The Master Teacher Blog

Students want to know and be frequently reassured that we see them, and they belong in our classroom. We might think that such reassurance should happen naturally. Often it does. However, some students seek and need more frequent reassurance than others.

Students pay attention to many seemingly small, subtle signs to reinforce that we notice and value their presence. The truth is that many students do not want us to be obvious and public in our messaging. They seek reassurance, not embarrassment. 

The good news is that we send many of these messages naturally, without planning or spending extra time. If fact, when we see and respect our students, we often do and say things that reassure them.  Here are seven of the most common and effective messages of noticing and inclusion.

Using students’ names to affirm and reinforce, not just to direct or correct. Saying things like “Good insight, Axel.” And “Interesting idea, Alice.” can send powerful messages about our valuing of and respect for students. The comfortable and natural use of students’ names reaffirms that we see and respect them.

Remembering seemingly small details. Students are especially sensitive to our recalling information about their interests, hobbies, and life. We might comment on a favorite book they mentioned, ask about a hobby they pursue, or we might ask about a sport, musical instrument, or project they are working on. Of course, knowing a student’s birthday and congratulating them can be a special bonus. 

Engaging students at eye level. For young students this may mean our kneeling or sitting to better match their height. For older students standing near them and having eye contact without crowding or hovering can convey a similar message.

Responding non-verbally when students speak. We might nod our head, raise an eyebrow, or shrug our shoulders, depending on what the student is saying. How we physically respond can be equally or even more powerful than what we say in response.

Resisting the urge to interrupt or correct. We may think that we know what the student is going to say and we have the answer, we may want to immediately correct them, or we may just be in a hurry. Regardless, letting students speak without interruption is a sign of respect and worth.

Pausing briefly once students finish speaking. We might briefly pause to be sure the student is finished. We might provide space for the student to reflect and possibly think of something more to add. Or we might pause to reassure the student that we are listening and considering what they have said.

Recording and referencing what students say. We might turn and write a student’s idea or observation in a public space, such as on a whiteboard. Or we might later reference what a student has said in the context of our comments without necessarily using their name. For example, we might say, “Recall what someone earlier said…” The student will know that they were the source and we will have had the impact we intended.

We all want to feel as though we are noticed and belong. When we have this reassurance, we are freer to take risks, more confident in forming relationships, and freer to be ourselves. Our students feel the same. Fortunately, we have it in our power to create and offer this assurance. 

Peer observations can be powerful professional learning experiences. They provide an opportunity to learn in an authentic context, with real students, featuring real lessons, delivered by collegial experts. Peer observations are perfect examples of job-embedded, relevant professional learning that allows practitioners to play leadership roles.

Yet the prospect of other professionals viewing our work can be intimidating. If we lack recent experience with peers observing us, we can feel less than confident. We may fear that we will stumble, that students may not cooperate, or that something unexpected and embarrassing might happen. Yet the experience of observing and being observed can lead us to discover alternatives we never considered, encounter new and exciting innovations, and witness artistry in real time.

Of course, successful ongoing peer observation experiences require administrative protection and support. Time must be made available for observations and follow-up. Observations do not have to be lengthy, and reflections and discussions do not have to be time consuming, but they need to be a priority.

Peer observations also do not have to be complicated. They can be organized and ongoing or arranged informally between colleagues. However, successful peer observations rest on several best practices. The attitudes and mindsets we bring and the behaviors we practice can have a determinative impact on the success of the experience. Let’s begin by considering the mindsets that make peer observations more comfortable and productive:

• Trust. The starting place for successful peer observations is positive intent and freedom from psychological risk. Peer observations need to be a space where sharing is more important than performing and learning is more valued than perfection.
• Curiosity. Peer observations that support learning begin with the question, “What can I learn?” rather than, “What should I evaluate/judge?” Curiosity opens the door to learning and invites sharing rather than proving. Looking for strengths and promising practices makes it more likely they will be found.
• Humility. Peer observations rest on the assumption that everyone can learn, including from colleagues. Differences in approaches and choices can reveal options and alternatives without defaulting to or comparing what is better. An attitude of learning can lift dialogue and lead to surprising and important insights.
• Respect. The presence of respect and appreciation reduces the need to protect and defend. Respect for the work, respect for expertise, and respect for the choices and actions of colleagues offer crucial support for reflection, inquiry, and sharing.
• Discretion. Protecting confidentiality can lower anxiety associated with peer observations. Knowing that what happens during peer visits will not be shared without permission or in inappropriate contexts can create freedom to take risks.   

In addition to the attitudes and mindsets we bring to peer observations, there are several behaviors that can maximize the benefits of the peer observation experience:

• Focus. So much happens simultaneously in classrooms that unless we have a focus, we can become distracted, overwhelmed and overlook what might be most useful. It usually is best to decide in advance what we want to see. It is a fact that when we know what we are looking for, we are more likely to find it.
• Brevity. Peer observations do not have to be long. In fact, brief visits with a clear focus can be all that is necessary. It can be more beneficial to visit more times than to visit once for a longer period. Further, scheduling a brief - 10-15 minute - visit is much easier to manage than carving out a full class period, considering the typical time and responsibility constraints we face.
• Inquiry. A crucial element of peer observation is that it is intended to collect information and observe practice, not evaluate or judge. The process should emphasize what is seen and heard.  Peer observations can also offer opportunities to explore processes and strategies employed at other grade levels and in multiple subject areas. We can discover ideas and strategies to use with our students that we might not otherwise have considered.
• Reflection. Obviously, much of the learning gained through peer observations comes through reflection. Spending time reviewing our notes following an observation can be a good start. However, reflecting on the experience with the person whom we observed can open a deeper level of reflection and lead to new insights related to options considered, decisions made, and other moves and approaches.
• Reciprocity. Peer observations often work best when both parties observe and are observed. When the process is reciprocal, it feels shared and balanced. There also is a lessened tendency for the process to feel as though it is evaluative or corrective. Further, mutual observations build collective knowledge and shared insights and practices.

Successful peer observations build agency, not anxiety. If teachers feel as though they are vulnerable, peer observations will fail. If teachers feel respect and support in the process, success is much more likely.

Teachable moments can be magical times for teaching and learning. After all, they hold the potential to open doors to exploration. They can capture intrinsic interest and lead to amazing learning adventures. However, they often arrive unannounced and can be easily missed or misinterpreted. They can even seem like interruptions and distractions rather than invitations to learning. 

These (often serendipitous) events can emerge as questions, mistakes, misconceptions, unfounded assumptions, and other seemingly innocuous comments and observations. Unless we are open, aware, flexible, and attentive, teachable moments can present themselves and dissipate without our realizing what we missed. Fortunately, there are practical strategies we can employ to recognize and make the most of teachable moments. Here are seven ways we can be ready to recognize and exploit these special teaching opportunities. 

First, we can be fully present. If we allow ourselves to become preoccupied with what we have to say and what we intend to happen, an unanticipated connection, useful observation, or provocative question can pass us by and leave a teaching and learning opportunity unexploited. Noticing and capturing teachable moments often is referred to as practicing attentive flexibility. 

Second, we need to listen closely and deeply. Students often tell us more about what they want, need, and are interested in than we realize. An important misconception may lie beneath confidence. Curiosity may hide behind a promising question or comment. Listening for what is not said can be as important as what is spoken. We can ask ourselves, “What are students telling me without saying it?” 
 
Third, we can watch for and capture connections to students’ lives. When students see how what they are learning may be relevant to their lives, casual attention can turn into engagement and compliance can shift to commitment. 

Fourth, we might make mistakes and elevate errors. Powerful learning experiences can emerge from examining the nature and causes of mistakes. Confusion and misconception can become the source of new understanding and memorable learning. Normalizing not knowing can make exploration and risk-taking safe and open the door to memorable learning moments. 

Fifth, we can teach with peripheral awareness. We can listen for side comments, confusion, or excitement. These and other similar behaviors can signal a change in energy in the room and may signal an opportunity to shift our attention and pace to explore the cause and implications. Teachable moments are often found in the unplanned and unanticipated responses students have to our instruction. 

Sixth, we might ask purposeful follow-up questions to explore what is behind a student’s response, what drove a perplexing question, or where a comment might lead. Teachable moments are more likely to surface in response to a secondary question than an opening or initial question.

Seventh, we can resist planning in excessive detail and with rigid pacing. Thinking of the lesson as a guide rather than a hard and fast blueprint can build in flexibility to pursue potentially teachable moments. We might identify the “must do’s” in the lesson so that we can adjust as the lesson unfolds and we see how students are responding. Too much structure can create pressure to follow the script rather than follow the learning. 

Capturing teachable moments does not mean that we must chase every unanticipated happening or pursue every off-topic comment or question. Rather, we can trust our instincts, use what we know about our students, and remain flexible enough to adjust and refocus when we sense something important may be available to pursue.   

Schools perform a wide array of functions and depend on many people to accomplish them. Naturally, within this context, people develop relationships and alliances with others who may perform similar functions or share other connections. These affiliations often lead to sharing expertise, building a sense of belonging, and creating alliances.

Unfortunately, they also can lead to separation among groups. For example, some teachers may see their interests and priorities as different from administrators. Or some may perceive staff in other roles as competition. Other issues and perceptions can result in other types and levels of separation within the school.

Over time, these perceptions can solidify into an “us versus them” mentality. When this happens, communication can break down, collaboration may suffer, and identities separate. The separation often produces reduced levels of morale, increased resentment, and even burnout.

 Students, too, can suffer when adults adopt an “us versus them” mentality. Services may not be well coordinated, support may become disjointed, and learning opportunities may diminish. Of course, students are likely to sense the conflict and resentment among adults they depend on and feel torn and stressed as a result.

So, what can be done if we find that an “us versus them” mentality is developing or is already present? Fortunately, with commitment, patience, and persistence, “us versus them” thinking can be overcome. Here are six steps to get started. 

Focus on purpose, not position.

Everyone has a role to play in accomplishing the school’s mission. When the emphasis is on the goal of student success and everyone shares in the work, there are far more reasons to collaborate, partner, and support than to separate, silo, and single out. The mission of schools is multi-faceted.  Success depends on everyone’s contribution. Viewing some members or groups as “others” makes the work more difficult and less satisfying. When we realize that we are all in the work together and we need each other to fully succeed, working together becomes easier. Sharing student stories, highlighting the impact of shared efforts, and mining data for new ideas and opportunities can create energy, promote shared ownership, and mutual appreciation.

Insight: Shared purpose can create connections, energy, and mutual respect.

Invite input early and often.

Listening sessions and open discussions that are taken seriously matter, but only if what is said is considered and used to guide deliberations. Input that is invited too late in planning and decision making can fuel resentment rather than trust and support. Willingness to wrestle with difficult questions may feel risky at first, but over time, openness and dialogue can build high levels of trust and lead to better decisions.

Insight: Input matters only if it is timely taken and heeded.

Commit to decision making transparency.

Knowing the “why” behind decisions can go a long way toward creating understanding, even when not everyone agrees with the outcome. When the factors, processes, and criteria that drive decisions are shared throughout the process, much of the mystery and suspicion can be avoided. When everyone understands the objectives, constraints, and options considered, trust grows.

Insight: Transparency strengthens decision credibility.

Create cross functional teams.

Bringing varied experience and expertise to focus on problems and design new initiatives can prevent foreseeable problems, build ownership for decisions, and create longer lasting solutions. Similarly, forming teams of teachers and administrators to conduct instructional rounds followed by reflection and analysis can surface examples of excellence to build on and opportunities for improvement. Planning, celebrating, and solving problems together can dispel faulty assumptions, build mutual understanding, and lower mental walls that can get in the way.

Insight: Diverse perspectives and varied experience will open the door to new possibilities.

Engage in productive conflict.

Avoiding conflict and ignoring tension reinforces separation and undermines trust. Honesty, respect, and clarity do the opposite. Having norms and processes to deal with disagreement such as assuming positive intentions, remaining open and curious, and committing to focus on issues and ideas rather than people can help to keep conflict respectful and productive. People will not and should not always agree, but they should always feel heard and respected.

Insight: Engaging in conflict that leads to understanding is more important than finding agreement.

Make wins “we” celebrations.

“We” language can send a powerful message of collaboration and appreciation. It is not “my” staff or “my” team, it is “our” staff and “our” team. Recognizing shared achievement leads to shared identity. Think: “We solved this problem.” “We improved this process.” “And we are making a difference for students.” Success as a school always is a shared effort and accomplishment.

Insight: Shared credit builds shared identity.

Finding common ground and forming shared identities takes time. However, the benefits of everyone sharing in the mission, committing to listening, engaging in productive conflict, and building trust far outweigh the effort required.

Convincing students to do what we want and need them to do can be a challenge. Admittedly, some students are easily motivated by a challenge, a relevant topic, or even the expectation that they accomplish a task or learn a skill. Yet, other students respond less positively or not at all to generic motivational efforts and approaches. We may think that the only way to motivate them is to rely on fear, threats, shame, or criticism. 

Negative motivational approaches often seem as though they work—at least in the near term. When we threaten students with negative consequences such as failure or public shame, they often comply—at least while we are watching. When the choice is to criticize students as being lazy or careless, it may seem that they give more effort or pay closer attention—for the moment.

However, negative motivational approaches often come with a high price. Consider:

• Demands for compliance rarely result in long-term learning commitment.
• Criticism can erode confidence in learning potential.
• Threats can lead to avoidance of punishment or disapproval rather than learning driven by curiosity and creativity.
• Discouraging and harsh comments are more apt to leave students feeling unsafe and disliked than motivated.
• Coercive approaches are more likely to generate resentment, avoidance, and even defiance rather than to motivate.

Some people may argue that they know their students, and they are able to discern when a negative approach is necessary. In the short term, they might appear to have a point. They may seem to stimulate the behavior they demand via negative approaches. However, what is less obvious and more important are the long-term consequences that negative motivational attempts can generate such as:

• Diminished trust.
• Reduced self-respect.
• Lower levels of self-confidence.
• Weaker self-regulation behaviors and skills.
• Increased dependence on others for direction.
• Greater needs for external validation.

So, what are some positive alternatives to dependence on negative motivational strategies? Here are six options to consider and build on:

• Correct behavior while affirming the student’s worth and potential.
• Reaffirm student agency through choices, recognition of progress, and goal setting.
• Offer positive pressure through attainable challenges, clear goals, and timely feedback and encouragement.
• Connect learning to student interests, purpose, growth, and service to others.
• Notice and reinforce effort, progress, and goal achievement.
• Hold high expectations and support students to meet them.

Without question, motivation is a crucial element in learning. Finding ways to motivate and teach students how to motivate themselves can be challenging. However, resorting to negative motivational strategies comes with significant risks for students that can be lifelong. The additional time and thought required to stimulate learning interest and commitment via positive approaches are more than worth the effort and can benefit students long after they leave us.

As we turn the page to a new month and calendar year, now is a good time to step back and consider what lies ahead and what we want our students to achieve. How can we have the greatest impact on learning? Where might we make some changes? What holds the greatest potential to lift the learning performance of our students?

Of course, there are many options and possibilities to consider. However, there is a relatively short list of high impact actions we can take that can make an outsized difference. In fact, just five key elements can combine to accelerate student learning, build higher levels of achievement, and make learning more meaningful.

The good news is that each of these elements are within our control. But they need to become part of our relationship and engagement with students every day. We might think of these five elements as ingredients in a recipe for success in the second half of the year— and beyond.

Confidence in student potential

Students rarely perform at levels beyond what we believe they can. Students feel when we think that they can do better than they show and are quick to sense when we believe that they lack the potential to succeed. What we believe about our students matters—a lot. Multiple studies have shown that what teachers believe about the potential of their students can be a major predictor of their achievement. Now is a good time to revisit what we believe about our students’ potential for success and build our confidence on their behalf.

High expectations

Students typically rise to the level of our expectations. When we hold high expectations, students are more likely to strive to meet them. High expectations are a powerful way to communicate to students that we believe in their potential. On the other hand, having low expectations almost always results in low achievement. It is a message to students that we do not believe in their potential. Having high expectations that students may not quite meet is far preferable than low expectations that students can easily satisfy.

Timely support

Our belief in the potential of our students and holding high expectations for their learning are heavily dependent on students experiencing timely, useful support. Telling students that we believe in their potential and have high expectations holds little meaning and value if we are not present and ready to guide, coach, nudge, intervene, and teach when they need it.  

Relevant and purposeful learning

Confidence, expectations, and support have the greatest impact when what we ask students to learn seems relevant to their lives and purposeful enough to invest their time and energy. Of course, not everything we ask students to learn may seem immediately relevant or serve a purpose that is obvious to them. However, when we help students to see connections to what they already know and point out life applications where they exist, we can build credibility to carry through when connections and relevance are less immediate. Meanwhile, we can coach students to set and track learning goals. The presence of meaningful goals and the ability to see progress often can be a useful substitute for immediate life relevance.

Safe space to take learning risks

Learning that is challenging and worthwhile almost always involves mistakes and errors. We can encourage students to press at the edges of what they know and feel safe that making mistakes while learning will be accepted—even celebrated as evidence of new and challenging learning efforts. We also can encourage students to use what they learn to explore new questions and discover new learning on their own. The autonomy to explore new learning without fear of embarrassment and criticism when they fail can be a powerful learning motivator.

Of course, the impact of these elements is even greater when we form strong, positive relationships with our students, help them feel as though they fit in and belong, and they are valued beyond the grades and test scores they achieve.

What teachers believe about the commitment and capacity of students to learn is among the most powerful predictors of student success. All students do better when they believe their teachers are committed to their success and see them as having learning potential and being capable of succeeding. However, students who have a history of struggle and need more time and support to succeed are often even more sensitive to how they are seen by their teacher—and the impact is even greater.

The starting point for finding success with students is to be convinced that they can learn and we have the capacity to make their success possible. When we are confident in and committed to the success of our students, we communicate this information in myriad ways, many of which we do not consciously choose. The same is true when we lack confidence in the potential of students.

Meanwhile, students are hyper attuned to the signals and signs that reveal what their teachers believe about and expect from them. Virtually every interaction is mined for meaning and may be internalized in ways that influence student behavior and commitment.

We do not want to believe that we tell students that we do not see them as having high potential or that they are not likely to succeed in our class. For the most part, we probably do not explicitly convey such a message. Yet, buried within interactions with students can be disheartening and damaging messages that get in the way of reaching all students. Here are seven common circumstances in which positive and negative messages often are sent.

Opportunities to contribute. Without care and attention, teachers can find themselves calling on students whom they believe are likely to have answers and will be quick to respond. Teachers may feel pressure to keep the lesson moving and favor efficiency over equitable opportunities to respond. Some students may be relieved not to be “put on the spot,” but they also feel a lack of confidence in their capability.

How much time students are given to respond. When teachers believe that a student can provide a valid response to a question, an insight, or useful thought, they tend to give them more time and encouragement than might be offered to a student not expected to have an answer or idea to contribute. Yet, with more time and support, students who may not often contribute may have something worthwhile to offer. Students who might struggle or need more time may feel relieved to be “let off the hook,” but they also are likely see it as a message about their potential.  

Nonverbal behavior during interactions. When students who are assumed to be capable learners have a comment or question, they are more likely to experience voice tones, facial expressions, and other nonverbal behaviors that are encouraging, supportive, and patient. Meanwhile, students who do not enjoy this perception are more likely to experience interactions that convey less empathy, lack of patience, and lower levels of interest.

Level and extensiveness of feedback. When teachers believe students are highly capable of understanding, accepting, and using feedback, they are more likely to take additional time, provide more detailed guidance, and offer follow-up. On the other hand, students who have a history of struggle often are given more superficial and directive feedback and managed check-in on their progress. Students notice the difference and interpret the behavior as an assessment of their potential.

Who is blamed for confusion. When students who are perceived as capable are confused, teachers are more likely to assume that they did not provide a clear explanation, adequate examples, or sufficient directions. Conversely, confusion and questions from students assumed to be less capable can be met with exhortations to pay better attention, listen more carefully, and follow the examples of other students.   

Interpretation of the meaning of mistakes. When students who are perceived as capable make mistakes the interpretation is more likely to be that they need more time, opportunities, and guidance to succeed. On the other hand, students who do not enjoy such perceptions can be seen as not giving adequate effort, being careless, or lacking learning skills. 

Amount of flexibility. Students who are seen as capable learners also can be given greater flexibility and more second chances when they ask for consideration. Their requests are more likely to be seen as based on legitimate needs. Conversely, students who are perceived as less capable might be assumed to have not been responsible, as giving inadequate effort, and being disorganized and thus are less worthy of special consideration.

Fortunately, with some thought and attention, we can resist falling into patterns of interaction with students that convey negative messages that we do not intend and do not reflect what we believe about our students and their potential.