This discussion post is used in conjunction with EYPD Education courses. The purpose is to increase awareness on the specific topic that may coincide with courses.
How do you create energy with your students? Do you approach your instruction with ideas beyond the 4 walls of your classroom? More and more teachers are incorporating more outside resources into their instruction. For many teachers this works great! Students need to believe that what their learning expands beyond school! Students must bring energy back into the learning process. Experienced teachers find a way to capture this energy effectively.
Do you purposely make contact to understand your students? Do teachers still believe in using or taking inventories of learning styles? The more a teacher goes “all in” to know students, teaching and learning is more enjoyable and sustained longer. Students need to know that failing means more room for improvement. Students should learn from their failure in a positive way!
Even before becoming a math coach, I knew that I had to determine what was my students zone of proximal development. To avoid math prerequisite pitfalls during teacher modeling, I implemented specific strategies to support scaffolding and to demonstrate effective connectedness. One of my favorite strategies involved conducting whole group instruction with step by step note-taking. This type of differentiation allows the teacher to provide the students pre-written notes with examples or visual representations if transferring information from the board is difficult for them during the 1st Nine Weeks.
Students love having a positive classroom culture. I feel building relationships encourages a productive learning environment. Having the connection of high expectations, consistent behavior management, evidence based teaching, and building positive relationships helps foster positive vibes in a school setting. I have seen how students thrive on the feeling of being connected. It is important to have a support system in a every learning environment. Always set high expectations for your students. Better academic performance can be an attribute if students have the feeling of a protection. Positive classroom culture should always have that foundation of forming connections.
Having an energy in your classroom as a teacher is vital to the learning process. Classroom energy is attained in many different ways. One way is through building personal relationships with each student to learn their learning needs. Not only will building these relationships bring energy to the classroom, but these relationships will also minimize behavior problems throughout the way. Building relationships with students has such long-term effects that are so important for everyone involved. These relationships will encourage students to learn, and it will give them passion for what is being taught. Another way a teacher can bring energy to the classroom is making content relatable. A teacher can make content relatable, and also interesting by integrating the classroom interests. Lastly, energy is brough to the classroom by collaborative learning and hands-on activities. When possible, I will have my students actually “do” the work.