The action was demeaning and discouraging, and I wasted a lot of good time disturbed by it, time I could have spent towards more positive learning.
This event made me think about the actions I engage in with students. Do my daily actions in the classroom promote optimal learning, or do I, like the teacher I experienced, engage in actions that discourage learning?
As educators we know that every day isn't the perfect teaching day, but we can continue to develop our craft in ways that promote optimal learning.
What actions encourage learning? What actions have you experienced throughout your life that really prompted you to want to learn more?
For starters, I can think of the following actions:
- The words, "You can do it, and if you need help, I'm here to help you."
- The question, "How can I help you?"
- The challenge, "Let's see what you can do on your own first."
- The resources, "Here are a number of resources that will help you with this task."
- Good communication, "These are the plans, and here are some links if you want to read more."
- An open door, "Call, stop by, or email me if you don't understand. I want to help."
- Inspiration, "Here's a story about an individual who met this challenge with strength and success."
- Fun and Team, "Let's do this together and let's find a fun way to learn the information."
- Choice, "How would you like to learn and study?"
- Acknowledgement, "Hey you're really good at this, will you create this project for the class?"
I look forward to asking students about actions that inspire their learning and hard work, and also the kinds of actions that hinder and halt their learning. This will help me to help my students learn. I wonder what they'll say.
