Setting expectations before commencing the activity will gear the students in the right direction when the time comes to let them fully engage.

Having clear expectations about the activity should look like, volume level, type of school talk

Building trust is a foundation for democratic learning, and having a classroom management technique that allows for building this will help

"Social problems arise over resources, policies, classroom assignments, injustices and inequalities, and the friction of interaction itself: egos and social positions rubbing up against one another in discursive space. Academic problems are at the core of each discipline, and expertise in a subject is defined largely by one’s knowledge of them. A strong curriculum plunges students into them in pedagogically measured ways" (Parker)

Opening and addressing what you are doing in your classroom to parents, staff, administrators, and the community ensures conflicts of democratic teaching are resolved.

Educators with different approaches can still fundamentally encourage a democratic foundation. One leans toward a more equitable approach while the other is a trusting approach.

"The investigation offered teachers an opportunity to give voice to their own understanding of democratic processes, practices, and principles" (Collins)

Developing social and emotional abilities young or well to ensure everyone starts at a fair point (at least in your classroom.) (Collins)

Being accountable to the community and cultural needs of your students. (Ayers)

Discussions can foster inclusive learning when everyone comes together for a main purpose of learning, furthers the discussion, and is ambitious. (Parker)

Having the role of influencing the classroom environment that students face daily with their interpersonal challenges.

Commit to change, empower colleagues to do the same, and alter your approach to trauma.

The sole purpose of why you chose this profession. Is it to help students in general? Because you experienced some of the trauma other students could have as well? Looking inward as to why you want to be a support system and facilitate a new outlook when it comes to trauma.

Having high expectations of your students and building relationships with your students to help regulate an inclusive environment where trauma is accepted and supported.

Having trauma-based scenarios, practices, and informed responses in the back of your head. Understand that students are acting this way for a reason and be able to facilitate that in your classroom management style or approach for that event. "Recalibrate how we view students misbehaviors." (Souers and Hall)

Understanding how such survival mode affects learning. Try to support your students by working through those stressors or letting them understand you understand them.

Being a resilient teacher will allow me to focus on the tasks that most need my attention. I will be able to keep a healthy amount of stress and not let toxic stress escalate to become a problem. (Aguilar Onward Introduction)

Being committed and passionate about my profession, my students, and the content I am teaching because students can tell! (Aguilar Onward Introduction)

Feeling accomplished no matter the career stage. Struggling with ineffectiveness as a new teacher, but I understand this is where we are meant to be. Passing our tests means we have the means to be teaching the content and feel confident doing so. (Aguilar)

Keeping the opportunity for social-emotional learning (SEL) open. (Aguilar)

Being aware of our sociopolitical identity, not shaming students for theirs, and learning about theirs through the community and culture. (Aguilar)

Take note of your voice, management of emotions, body language, and class environment. Keep your cool while expressing to students what respect you demand. (Berger)

Allowing students to have choices within the classroom based on materials and space. The class and teacher agree on rules for their shared space.

Offering options of redirection for students off task while giving verbal praise for students on task. Facilitating good/wanted behavior.

Classroom helpers (although used for younger students in 8th grade can benefit): Having designated students help distribute papers, and supplies, keep other students on track, watch their classroom progress with shared classroom rewards, etc.

Have a routine from the beginning of the school year and stick to it. Strict routine and becoming more lenient as you learn your students and they learn you.

Having planned supports throughout your lesson gives students a guide of what is expected of them.

Facilitating group discussion whenever possible to reiterate what the students needed to capture during the lesson. It also allows students to convey what they thought the most important part of the lesson was with the teacher and their peers.

Being a supportive teacher and creating a space for students to express how they want to treat each other and be treated. (Berger29)

Genuinely involve students in the process of creating norms. They feel heard. (Berger 30)

Allowing discussion for students who want their thoughts, values, and rules heard. (Berger 34)

Connecting larger norms (school norms) to classroom norms (Berger 34)

Have individual classroom analyze their expectations within their class. (Berger 33)

Students can leave sticky notes with their norms for the classroom written down. (Berger 29)

Keeping the class discussion structured is crucial to ensure opinions are heard and not hurtful. (Stoke)

Making sure students respect that opinions are able to be said but not held truthfully all the time. (Stoke)

Having great classroom management will allow students to feel safe and secure in reveling their opinions to the class.

Having the teacher sense to structure the lesson according to your students and their opinions.

Having the hard conversations that students are not always entitled to their opinions. (Stoke)

Providing the space for students to share their options will allow for students to feel like they can open up in the classroom.

Learning your students will effect the way you teach. Creating a space for trust will allow for participation.

Creating an environment where students feel comfortable to have a discussion. (kumashiro)

Socratic Seminar allows students to think of critical questions and bring them into the classroom, allowing all students to think deeply. (Koellner-Clark)

Assume students want to be responsible for reasoning and communicating regarding the subject at hand. (Koellnr-Clark)