that work for everyone.

6. Allow time for student practice

After teaching new material, leave time for students to practice. There are three practice methods that, when worked in order, are a good way to reinforce what you've just taught:

Guided practice - With a guided practice you're taking students back through what they've just learned, letting them add their own input as they gain confidence with the new information.

Collaborative process - With partners or in a group, the collaborative process is all about students talking with their peers as they explore these new concepts. Circulate among your class and offer additional instruction or help when needed to clarify points.

Independent practice - After the collaborative practice, it's time for students to practice what they've learned on their own. Adapt independent practice according to the material you've just presented, such as using worksheets or having students write a short essay.

7. Ending the lesson

Finish the lesson with a quick wrap-up. Do a brief overview of the lesson, including the main concepts the class learned. Ask students to identify the key ideas as a refresher, and leave them with a preview of the next lesson so they know what to expect.

8. Evaluate the lesson

Did you achieve your learning objectives? Provide students with the opportunity to show they know the material by using a short quiz or test. Depending on the results, your next lesson plan may include a review of information before moving on to new material.

Sample lesson plan template

You can find many teacher lesson plan templates online. You could even ask your colleagues to share their format! The lesson plan template included here is easy to use and you can adapt it to your own needs.
Photo: Google Edu

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How to build a great lesson plan (with a template!)

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No matter what content or subject you're teaching, having a lesson plan prepares you for class by providing a clear outline for the day. Your lesson plans don't need to be complex or lengthy - they just need to contain elements about what you're teaching, how you're going to be teaching this material, and what goals and objectives you want your students to meet as part of the curriculum.

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The new question-of-the-week is:
What is the single most effective instructional strategy you have used to teach math?
This post is part of a longer series of questions and answers inviting educators from various disciplines to share their "single most effective instructional strategy."

There are many more to come!

Today, Cindy Garcia, Danielle Ngo, Patrick Brown, and Andrea Clark share their favorite math instructional strategies.

'Concrete Representational Abstract'
Cindy Garcia has been a bilingual educator for 14 years and is currently a district instructional specialist for PK-6 bilingual/ESL mathematics. She is active on Twitter @CindyGarciaTX and on her blog:
The single most effective strategy that I have used to teach mathematics is the Concrete Representational Abstract (CRA) approach.

During the concrete step, students use physical materials (real-life objects or models) to explore a concept. Using physical materials allows the students to see and touch abstract concepts such as place value. Students are able to manipulate these materials and make sense of what works and what does not work. For example, students can represent 102, 120, and 201 with base 10 blocks and count each model to see the difference of the value of the digit 2 in each number.

During the abstract step, students are now primarily using numbers and symbols. Students working at the abstract stage have a solid understanding of the concept.

The CRA approach is appropriate and applicable to all grade levels. It is not about the age of the student but rather the concept being taught. In 3rd grade, it is beneficial to students to have them use base 10 blocks to create an open-area model, then draw an open-area model, and finally use the multiplication algorithm. In algebra, it is STILL beneficial to practice using algebra tiles to multiply polynomials using an open-area model.

The CRA approach provides students P-12 to have multiple opportunities to explore concepts and make connections with prior concepts. Some teachers try to start teaching a concept at the abstract level, for example, the standard algorithm for multiplication. However, they soon find out that students have difficulty remembering the steps, don't regroup, or don't line up digits correctly. One of the main reasons is that students don't understand this shortcut and they have not had the concrete & representational experiences to see how the shortcuts in the standard algorithm work.

'Encouraging Discourse'
Danielle Ngo is a 3rd grade teacher and Lower School math coordinator at The Windward School. She has been a teacher for 10 years and works primarily with students who have language-based learning disabilities:
Growing up, so many of us were taught that there is one right answer to every math problem, and that there is one efficient way to arrive at that conclusion. The impetus to return to this framework when teaching math is a tempting one and one I've found myself having to fight actively against during my own classroom instruction. In my experience, the most effective way to counter this impulse is to mindfully increase the discourse present during my math lessons. Encouraging discourse benefits our students in several ways, all of which solidify crucial math concepts and sharpen higher-order thinking and reasoning skills:

Distributes math authority in the classroom: Allowing discourse between students-not just between the students and their teacher-establishes a classroom environment in which all contributions are respected and valued. Not only does this type of environment encourage students to advocate for themselves, to ask clarifying questions, and to assess their understanding of material, it also incentivizes students to actively engage in lessons by giving them agency and ownership over their knowledge. Learning becomes a collaborative effort, one in which each student can and should participate.

Promotes a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts: While the rote memorization of a process allows many students to pass their tests, this superficial grasp of math skills does not build a solid foundation for more complex concepts. Through the requisite explanation and justification of their thought processes, discourse pushes students to move beyond an understanding of math as a set of procedural tasks. Rather, rich classroom discussion gives students the freedom to explore the "why's and how's" of math-to engage with the concepts at hand, think critically about them, and connect new topics to previous knowledge. These connections allow students to develop a meaningful understanding of mathematical concepts and to use prior knowledge to solve unfamiliar problems.

Develops mathematical-language skills: Students internalize vocabulary words-both their definitions and correct usage-through repeated exposures to the words in meaningful contexts. Appropriately facilitated classroom discourse provides the perfect opportunity for students to practice using new vocabulary terms, as well as to restate definitions in their own words. Additionally, since many math concepts build on prior knowledge, classroom discussions allow students to revisit vocabulary words; use them in multiple, varied contexts; and thus keep the terms current.

'Explore-Before-Explain'
Patrick Brown is the executive director of STEM and CTE for the Fort Zumwalt school district,in Missouri, an experienced educator, and a noted author:
The current COVID-19 pandemic is a sobering reminder that we are educating today's students for a world that is increasingly complex and unpredictable. The sequence that we use in mathematics education can be pivotal in developing students' understanding and ability to apply ideas to their lives.

An explore-before-explain mindset to mathematics teaching means situating learning in real-life situations and problems and using those circumstances as a context for learning. Explore-before-explain teaching is all about creating conceptual coherence for learners and students' experiences must occur before explanations and practice-type activities.

Distance learning reaffirmed these ideas when I was faced with the challenge of teaching area and perimeter for the first-time to a 3 rd grade learner. I quickly realized that rather than viewing area and perimeter as topics to be explained and then practiced, situating learning in problem-solving scenarios and using household items as manipulatives can illustrate ideas and derive the mathematical formulas and relationships.

Using Lego bricks, we quickly transformed equations and word problems into problem-solving situations that could be built. Student Lego constructions were used as evidence for comparing and contrasting physically how area and perimeter are similar and different as well as mathematical ways to calculate these concepts (e.g., students quickly learned by using Legos that perimeter is the distance around a shape while area is the total shape of an object). Thus, situating learning and having students use data as evidence for mathematical understanding have been critical for motivating and engaging students in distance learning environments.

Using an explore-before-explain sequence of mathematics instruction helps transform traditional mathematics lessons into activities that promote the development of deeper conceptual understanding and transfer learning.

A 'Whiteboard Wall'
Andrea Clark is a grade 5-7 math and language arts teacher in Austin, Texas. She has a master's in STEM education and has been teaching for over 10 years:
If you want to increase motivation, persistence, and participation in your math classroom, I recommend a whiteboard wall. Or some reusable dry erase flipcharts to hang on the wall. Or some dry erase paint. Anything to get your students standing up and working on math together on a nonpermanent surface.

The idea of using "vertical nonpermanent surfaces" in the math classroom comes from Peter Liljedahl's work with the best conditions for encouraging and supporting problem-solving in the math classroom. He found that students who worked on whiteboards (nonpermanent surfaces) started writing much sooner than students who worked on paper. He also found that students who worked on whiteboards discussed more, participated more, and persisted for longer than students working on paper. Working on a vertical whiteboard (hung on the wall) increased all of these factors, even compared with working on horizontal whiteboards.

Adding additional whiteboard space for my students to write on the walls has changed my math classroom (I have a few moveable whiteboard walls covered in dry erase paint as well as one wall with large whiteboards from end to end). My students spent less time sitting down, more time collaborating, and more time doing high-quality math. They were more willing to take risks, even willing to erase everything they had done and start over if necessary. They were able to solve problems that were complex and challenging, covering the whiteboards with their thinking and drawing.

And my students loved it. They were excited to work together on the whiteboards. They were excited to come to math and work through difficult problems together. They moved around the room, talking to other groups and sharing ideas. The fact that the boards were on the wall meant that everyone could see what other groups were doing. I could see where every group was just by looking around the room. I could see who needed help and who needed more time to work through something. But my students could see everything, too. They could get ideas from classmates outside of their group, using others' ideas to get them through a disagreement or a sticking point. It made formally presenting their ideas easier, too; everyone could just turn and look at the board of the students who were sharing.

I loved ending the math class with whiteboards covered in writing. It reminded me of all of the thinking and talking and collaborating that had just happened. And that was a good feeling at the end of the day. Use nonpermanent vertical surfaces and watch your math class come alive.

Thanks to Cindy, Danielle, Patrick, and Andrea for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the new redesign-new ones are not yet available). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first nine years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below. I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column.

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Four Teacher-Recommended Instructional Strategies for Math (Opinion)

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The new question-of-the-week is: What is the single most effective instructional strategy you have used to teach math? This post is part of a longer series of questions and answers inviting educators from various disciplines to share their "single most effective instructional strategy." There are many more to come!

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Positive behavior strategies are evidence-based, proactive approaches to changing challenging student behavior. Some examples of positive behavior strategies are pre-correcting and prompting and nonverbal signals.

There's a lot to think about when it comes to teaching. You plan and deliver lessons to cover the curriculum. You adjust your lesson plans to meet your students' needs. On top of it all, you manage student behavior.

You're not alone if you feel like managing behavior sometimes gets in the way of teaching. That's where positive behavior strategies come in. These strategies are also known as positive behavior supports, or PBS.

Why use positive behavior strategies?

Positive behavior strategies encourage you to see behavior as a form of communication. Every behavior sends a message about what a student needs. Some messages are easy to read. Some need more deciphering. (In those cases, a behavior specialist, a school psychologist, or other colleagues can help.)

Once you understand the message behind the behavior, you can better support students. As Jerome Schultz, PhD, puts it, "If you can read the need, you can meet the need."

Instead of reacting to challenging behaviors, you can proactively reduce them. Using positive behavior strategies can help you:

Build a trusting relationship between teachers, students, and families.

Instead of seeing behavior as a problem, you'll show empathy by looking at students with compassionate curiosity. With this view, you can shift your focus from "fixing" students to understanding them. You can also develop a more collaborative relationship with students by working together to understand when and under what circumstances a behavior occurs.

Teach and reinforce new skills.

Once you understand why a student behaves a certain way, you can respond more effectively. You can teach new behaviors that serve the same purpose. Many social-emotional learning programs incorporate specific strategies for teaching behaviors, like how to follow directions or ignore peer distractions.

Prompt you to consider multiple reasons for behavioral difficulties.

Students might not have the language or communication skills to express what they need. Or the behavior could be a way to avoid a difficult situation or task. Some students behave in negative ways to get attention or to get what they want. In other cases, they may be reacting to an environment that isn't supporting their learning. Or there could be a cultural difference. This may prompt you to take a culturally responsive approach to analyzing the behavior and your response to it.

As a classroom teacher, you may not have all the time, tools, or training to look at student behavior in depth. You can work with other school staff to do a functional behavior assessment (FBA). The specialist who does the FBA can work with teachers to create an appropriate behavior intervention plan.

What do positive behavior strategies look like?

Explore examples of positive behavior strategies:

To see a positive behavior strategy in action, watch this classroom video from Edutopia.

How do I put positive behavior strategies into practice?

Handling challenging behavior can be frustrating. Use this chart to reflect on where you are in your practice and where you might focus your next efforts.

Create a classroom layout that supports students.

Provide flexible spaces like a reading corner to support different types of learning.

Position furniture to ensure smooth transitions.

Organize materials in safe and accessible ways.

Seat students near peers who model appropriate behavior and who can ignore inappropriate behavior.

Seat students near you so you can use strategies like active supervision and pre-correction.

Post and define positive behavior expectations.

With your students, co-create classroom expectations that are observable, measurable, positive, and understandable.

Limit expectations to three to five statements.

Explicitly teach behavior expectations.

Plan, teach, and practice expected behaviors.

Plan, teach, and practice routines and procedures.

Reinforce and re-teach routines, procedures, and expectations throughout the year.

Establish ways to monitor your classroom and frequently check in with students.

Have systems to respond to behavior.

Collect data to look at the causes of inappropriate behavior.

Collaborate with specialists to use data to create supports for individual students.

Explicitly teach and reinforce new skills aligned to appropriate behavior.

Set competence anchors for students.

Partner with families.

Gather information about students from families and caregivers.

Engage the family when a student demonstrates challenging behavior.

Follow up with families to share when a student is demonstrating positive behavior.

How can families support this at home?

Behavior expectations might be different at home than they are at school. It's important for families to know what's expected in your classroom. Talk with families about the behavioral expectations in the classroom and the language you use to talk about behavior.

This will help families understand new phrases they hear or behavior changes they see. Also, families may want to use the same expectations at home. Share with them these parent-child behavior contracts to get started.

Additional resources and research

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Positive behavior strategies: A guide for teachers

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Positive behavior strategies can help educators support students with challenging behaviors. Get examples of positive behavior strategies and tips on how to implement them in this guide for teachers.

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Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services

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Instruction is a critical component of any educational endeavor. Your learning objectives guide what students will do, and your assessments measure their progress along the way, but it's your instruction that shapes the journey. It's the material students engage with to better themselves, meet their goals, and ultimately succeed in your course. In the online environment, this can take multiple forms: written e-books, video lectures, interactive lessons, and more. When we talk about instruction, we're referring to any course element students use as a vehicle to move from unfamiliarity to familiarity.

Whatever form your instructional materials take, it's critical that they engage your students. In the face-to-face classroom, observing engagement is easy-your students are viewing your lecture, taking notes, or showing other signs of attentiveness-but that isn't always the case online. Online, you can't see your students, meaning it's important to structure your materials in a way that's likely to keep their attention. While your assessments will ultimately show how well students have paid attention to the instructional material, by shaping your materials in a way that sets them up to succeed, you maximize the chances they'll do what they need to successfully master your learning objectives. With that in mind, this article will outline a number of strategies you can employ to maximize the efficacy of the learning materials you use in your online course.

Fundamentals of Online Instructional Materials

While engagement is an important aspect of your instructional materials (and any element of your course, really), it's equally important that your instruction is structured in a way that's professional and appropriate for the online environment. First and foremost, as a course developer or instructor, it's critical that your instruction is aligned with your learning objectives and assessments. If your learning objectives state what students will be able to do by the end of a course or module, and your assessments are what will measure student progress toward mastery of those objectives, the instructional materials should prepare students to succeed on those assessments. By writing or selecting your materials with these other course elements in mind, you help ensure that they are relevant and appropriate for your course.

Additionally, it's important that your instructional materials are both accessible and copyright compliant. When you create materials that are accessible, you ensure that students who require the use of assistive technology can access them without barriers. On a similar note, creating or selecting materials that are copyright compliant helps ensure that your course doesn't violate the copyright protections of any content you choose to use. This isn't just a legal concern; by doing this, you set a good academic example for your students.

Lastly, make sure your instructional materials are reader-friendly on multiple devices. Aslanian, Clinefelter, and Magda (2019) note that "fifty-six percent of online college students use a smartphone or tablet to complete at least some of their online course-related activities" (p. 32), making it more important than ever for your instruction to be designed with multiple platforms in mind. By ensuring that students can access your instruction on their smartphones, tablets, and across different operating systems, you help eliminate any barriers to entry that might exist. Furthermore, by making your instruction available across these platforms, you give students more opportunities to study, hopefully setting them up to succeed.

Chunk Your Materials

One of the easiest strategies you can employ to maximize student engagement is to "chunk" your instructional materials. This refers to breaking larger pieces of instruction into smaller, more manageable components for students to consume. You likely already do this without thinking about it. As we discuss elsewhere on the site, one common example of chunking is how we memorize phone numbers. A number like "(216) 555-0413" is much easier to recall than simply "2165550413." By taking a similar approach to your instructional materials, you help students focus on your content one step at a time.

There are a handful of benefits to taking this approach to your instruction. Bodie, Powers, and Fitch-Hauser (2006) note that chunking can increase the amount of information students can remember and improve their ability to recall it. In addition to these cognitive benefits, chunking your material also creates natural stopping points for your students. In their annual study of online college students, Aslanian et al. (2019) note that 59% of online students are employed full time, and 41% have at least one child. When you consider the responsibilities your students may have outside of class, you can start to see the importance of helping them to identify how much information they'll have to consume. Breaking up instruction into smaller, more manageable pieces gives your students the opportunity to more easily work it into their day-to-day lives.

Additionally, chunking helps you ensure that you're addressing your learning objectives. By thinking in terms of smaller pieces of instruction, you increase the likelihood that you can map those pieces to the individual micro-objectives in your online course. This might seem administrative or superfluous at the surface level, but one benefit to working with this kind of alignment in mind is that it ensures that each piece of instruction is tied to an objective, thus cementing its necessity to the course and students' achievement.

Lastly, chunking takes advantage of cognitive load theory. Cognitive load theory is based on the idea that schemas (organized chunks information) allow individuals to remember large amounts of information better. By chunking your materials, you can help eliminate what's known as extraneous load; that is, you set yourself up to prioritize information that's necessary for the learning process. Each chunk, when tied to a learning objective, contributes to the overall big picture of a student's path toward mastery of learning objectives.

Create Opportunities for Interaction

When you begin developing online courses, it can be tempting to include written lectures, recordings of live lectures, and so on-everything that's worked well in the face-to-face classroom, if you're coming from there-but that doesn't have to be the case. While there's nothing wrong with these sorts of materials, it's important to note that, unlike in a face-to-face classroom, you can't be certain that students are engaging with the materials. For instance, a teacher delivering a lecture in a classroom can see if his or her students are paying attention. Give online students a comparable video, and they might be doing any number of other things while it's playing. Because of this, creating opportunities for students to engage with the content in a way that you can observe is critical.

One way you can do this is by creating interactive lessons. There are a number of tools to assist you with creating interactive activities (some of which are built into popular learning management systems, even), and most are customizable to suit your purpose. Mayer (2009), in a book on principles of multimedia learning, notes that "People learn better when a multimedia message is presented in user-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit" (p. 175). With that idea in mind, consider replacing e-books that students can scroll through with interactive lessons that they can click through. Better yet, supplement lessons with self-check questions, click-to-reveal notes with supplemental materials, and other strategies for letting students check their progress, interact with the content, and more. In addition to helping students stay engaged by giving them something to do, these kinds of activities also help to ensure that students are ready to move from one topic to the next. Because a self-check asks students to monitor their progress, activities like these serve as a valuable form of formative assessment.

Another benefit of interactive lessons is that you can create them in such a way that they ensure student mastery of the assigned learning objectives. The aforementioned types of questions can be used as a self-check, of course, but students' direction based on their response can point them to information like remediation material, the next lesson, etc. In this sense, these types of activities can help individualize instruction and ensure that students are getting the attention and experience they need to be successful.

Ultimately, replacing standard lectures and e-books with interactive activities can take instruction from being a passive process to an active one where students engage in the content, control the pace of their learning, and more. However, when creating these types of activities, it's also important to ensure that accessible options exist for students who require the use of assistive technology in your course. For more on this, feel free to explore the following:

Utilize Multimedia

One popular strategy for increasing engagement with instructional materials is to utilize multimedia. While this can take multiple forms, for our purposes, we're going to look at the use of things like images, graphs, and charts that work alongside your written materials. As you might imagine, supplementing your text with these types of media can help engage students by drawing their attention to and reinforcing major points. For instance, if your written lecture for an education class includes a discussion of one teacher's experience using pre- and post-assessment data to measure student achievement, including a graph illustrating that data can prove helpful. Or, for example, if a video lecture for an architecture or construction course includes a discussion on the Greeks' use of the pediment, showing examples of a pediment can help reinforce the concept being discussed.

While using multimedia in this manner can help reinforce these important points, it's important to note than if you're going to use them, you need to make sure they're used strategically and not whimsically. That is, any image used in your instruction should have a specific purpose. Including multimedia that isn't instructive in nature-such as decorative images in PowerPoints and Word documents-can actually hinder students' ability to retain the information. This goes back to the idea of cognitive load theory. Whereas chunking helps eliminate extraneous load, unnecessary or decorative multimedia does the opposite-it increases it because, well, it is extraneous load. Ultimately, when using multimedia in your instruction, you want to make sure that it has a clear instructional purpose.

In his seminal book, Multimedia Learning, Mayer (2009) outlines a number of principles based on his research on the subject. If you're considering including multimedia in your course, here are a few of his principles to consider:

The Multimedia Principle: This principle states that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone. It's important to note that when Mayer uses the term "words," he's referring to both written and spoken words.

The Spatial Contiguity Principle: This principle states that people learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near one another. This can refer to pages, screens, and so on. Essentially, he suggests that text (labels, captions, descriptions, etc.) remains close to the image it describes.

The Temporal Contiguity Principle: Lastly, this principle states that people learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously, not successively.

For more information on Mayer's principles, feel free to check out our summary of them, " Principles of Multimedia Learning."

Conclusion

Instruction plays a tremendous role in your online course. It's the vehicle students use to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to succeed on your assessments, making it critical that these elements are designed in a way that hooks students' attention and prepares them for what's to come in your course and beyond. With that in mind, here are a few takeaways from this article:

Above everything, your instructional materials should be aligned with your learning objectives and assessments. Additionally, they should be both copyright compliant and accessible to assistive technology.

Chunking your instructional materials can be a great way to break them up into smaller, more manageable pieces that students are more likely to remember and retain.

By creating opportunities for interaction (using self-checks, branching activities, etc.), you allow students to become active participants in the instruction.

Multimedia can be an effective way to promote engagement and draw attention to key content, but superfluous multimedia can actually detract from your students' ability to retain information.

References

Bodie, G. D., Powers, W. G., & Fitch-Hauser, M. (2006). Chunking, priming and active learning: Toward an innovative and blended approach to teaching communication-related skills. Interactive Learning Environments, 14(2), 119-135.

Clinefelter, D. L., Aslanian, C. B., & Magda, A. J. (2019). Online college students 2019: Comprehensive data on demands and preferences. Louisville, KY: Wiley edu, LLC.

Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

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Organizing Instructional Materials to Maximize Student Engagement - Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services

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Instruction is a critical component of any educational endeavor. Your learning objectives guide what students will do, and your assessments measure their progress along the way, but it's your instruction that shapes the journey. It's the material students engage with to better themselves, meet their goals, and ultimately succeed in your course.

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key factors in creating a positive classroom climate

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key factors in creating a positive classroom climate

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I've been hearing a lot about "positive classroom climate." What does this mean?

Classroom climate refers to the prevailing mood, attitudes, standards, and tone that you and your students feel when they are in your classroom. A negative classroom climate can feel hostile, chaotic, and out of control. A positive classroom climate feels safe, respectful, welcoming, and supportive of student learning.

But there's not much I can do about the classroom's climate, right? I get the students I get!

The good news is that a classroom's climate doesn't just happen-it's created! Regardless of your students' past experiences, there are things you can do to deliberately shape the climate of your classroom into a positive learning environment.

That's great news! What can I do to create a positive classroom climate?

To create a positive climate for your classroom, focus on the following three "pieces" of the classroom climate "pie:"

Positive Classroom Climate

1. Develop and reinforce classroom rules and norms that clearly support safe and respectful behavior. Having classroom rules helps you create a predictable, safe learning environment for your students. Rules give your students clear boundaries and opportunities to practice self-regulation and make good choices. When students feel safe and respected both emotionally and physically, they are able to focus better on learning.

2. Promote positive peer relationships. You want to create an environment where your students support and are kind to one another. Some ways you can do this are:

Notice and reinforce casual positive interactions between students on a daily basis.

Deliberately plan relationship-building activities and games that encourage positive interactions. These can be long-term projects, or short and simple games designed for students to get to know each other better.

Pay attention to the social dynamics of your classroom. Do some students have trouble making friends? Do some students have trouble getting along with others? Who has a lot of friends? Who has few friends? Interviewing your students one-on-one can help you identify students that have stronger or weaker social connections. This can inform your seating arrangements, guide your grouping and pairing decisions, and assist you in helping students form new networks of friends.

Have class meetings. Class meetings provide a safe environment in which students can discuss with you and each other topics that are important to them. You and your students can get to know each other better and build relationships through open discussions on subjects like: Following Rules, How to Get Help, Including Others at Recess, Solving Playground Problems, etc. This helps create a positive classroom climate built on trust and respect.

3. Nurture positive relationships with all students. You need to let your students know that you not only care about their progress in the classroom, you also care about them as human beings. Some ways you can do this are:

Greet your students by name every time they walk in the door. This lets them know that you notice and care that they are there.

Use warm, inclusive behaviors with your face, body, and words each day. Smile! Ask, "How are you feeling?" Look at your students. Notice and reinforce their positive behaviors with encouraging words.

Ask your students personal questions that will help you get to know them and what's happening in their lives outside of school. "How was your soccer game last night?" "Is your grandma feeling better?"

Notice changes in students' physical and emotional behaviors. Changes may indicate a student is in need of additional emotional support. Provide or find support for that student as needed.

Spend and keep track of individual time with each one of your students over a set duration (such as each month).

Is there a way I can see how well our classroom climate is doing?

Yes! Check in with your students throughout the year during one-on-one interviews, or ask for their written responses to some of the following types of questions: Do you feel safe in our class? Are students in our class kind to each other? Do students in our class follow the rules? Do you feel included by the other students? What else would you like me to know about you? Make adjustments as necessary based on your students' feedback to ensure a positive learning environment for your students.

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Key Factors in Creating a Positive Classroom Climate | Committee for Children

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I've been hearing a lot about "positive classroom climate." What does this mean? Classroom climate refers to the prevailing mood, attitudes, standards, and tone that you and your students feel when they are in your classroom. A negative classroom climate can feel hostile, chaotic, and out of control.

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Page 5: Create a Positive Climate

Another integral part of comprehensive behavior management is a positive classroom climate. The classroom should be a place of empathy, care, collaboration, and respect, essential qualities that facilitate positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. The table below outlines some of the practices teachers can use to create and maintain a positive classroom climate, as well as action steps and examples for each.

With students:

Create a welcoming and supportive environment (e.g., greet each student in the morning).

Take an interest in students' lives (e.g., ask about a hobby or interest).

With families:

Initiate and maintain positive, productive, and regularly scheduled communication.

Recognize that they are the expert on their child and can provide valuable insight.

To learn more about building positive relationships with families, visit the IRIS Module:

The week before school starts, Ms. Rollison hosts a parent meeting for the families of her students. In this meeting, she shares important information about the classroom as well as her own contact information. She also asks parents how they prefer to be communicated with.

Develop and communicate clear, reasonable standards for behavior.

Recognize and reinforce appropriate behavior consistently. (Key Principle: Consistency Is Essential)

Provide supports for students who have difficulty meeting expectations. (Key Principle: High-Quality Instruction Is Vital)

Ms. Rollison reviews behavioral expectations every day. She incorporates a reward system that encourages positive behaviors.

Actively listen to what students are communicating verbally and nonverbally.

Use body language, gestures, and vocal tones that reflect understanding, patience, and acceptance.

As the school year progresses, Ms. Rollison notices that the same few students are disruptive each day. She decides to try the Two-by-Ten strategy -a simple practice that involves spending two minutes per day for 10 consecutive days chatting with a disruptive student to help build a positive relationship.

Consistently follow through on what you say you will do. (Key Principle: Consistency Is Essential)

Be responsive to student needs.

Keep student information confidential.

Note: Credibility and dependability take time and effort to develop.

Ms. Rollison follows through on her rewards system. She provides a homework pass as soon as students meet the required criteria.

Actively participate in all meetings.

Value the competence and experience of other school personnel and family members.

Consult with other professionals (e.g., related service providers, special educators) as needed.

Ms. Rollison communicates with the special education teacher when students with disabilities are struggling in her class.

Develop an understanding of culture and its influence on behavior.

Recognize your own background and that of others.

Accommodate different communication styles (e.g., verbal turn taking, talk story).

Be mindful of possible biases and stereotypes about diverse students who struggle academically and socially.

verbal turn taking
Organizational system of conversation whereby speakers exchange ideas, information, and reactions by taking turns speaking; the extent to which an individual is comfortable taking turns during conversation, instead of talking while another person is speaking, might be culturally based.

Term used to describe the informal sharing of ideas, opinions, and history with one or more people through storytelling; the expression is of Hawaiian origin.

(Key Principle: Understanding of Student Diversity is Critical)

Ms. Rollison is thoughtful and intentional in planning her lessons and choosing instructional materials that include representations of different cultures and communities.

Research Shows

Positive interactions with teachers help students navigate the challenges of instructionally focused classrooms and facilitate motivation, engagement, and social development.
(Archambault et al., 2017; Larson et al., 2020; van Uden et al., 2014)

Students indicate that having teachers that demonstrate care and respect is important. This is often done through simple positive greetings, maintaining high expectations, recognizing the strengths of cultural differences, as well as providing tangible support when students struggle academically and socially.
(Liang et al., 2020)

Though customs and communication styles vary widely, communicating with civility and respect is common among cultures.
(Robinson, 2020)

In the audios below, three teachers discuss strategies for creating a positive classroom climate. First, Angela Mangum discusses how she builds relationships and holds high expectations for her students. Next, Melissa Patterson discusses the importance of positive communication and how she uses positive phone calls to build relationships with families. Finally, Ashley Lloyd talks about how she treats students with respect and is responsive to student needs.

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View Transcript
Melissa Patterson
High School Teacher

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Transcript: Angela Mangum

I always stand at my door and welcome my students by name every day. And if I miss one-because I was helping somebody with something or I had to run to the restroom-I'll always make sure when I do come back that I've said hello to everybody. I think in high school especially, it's really easy for kids to put their hoods on and hide in the back and be invisible. And I don't want them to be invisible in my room. I want them to feel seen, and I want them to feel appreciated and important. So I'll always make sure that I greet them. My curriculum is so much about student interests and students, what they like, what they don't like. That's how we start in the early levels because that's very easy French vocabulary. So building into my daily instruction, asking them questions about what they're doing, asking them what their weekend plans are, how their weekend was, and then following up on it. You know, if a student tells me they have a baseball game, the next time I see them I'm going to remember to ask them how was your baseball game? And those little things aren't the little things. That's what makes kids feel like you care about them. And it makes kids feel like you like your job. And when you say you like your job, whether you mean it on that day or not, they're going to feel that, and they're going to be more inclined to come to class on time, ready to learn, with a positive attitude because they feel like you want them there. They feel welcomed. And I think that's really important. And when kids get frustrated and want to give up because something's hard, I think reminding them that you believe in them and you're not going to let them give up. I've said to students, I'm going to sit here until you do this so you can do it now or you can wait five minutes. But I'm going to still be sitting here ready to help you because you can do this, and you are capable. I think using those supportive phrases and just refusing to give up on them because they're going to give up on themselves a lot quicker than you will. And showing them that you're there and you're committed to them as people and as students, that really helps them feel welcomed in your room, and it just makes your classroom a much more positive place to be.

Transcript: Melissa Patterson

I make sure that I'm calling home regularly-not just for negative behaviors, but for positive ones-making sure that the students are familiar with me, the phone number that pops up on their phone so they know to answer it. So they know, oh, this is Ms. Patterson. She's calling because of something with my student. I always call if there's some kind of negative behavior that's affecting the climate in the classroom, but additionally I'll make sure that every few days, especially in that first month of school, that I'm also calling to say, hey, this is what he or she did today, and it was really amazing. Parents don't want to hear all of the negativity that's coming from school every day, but they really appreciate hearing all of the good, positive, strengthening things that their students are doing. So I think the most important thing across the board to creating a positive climate is constant communication, whether that's communication with the students to remind them or praise them about their behavior and then communication with the families for them to understand, their true expectations for the classroom, how successful their student is being, and what those things are that have been successful so they can encourage that behavior going forward. A lot of teachers just send home the syllabus that have the classroom rules in the syllabus, but parents don't necessarily see those. For a student's parent to have regular conversation with a teacher that isn't always negative really creates that bond and encourages the student to make sure that they are doing the things that are expected of them because they know that their parent has a personal relationship with their teacher and that they are in regular contact. So they want to make sure they're doing the right things. We get so overwhelmed with making those phone calls, but I think a good way to do that is to have a communication log and even just as simple as having like a checkmark saying I called for a negative reason or I called for a positive so that you can continue to see that data. And if I called this parent six times for a negative behavior, I really need to call that parent and remind them that their student is good as well, which again can be hard, but it's just a piece of our everyday teacher life.

Transcript: Ashley Lloyd

When I think of creating a positive classroom environment, the concept of student voice and choice whenever possible is what I try to incorporate throughout every lesson of every day. When students can bring themselves into an assignment or a task in a way large or small, they feel connected, respected, and heard. So I try to maintain the high expectations by providing open-ended opportunities that have built-in scaffolds and supports when needed. And then they can also feel that they have the voice and the choice in saying that's not going to work for me for this reason. How about I try it this way? It gives them a lot of confidence and a lot of say. It helps build the bond between me and the child, and it helps them feel as if they're being respected. I do everything possible to handle behaviors inside the classroom. Students who are sent out or have another adult called in to deal with their behavior start to feel disconnected, not part of the group. And they feel that me as a teacher is no longer their authority. So I try very, very hard when possible to handle any unwanted behaviors within the classroom with respect. And if I have built the student voice and choice and the highly engaging environment, it tends to be very simple to handle those behaviors in the classroom because they don't want to miss out.

Returning to School

Care, collaboration, and respect must be emphasized immediately and repeatedly when students return to school. Teachers should focus on a few important basics when they set about establishing a positive classroom climate.

Communicate, Connect, and Check- In: Enhance relationships with students and their families by increasing both the level and quality of communication. Some ways teachers can do this is to:

Welcome and greet students with enthusiasm each day.

Show concern for students' well-being.

Survey students or families regarding needs.

Schedule frequent "Check-Ins" to ensure levels of support and collaboration are maintained.

Make sure to use multiple channels of communication (e.g., emails, texts, phone calls, school website, family networks).

Screen and Monitor: Formally and informally screen to determine which students need academic support, behavioral interventions, and critical services such as healthcare, nutritional support, and social welfare. Continue to regularly monitor student needs as these can change throughout the school year.

Support: Maintain a safe, respectful, and culturally responsive environment that emphasizes predictable routines, high expectations, and the strengths of diverse cultures. Some ways teachers can do this is to:

Offer guidance and emotional support to students as needed.

Minimize student sensory and emotional overload. Just being in a class with 20-30 students where many things happen simultaneously is a big change from what students experienced last year. This, in addition to increased student stress and anxiety, may result in them easily becoming overwhelmed.

Teach: Consistently teach (and reteach, when needed) behavioral expectations through engaging lessons. This may be the first time that 1st-grade students have been in a classroom, and older students may have been out of the classroom for more than a year. Keep in mind that increased time may be required to teach and model appropriate academic and social behaviors.

Adapted from Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 2021.

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IRIS | Page 5: Create a Positive Climate

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Another integral part of comprehensive behavior management is a positive classroom climate. The classroom should be a place of empathy, care, collaboration, and respect, essential qualities that facilitate positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. The table below outlines some of the practices teachers can use to create and maintain a positive classroom climate, as well as action steps and examples for each.

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One of the most important skills of a good teacher is good communication skills. Communicating effectively with students creates a positive learning environment and fosters student success. Good communication skills also enable teachers to build strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues.

Communication is essential in the workplace. Good communication skills can help you build strong working relationships, resolve conflict, and increase productivity. Therefore, the importance of communication in the workplace cannot be underestimated.

Good communication skills are important for several reasons:

1. When you can communicate effectively, you can better teach skills to others.

2. Good communication skills can help you build strong relationships with the people around you.

3. Effective communication can help you better understand the world around you.

One of the most important skills in the workplace is effective communication. Communication is essential to maintain relationships with co-workers, superiors, and customers. Good communication skills can help to resolve conflicts, build relationships, and increase productivity. A few key things to remember when communicating effectively in the workplace: be clear, concise, and respectful.

Good communication skills are essential for teachers. They need to be able to communicate effectively with their students and other teachers, and school staff. Good communication skills can help teachers to better understand their students and to build positive relationships with them. In addition, good communication skills can help teachers resolve conflicts and manage their classrooms effectively.

Teachers need to be able to communicate with students and parents. Good communication skills are important for the success of any teaching profession. In this article, we explore why it is necessary to have good communication skills and some other ways teachers can improve their effectiveness in delivering instruction and educating students.
Suggested - Psychological Principles of Teaching
First impressions do matter! A teacher's first impression of a student can affect future interactions with that student in or out of school. Therefore, a teacher must demonstrate positive images through verbal cues and nonverbal messages such as tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, eye contact, etc.

Here are a few other ways how teachers can improve communication skills

Have a systematic plan with clear goals, objectives, and expectations for each class period.

Have enough engagement with students by involving them in academic activities and experiences outside the classroom.

Show enthusiasm for the activities that teachers are facilitating in their classrooms.

Communicate the importance of their role as a teacher and role models to their students.

Demonstrate positive behavior, language, and instructional techniques.

Help students find success in school and remind them that they are all learners as well.

7 Reasons Why Good Communication Skills Are Important For Teachers?

Good Communication Skills Keeps Students In Control

Unlike other professionals (like doctors, pilots, or engineers), teachers are not in control of their environment. It is not their job to manage the everyday operations of a classroom. However, in today's fast-paced society, teachers must exhibit leadership skills and positive behavior to ensure that students stay focused and have a positive relationship with the teacher and school.

Improves Students Learnings

Students need to be able to learn in a classroom setting if they are going to complete their education and then enter the workforce. On the flip side, students need to be able to understand and interact positively with teachers if they want an education that will help them reach their educational, career, and life goals.

Decreases Teacher Turnover

Teachers who exhibit poor communication skills may not last long in a classroom job due to student or parent complaints or teacher resignations due to stress, burnout, or other issues related to the job.

Improves Parent-Teacher Interaction

By not communicating with parents or the school, teachers can put themselves in a position to be continually picked on or reprimanded for things that other parents or teachers find offensive. Communication is a two-way process, and mutual respect is the key to any good relationship.

Suppose a teacher has a good professional relationship with the parents of their students. In that case, it generally means that they are more likely to have continued employment and retain their students' trust and respect.

Helps Teachers Spot Problems

By identifying potential problems with a student early, the teacher can adjust their plans accordingly to help the student reach their various educational goals. For example, suppose a student is slipping in school or exhibiting behavior outside the expected norm. In that case, an observant teacher can explore ways to adjust the class schedule, curriculum, and other activities to help support these students' needs in school.

Helps In Dealing With Special Needs Children

Basic communication skills will help teachers respond appropriately when their special needs child(ren) asks for extra attention or needs an emotional release from some type of stressor in he/her day. Skills such as patience and the ability to listen to what the child is trying to express or needing help with can make all the difference in a teacher's ability to support these students' needs.

Influencing Parents' And Students' Perceptions Of Teachers

Students and parents have much information about teachers based on their initial interactions, classroom interactions, and ongoing conversations with other students or parents who have had positive experiences with that teacher. Teachers who can remain positive and approachable and keep the lines of good communication skills open with students and parents tend to have fewer problems with their instructional program and professional reputation.

Final Thoughts

The preceding list of why good communication skills are important for teachers might be the tip of the iceberg. Possibly teachers will have just one or two reasons that can make a difference in their instructional program and success as well as their professional reputation, but it is very important to keep all the other ways in mind that show how beneficial good communication skills can be to both them and their students. A classroom conducive to a learning environment should also include many other beneficial elements for student success.

If you have a passion for teaching and want to expand your online coaching business, then Classplus is here to help you. Get your own personalized app and reach out to a larger number of students across the country. To know more, connect with us and talk to our experts now!

Why Good Communication Skills Are Important For Teachers FAQs
Q1. What are 5 good communication skills?
A1. Five good communication skills are written communication skills, oral communication skills, non-verbal communication, contextual communication, and active listening.
Q2. What makes a good communicator?
A2. A good communicator is made by practice and some tips such as choice of words, creating a connection with the audience, and understanding their audience.
Q3. Why is communication important?
A3. Communication is important because it helps to make connections with people and understand them. It helps to communicate our needs and wants.
Q4. What is the most important communication skill?
A4. The most important communication skill is listening. A person that does not listen to the other person can never do effective communication.
Q5. What are the greatest challenges to good communication?
A5. The greatest challenges to good communication are the irrelevance of the receiver, lack of attention, distractions, and interest.

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Why Good Communication Skills Are Important For Teachers

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One of the most important skills of a good teacher is good communication skills. Communicating effectively with students creates a positive learning environment and fosters student success. Good communication skills also enable teachers to build strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues. {{CODEdownbanner}} Communication is essential in the workplace.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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These strategies can help you increase student engagement with learning activities, build their confidence in their community of learning, and increase their comprehension of the course material.

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The question-of-the-week is:
Some research suggests that as students get older, their engagement with school tends to decrease. How can schools combat this trend?
Part One's contributors were Janice Wyatt-Ross, Dr. PJ Caposey, Michelle Shory, Irina McGrath, and Matt Renwick. Janice was also a guest on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show. You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

Today, Tonia Gibson, Katie Shenk, Libby Woodfin, Jayson W. Richardson, and Luiza Mureseanu offer their observations.

'At the core are student/teacher relationships'
Tonia Gibson, a managing consultant at McREL International, is a former Australian teacher and school leader. At McREL, she focuses on helping schools use an inside-out, curiosity-based approach to develop sustainable and continuous improvement:
To truly answer this question, we need to understand what student engagement is. For me, student engagement is closely linked to motivation; both intrinsic and extrinsic factors play a role in how interested students are at school.

We also know that student motivation tends to decrease as students move through and up grade levels. Most students in 2nd grade appear happy to be at school and in most classrooms look to be highly engaged in learning, whereas the scene in some 10th grade classrooms might look very different, with students staring at their phones or listening to music through hidden ear pods. A Gallup survey of some 500,000 students found that roughly 8 in 10 elementary students felt "engaged" in school-that is, attentive, curious, and optimistic about their learning-yet by high school, that number had plummeted to just 4 in 10.

Elementary teachers are able to use a myriad of strategies that are almost guaranteed to engage students in learning. Short demonstrations in science or even a brainteaser can spark a child's curiosity about a topic. Most K-5 students willingly and openly ask questions of their teachers and each other when they need further clarification or help.

Middle school teachers will probably paint a very different picture. Student engagement appears to decrease due to a number of observable factors, including the shift in teacher/student relationships, increased academic demands, and, not to be dismissed, the biological and social changes that students are navigating.

Most high school teachers will tell you that student engagement at this level can (mostly) be linked to a student's personal motivations about their future life away from or after high school. Students might be motivated to get good grades so that they can enter higher education, or they may be aiming for a technical college or career and choose their pathway accordingly. But then there are also students who seem disengaged at school for reasons that are harder to address, like homelessness, generational poverty, or lack of self-belief or confidence that they can succeed.

In light of all of this, what teachers really need to master is knowing and understanding what motivates their students-in and out of school. Knowing your students and their interests can help teachers become more intentional when planning for learning. Pairing that knowledge with a knowledge of which research-supported, high-impact strategies will be most effective with your students can help teachers create classroom environments where students display increased interest, motivation, and engagement in learning.

At the core are student/teacher relationships. Engaging students is not about being entertaining, providing loads of experiments that blow up, or having a colorful slide show to appeal to students who love screen time. Great teachers know that before their students can learn, they need to build positive relationships and shared understandings about what the purpose of school (or their class) is, and work with students to set realistic personal goals that help them develop and internalize their purpose for being at school.

Once these shared expectations and understandings have been established, teachers should be savvy in ensuring they provide purposeful, transparent, and engaging learning opportunities for students. Some excellent practices teachers should consider are:

Ensure clarity and purpose for student learning. For students to be engaged and motivated to learn, they need to know what they are learning, why it is important, and how to be successful. Teachers should be mindful to ensure that their narrative around the "why" is crafted to connect with the students in front of them. If the purpose for the learning is merely grades, you might lose some students. But if it's about getting a good grade and understanding and applying the learning to a real-world problem, then you're engaging the whole class.

Create challenging learning tasks. Challenging learning tasks aren't just lists of "hard" problems or the teacher setting high expectations. Learning tasks and activities that scaffold student learning, connect to the real world and/or the students' experiences, and challenge students to use what they know to solve a problem or apply their knowledge to a new task will always be more engaging than assigning pages and pages of practice problems to prepare for a test.

Set up classroom structures that allow students to learn with and from each other. Learning is primarily a social activity. Babies learn to talk by listening and mimicking the people around them, while young children learn how to hit a baseball or skate by watching and getting feedback from others. Student should have the same opportunities at school. Students at your school may come from backgrounds where storytelling is a powerful way to learn. Or using a digital platform to create virtual learning communities where students can chat and share ideas online may be a way to encourage collaboration outside of our regular turn-and-talk classroom routines.

'The Four Ts'

Katie Shenk is a lead curriculum designer for EL Education. Libby Woodfin is the director of publications for EL Education and an author of Learning That Lasts: Challenging, Engaging and Empowering Students with Deeper Instruction:

Learning is naturally engaging. When students begin kindergarten, when they learn to read and write, when numbers fall into place for them for the first time, it is exciting. Learning is fun!

But what happens after the primary grades? Students hang onto their joy for a while, but for many, it starts to slip as 4th or 5th grade rolls around. And middle school is a notoriously joyless time for far too many students. It doesn't mean that all kids end up hating school (though some will), but the source of students' engagement with school often changes.

Sometimes "achievement" in a traditional sense-grades, accolades from teachers or family members-is what engages students. Sometimes it's social interactions. But some students will struggle in school and, as a result, are likely to disengage on some level. This may happen for students because learning is hard and their teachers have not found the right way to meet their needs, or because they feel that they don't belong, that school is not a place where they fit in or where they can succeed.

The problem for educators to solve as students get older is to ensure that school remains a place of learning, not just of schooling. Students may go through the paces of school-doing their homework, answering questions in class-but that's not necessarily learning and students may become more and more disengaged as they experience more schooling and less authentic learning. Students (even middle schoolers!) can still engage deeply with school, but they need authentic opportunities to learn deeply.
Designing Curriculum with the Four Ts
We use a simple framework called the Four Ts to consider how to combine topics, tasks, targets, and texts in a way that will truly engage students with their learning.

The TOPIC teaches standards through real-world issues, original research, primary-source documents, and the opportunity to engage with the community, and they lend themselves to the creation of authentic tasks/products.

The TASK gives students the opportunity to address authentic needs and an authentic audience related to the topic.

Standards-aligned learning TARGETS are contextualized to the topic; they prepare students for and guide the task and ensure proper, deep analysis of the text.

A worthy TEXT is chosen judiciously to ensure that it will help students build world knowledge, master specific standards, and learn about the topic.

Let's look at a few examples of the Fours Ts in action. Note that one of the key themes in these examples is that students are engaged in purposeful work, and, because of that, they are motivated to dig in to complex and rigorous learning. They are engaged.

(We urge you to watch the accompanying videos, which tell each story in detail.)
Living History: 4th and 5th Grades
Their teacher expertly wove together the Four Ts to design a compelling project from start to finish. Her framing of the topic as a "history mystery" piqued students' curiosity out of the gate and her innovative use of texts included epitaphs from the local cemetery, museum gallery texts, and historical newspapers. Key literacy standards related to reading and synthesizing informational texts, writing informational texts, and speaking with and listening to experts and museum guests anchored the learning targets. The culminating task -the museum exhibit and garden-honored the history of the local community.
Community Faces: 6th Grade
This project is a beautiful example of the Four Ts in action. The topic engaged students in a real-world, contemporary issue that impacted their community and allowed them to do authentic, primary research with community members. Engagement in the task was high as students interviewed local immigrants and learned photography and interviewing skills from experts. Learning targets were standards-aligned and interdisciplinary, and the project incorporated work from all subject areas, including math. Students were eager to dig into complex texts, including primary texts, in order to prepare for their interviews and produce high-quality work for an authentic audience.
The Successes, Challenges, and Possibilities of Policing in the United States: 12th Grade
This video features seniors at Codman Academy in Boston preparing to write a research paper analyzing a critical component of policing in America. Their preparation involves reading a series of case studies and primary-source texts, as well as structured academic discussions, about policing practices in a variety of communities around the U.S. Their primary texts are The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and the U.S. Department of Justice's "Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department." The beauty of the Four Ts in this video is the way that they weave together to give students access to a challenging text; those access points serve to engage students deeply in their learning.

The topic of policing in America is one that impacts the lives of the students in this class every day. This compelling topic, combined with a powerful primary-source text (the Ferguson report) inspires students to read and think critically. The task is a research paper, which is scaffolded by a series of academic discussions in which students grapple with their readings and analysis. Due to the nature of the text, which is incredibly dense, the teacher has designed lessons to ensure that students will be able to access it, make meaning from it, and learn from it. She has also designed tools for the students, such as note-catchers, that require them to capture evidence from the text, which they can use in their analysis. This is a key college- and career-ready skill aligned to standards and learning targets.

Measuring the wrong things

Jayson W. Richardson is a professor at the University of Denver and the department chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the Morgridge College of Education. He has written over 100 scholarly articles, books chapters, and books focusing on technology, leadership, and change including a new book on Bringing Innovative Practices to Your School:

School leaders often worry about issues such as discipline, dropout rates, achievement, and academic progression. These are often viewed as the traditional measures of a student's (and school's) success. But these measures do not get at what might be the most problematic issue. These forward-facing measures are simply indicative of a deeper issue: student engagement. As such, efforts to address student engagement in P-12 schools, are often blurred by competing accountability measures.

Gallup (2016) conducted a survey of nearly 1 million students across the United States. They found that starting at 5 th grade, 74 percent of students reported to being engaged in school. By the 12 th grade, only 34 percent of students reported being engaged in school. These are alarming numbers given that by the time students leave our schools, nearly 7 out of 10 are generally disengaged in the learning process.

Looking at the Gallup (2016) data deeper, it is clear that the issue of a lack of engagement is indeed dire. Sixty percent of 5 th graders reported learning something interesting in school in the past 7 days. That level drops to 33 percent by the 12 th grade. When students were asked if they have fun at school, 47 percent of 5 th grades and just 20 percent of 12 th grades said yes. From these data, it is clear that we have more than half of our 5 th graders not having fun at schools and 4 out of 10 not even learning something interesting in school! By the time that student is ready to tackle the world, she spends 67 percent of the time not learning anything interesting in school and 80 percent of her time not having any fun.

Supporting young adults
Luiza Mureseanu is an instructional resource teacher, K-12, for ESL/ELD programs, in Peel DSB, Ontario, with over 17 years of teaching middle and high school students in Canada and Romania. She believes that all English-learners will be successful in schools that cultivate culturally and linguistically responsive practices:
Schools need to prepare a different approach in providing instructional support for older (18+) students using experiential learning and age-relevant curriculum. Older students naturally have a different level of interest in attending school, and their level of performance changes because their life priorities change.

Often, they are breadwinners for the household; having multiple jobs or even taking care of younger siblings forces them to slow down in their schooling. In fact, family circumstances or a complicated history of immigration often determines that they need to spend longer time in school to finish their credits. As a secondary school teacher, I know when my students are late to class or tired because of jobs or family commitments.

It is true that research indicates the correlation between getting older and the decreasing of school engagement, but there is no similar correlation between getting older and abandoning the interest in finishing school. In fact, when asked, older students indicate their desire to get their diploma. Therefore, schools need flexible programs to accommodate the learner, including modified timetable and relevant courses.

For example, some of the schools with larger clusters of older learners could provide alternate starting time in the morning. The model is not entirely new as some of the high schools with large hospitality and tech programs have that option already, and it works best for students who have a co-op course, a dual credit, or a workplace component on their timetable.

Another important step schools need to take will be to provide courses that are of interest for older students-particularly the elective courses. For example, some financial-literacy courses, family economics, or career courses need to be available for the older group. They should be provided with an opportunity to have some form of workplace component in their education and to get them involved in projects with community or local businesses.

Schools definitely need to provide more specific supports for this group. Ironically, students could attend high school in Ontario, Canada, until they are 21. In reality, there are just a few students who will remain in a regular day school after the age of 18. They either go to a continuing education program, sometime later in life, or drop out of school. Some groups are particularly affected-ELLs with a refugee background, students living below the poverty line, students with exceptionalities. School districts have the data that shows this trend, and they must prioritize the needs of this group.

Thanks to Tonia, Katie, Libby, Jayson, and Luiza for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.
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Nine Strategies for Promoting Student Engagement (Opinion)

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Five educators discuss how to maximize engagement, including the importance of understanding student motivation in and out of the classroom.