7 Characteristics of Learning that Cause Engagement and Empowerment

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A significant problem in education was amplified during the recent school closures across the country. As teachers scrambled to reach students with remote learning, successfully engaging students became an even bigger challenge than it normally was in the physical classroom.

And struggles with engagement were a huge problem already. Far too many students are not engaged in the learning process on a good day. But with distance separating us from our students, it became even more challenging.

So as we reflect on what worked and what didn't, we must return to the essential elements of engagement. As we prepare for the fall, we need to examine our instructional methods through an engagement lens.

How are we being intentional to design our classrooms or online experiences to make learning irresistible? That's a high standard. It may seem like it's an impossible standard. But if we aren't able to engage students in the learning process, we aren't going to be successful.

Too often it feels like we're struggling against students to get them to do what we need them to do instead of focusing on creating the conditions where they can be their best as a learner. 

We're successful only when our students are successful. And that means ALL students. So we must examine all of our practices through the lens of engagement and equity. We must create the conditions where all students can learn effectively.

If learning is a top priority, then making learning exciting and engaging and accessible must be a top priority too.

Now I know lots of things are barriers to learning aside from my list below. When remote learning became a thing, there were issues with internet and technology access, issues with adjusting to a new format for learning, and a whole variety of issues in homes and families across society that made giving attention to learning an incredible challenge.

But aside from those things, many of which we have no control over, we must design learning with these essentials in mind.

1. Curiosity

Learning begins with questions. It begins when your students realize a gap between what they know and what they want to know. Humans are naturally very curious and learning is completely a natural process. But when learning becomes simply an assignment to complete, it loses its variety, surprise, and wonder, and ultimately curiosity is stifled. Nothing destroys curiosity more than a worksheet or packet. That type of work gives students something to complete, not something to be curious about.

2. Relevance

Every learner is always seeking to understand the context and relevance of the learning. Why am I learning this? Is this important to me? We make decisions about where to focus our attention based on how we answer those questions. If we don't find it meaningful, helpful, interesting, or enjoyable, then we're not going to engage with it.

For too many kids, relevance feels like it's only to earn a grade or pass a class. And that's the end of it. They're just trying to make it through school instead of feeling like they're getting something meaningful from school. It doesn't feel relevant. So we must design learning experiences with that in mind. Students are asking these questions, "Why does this matter? Why should I care?" The answer should be more than, "Because it's on the test."

3. Choice

The lack of choice in learning leads to compliance, passivity, and apathy. Being human is making choices. It's been said the average person makes about 35,000 choices each day. 

If students aren't given the choice to have meaningful direction over their learning, they will likely choose anyway. They will choose to avoid it, resist it, or stop caring about it. For students to be excited about learning and invested in learning, they must feel like they have a real stake in it and real ownership over it.

Choice matters. Look for ways to increase student choice in "how" they are learning, "what" they are learning, "who" they are learning with or learning from. Choice in "where" they are learning and also "when" they learn. 

"The way a child learns to make decisions is by making decisions, not by following directions." -Alfie Kohn 

4. Identity

By the time kids get to high school, many of them have established a negative learning identity that is very difficult to overcome. The way they see themselves shapes how they choose to engage as a learner. Sometimes we don't see this internal dialogue they're having, but sometimes they also speak it out loud.

"I don't like reading."

"I'm not good at math."

"I'm not the type of person who participates in class."

"People like me aren't smart."

"School isn't for me."

A new one I've heard: "I can't learn online or with a computer."

I like to think every kid has a natural heart for learning that we have an obligation as educators to protect and nurture. But I fear that too often we are part of the problem. 

If we're not careful, well-intended interventions become a constant reminder of what a student isn't good at. Awards and public recognition only go to a certain type of student. A relentless focus on proficiency, test scores, grades, or honor roll, leads some to believe they aren't cut out for learning.

Which is worse, for a child to leave our schools without reaching proficiency on learning standards or to leave our schools with the belief they can't learn? For me, knowing their strengths and how they are smart is more important than checking off mastery of a standard.

As we build that confidence in learning, more kids are going to reach proficiency as a consequence of the focus being on the person, not on an arbitrary measure or data point. The focus needs to be on growth and nurturing strengths, not fitting all kids into the exact same academic box.

Every kid should be aware of their strengths as a learner, not just their weaknesses.

5. Competence

For students to engage in learning, it must be challenging but not too challenging. No meaningful learning happens without mild frustration. Some discomfort is part of the learning process. 

But when the learner is overwhelmed by the concept or the task, they are likely to do what most every human would do under the same conditions. They'll avoid the learning, turn their attention to something else, or act out in frustration.

If you haven't been to the gym for years and you show up and the trainer puts you through a workout like you're a CrossFit champion, you're not going back for the second workout, and you probably aren't even going to finish the workout. You physically won't be able to.

It's a difficult balance for teachers. Too much challenge is overwhelming. But too much scaffolding is enabling. 

What I have noticed is that kids can take on greater academic challenges when they really care about and connect with what they are learning. For instance, a student will push through a text that is above their reading level if the topic and content captures their imagination.

6. Connection

Relationships matter for learning in undeniable ways. When I reflect on the most powerful learning experiences I had as a student, the connection I had with my teachers was significant.

I viewed the teacher as someone who cared about me, who could help me, who was a mentor to me. I wanted to be more like the teacher. I could relate to them and connect to who they were as a person.

I felt like they valued me, believed in me, and wanted the best for me. I didn't feel like they just wanted something from me. They opened me up to new possibilities.

What I've found is the people in my life who influenced me the most were the people who believed in me. Even if I wasn't the best, strongest, smartest, or whatever, they had a way of showing that they believed in me. I want to be that person for my students, and I hope you do too.

At its very essence, learning is social. We are meant to learn with others, from others, and to also be able to contribute to the learning of others. Every kid has something to offer to the learning of the other students in the classroom. How are you elevating these voices as the teacher?

Every kid is trying to answer these questions every day:

1. Am I important to someone here? 

2. Do I belong here? 

3. Am I good at something here? 

4. Who will listen to me here? 

5. Is my presence here making a difference?

I'm not sure if it's true that students can't learn from teachers they don't like. I remember one teacher I didn't like at all, and I'm pretty sure I still learned some stuff from her. 

But what I am certain about is that students will learn even more from teachers they like. They will learn even more when they buy into the person who is teaching them.

7. Feedback

I remember submitting a paper in college and when it was returned from the professor I noticed there was nothing on the front page. I started flipping through the pages, looking for comments, or markings, or anything. 

On the very last page, at the conclusion of my very last paragraph, there was one thing written, simply a "B."

What the heck, I thought! It wasn't that I was that terribly disappointed with the "B." But I was just frustrated there wasn't any other comment or justification for the grade.

And this was feedback after the learning had taken place. It was the type of feedback I was most familiar with as a student. It was rare during my years of schooling to have feedback from the teacher during the learning. And yet this is the most powerful kind.

There's been a lot written about feedback for learning in recent years. I highly recommend Dylan Wiliam's work on this topic. His book Embedded Formative Assessment is one of the best books on pedagogy I've ever read. And the title is riveting, right?

I noticed Bill Ferriter posted this great quote from Wiliam: 

One of the most important reminders that I ever picked up about giving students feedback came from @dylanwiliam : Our goal when giving feedback is not to change the WORK. Our goal when giving feedback is to change the LEARNER. #trudatchat

— Bill Ferriter (@plugusin) July 16, 2020

Learners need feedback throughout the process of learning, to be more effective in the learning but also to be more engaged in the learning. Feedback guides and encourages the learner. It gives direction, but it also says keep going.

Student work becomes more meaningful when it's not just about turning in the assignment, finishing the task, being done with this so we can move on to the next thing. Learning is most meaningful when there is a cycle of sharing and revision and growth that is reviewed and made visible in the classroom.

One note here: Not all of this feedback has to come from the teacher. In fact, it's often just as effective when the feedback comes from other students or another third-party. When students know their work will be shared with an audience for feedback, it brings new purpose and meaning and contribution to the work.

I hope this post challenges you and gives you some things to think about related to engaging and even empowering students as learners. If we are striving to make learning irresistible, even when we fall short of that, we can know we're prioritizing the right things.

Our kids need to be engaged and empowered as learners and have experiences in school that make them want to learn even more.

What's your response to this post? What else would you add to this list? What have you found to be most effective for engaging students? How are you growing in this area? Leave a comment below or respond on or . I would love to hear from you.

Share Understanding and Spare Pain

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Like many of you, I've had so much on my mind lately. I have several blog posts upcoming that will express more of what I'm feeling. But I wanted to share this quick bit with you. 

If we only read and share things that confirm our current thoughts, feelings, and beliefs...

If we only pursue our own certainty and confirmation of our current way...

If we only listen to the stories of people who are like us...

If we only seek to debate "the others" and don't really listen to them...

If we gather in our tribes and seek opponents instead of allies...

If we dismiss, diminish, deny, or invalidate the pain of others...

If we avoid the things that make us uncomfortable or that are painful...

If we don't question ourselves deeply, our motives, our hearts, our privileged lives...

Then we will never grow, and we will never love more deeply, and we will spread even more pain in this pain stricken world.

How can we develop a spirit of curiosity and empathy for others? Leave a comment below or respond on or . I would love to hear from you.

Combine Your Skills With Technology

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The best advantage is the ability to combine your human abilities with the best tools available.

In the world of chess, the best players in the world can no longer beat the best machines in the world.

However, a combination of top players with machines can nearly always defeat a machine-only opponent.

Even more impressive, a slightly above average chess player teamed with a machine can defeat the top computer chess algorithms in the world.

Some people push for technology like it's the answer. But technology doesn't usually solve problems alone. 

Although technology is getting smarter every day, it's most effective when people leverage the technology to solve problems.

It's the combination of well-developed human skills and the effective use of technology advancements that will lead to the best opportunities.

What does this mean for modern learning? How are you taking into consideration the tools your students have at their fingertips?

If students don't learn to leverage their skills with technology, they will always be at a disadvantage.

Learning must consider the world our students live in, and we mustn't cling to the world we grew up in.

If you’re teaching just as you were taught, you’re basically teaching in a time capsule. 

And as a result, your students will be precisely prepared for a world that no longer exists.

How are you teaching your students to leverage technology? How have modern tools changed what is taught or how it is taught in your discipline? Leave a comment below or respond on or . 

Doing Your Best Work

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No one does their best work out of compliance or out of obligation. 

No one does their best work expecting a reward. 

We do our best work when we see it as a privilege, a contribution, and an enjoyable experience. We do our best work because we want to, not because we have to.

Can you do quality work out of obligation or compliance? Probably so. But you won't do your best work.

Can you do quality work to earn a reward? Probably so. Many people will work very hard for rewards. But again, I don't believe you do your best work for rewards.

I'm not suggesting you won't try hard even if it's out of compliance or even to seek a reward.

But your passion, your purpose, your gifts are greater than transactions. 

This for that. 

Give to get. 

Rewards and punishments.

You'll do your best work when you care about the work. When you care about the people who benefit from your work.

The reward is in the work itself and the opportunity to contribute to something larger than yourself. It's the opportunity to make a difference. It's the opportunity to do something of significance. It's the opportunity to use your unique gifts and strengths in meaningful ways.

Your best work comes from your desire to add value to others. It's from a desire to contribute, not from a desire to be highly esteemed or to avoid punishment.

It's not that we "have to," it's that we "get to" contribute from our very best selves.

Teachers and leaders must create conditions where students/others can do their best work. That means they need a measure of autonomy to use their gifts. They need a purpose larger than themselves. And they need the opportunity to take risks, be creative, and make choices about their learning and the direction of their efforts.

If we're creating an environment driven by compliance or by rewards and punishments, we may get more work out of people, but we won't enjoy the best work from people.

How to Respond When You Feel Disrespected

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Once I was working with an entire class of freshmen at the beginning of a school year, and one of the kids made some kind of wise-guy comment in front of the whole group. I don't remember exactly what he said, but I do remember that I felt a little disrespected.

Another time, I remember a large majority of students were talking and being disruptive and generally not paying attention. Again, I felt like the students weren't showing their full respect.

If you work with teenagers long enough, you’re bound to experience some of these behaviors from time to time.

In each case, the student or students, may or may not have intended to be disrespectful, but that's how it made me feel. That's an important distinction. How you feel, or how it comes across, and what was intended may be two entirely different things. 

The behavior is probably more about the student(s) and their struggle(s) than it is about you as the educator.

So never tell a kid they're being disrespectful. It's not helpful, and you don't know what's in their heart. The behavior may have felt disrespectful to you, and it should be addressed, but do it in the right way.

Here are three steps I use when dealing with anything that makes me feel disrespected.

1. Let them know you're committed to always treat them with the greatest dignity and respect. 

So instead of accusing them of being disrespectful, let them know how much you care. 

"I want you to know I will never intentionally disrespect you. And if I do, I want you to let me know, so I can make it right."

Start with your behavior. Let them know how you will treat them...always. This is something you can say in a private conversation or with an entire group of students. 

I say this with my full heart because I mean it. I pledge my respect with humility and kindness. This is important to me. I want to preserve respect and show students I care.

Of course, you should only say this if you mean it. They will see right through this if you're sarcastic to kids or talk down to them or use disrespectful tactics to control them.

And then follow up with...

"Have I ever been disrespectful to you in any way? I want to know if you feel that way, so we can talk about it."

And then listen. Usually, they just tell me I've never made them feel disrespected. Of course, there have been times when my behaviors felt disrespectful to a student and responding to that with care is important.

2. Ask them about their intentions based on their behavior.

One of the most common problems in classrooms is students don't respond to reasonable requests made by the teacher. And that tends to make us feel ignored and disrespected. Even if you don't feel disrespected, this same conversation can be good reflection to address a non-learning behavior.

So, after you share your own intentions from the first step, address the behavior you observed.

"When you were on your phone today, after I asked you a couple of times to put it away, how did you intend for that to make me feel?"

And then wait...and listen.

Usually, they will say they didn't intend to be disrespectful. They might explain they're having a bad day, or something is going on that was upsetting, or they just made a bad choice in the moment.

Sometimes they will even apologize. 

3. Find a path forward and invite them to commit to a different set of behaviors.

This step is very important. I've noticed educators often describe the behavior they want to stop, but they don't always get the student to commit to doing better. That makes a big difference.

Listen with empathy if they have reasons to explain away their behavior. But then remind them of the expectations.

"I hear you. You have a lot going on. Stuff outside of school is pressing down. You still can't let your schoolwork slide. The expectation in this classroom is your phone won't get in the way of learning."

"Next time, can I count on you to keep your phone from being a distraction? And if I have to address it, can I trust that you will cooperate with me on that?"

Most every time, in my experience, the student will commit to doing better. But I don't stop there.

I want it to be crystal clear what my expectations are. And I want to check in with the student to make sure the expectations are clear to them also. So I follow up with this question.

"I want to make sure we're both on the same page with this conversation. What is your understanding of what we are agreeing to do going forward?"

Sometimes, students don't have the words to summarize the conversation at first, but I help coach them through it until they can verbalize exactly what the expectation is. I want them to be able to say it clearly because I've found that helps them to feel the weight of the commitment to the new behavior.

After they summarize what's been discussed, I ask one more question.

"I hear you saying that you will make sure your phone is not a distraction. And I believe you. I can tell you mean it. But if it continues to be a problem, what do you think should happen?"

They may have some ideas for responding to this and they may not. But I will further clarify the boundary.

"In the future, if your phone is a distraction again, then this is going to happen." Maybe it will be a phone call home to notify parents, or a discipline referral, or the phone will be "parked" each day at the beginning of class. The important part here is that a clear boundary is created and enforced as promised.

At the end of the conversation, I thank them for helping me work through the issue. And I try to find some way to encourage them. I may give them a complement or joke with them in some way.

Oh and by the way, this exact process will work in any relationship you have, not just with kids. The phrasing might be a little different if you're not an authority figure in that person's life, but the general framework remains the same.

1. Focus on your behavior first. What are you committing to? (respect, love, care towards the other person)

2. Clarify intentions. How did you intend for me to feel?

3. Establish boundaries. What are the behaviors needed to make this relationship work?

Because in the end, it's all about healthy relationships.

Was this helpful to you? What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.

Authentic PD: 7 Benefits of a Book Tasting Event for Your Teachers

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We recently had a full PD Day for teachers in our building and wanted to do something special to start off the day. I'd heard of book tastings from my Twitter PLN and wanted to give it a try.

A book tasting is an event where people sample different books in a relatively short period of time. I was lucky to have some fantastic help with decorations, planning for food, and setting up our "book store" area.

At our book tasting, we selected about 75 books we felt added value to teaching and learning. Some of them were not necessarily education books. We also included books from psychology, personal growth, leadership, and more.

There were approximately 55 teachers included in our event, so we had plenty of extra books on hand. For each round, participants would select a book to review. We set a timer for 5 minutes for participants to quickly scan the book, look at the table of contents, pick out some interesting quotes, and take a few notes.

Each participant had a "menu" to help guide their book tasting experience. It included some general instructions and some questions to guide thinking.

Menu adapted from: http://traceyraimondo.com/2018/04/17/host-a-book-tasting-for-teachers-professional-learning-never-tasted-so-good/

How Humor Contributes to School Culture

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I'm not sure exactly how it got started, but for the past few years I've shared a joke every morning with our entire building to start the school day.

It's important to me to help get each day off to a good start and part of that is my daily attempt to inject some humor. Let me tell you, though, it can be a lot of pressure to have a new joke every day. I am constantly searching for new material.

And I have to admit, my jokes get a mixed response. In my mind, people are laughing all over the building. But in reality, I think mostly it's eye rolling that's happening all around the building.

But there have been some interesting things that have happened as a result of this simple routine.

1. Students and staff share jokes with me regularly. I guess they think I need some better material. A teacher recently sent a student out of class to find me, because they had a really good joke for me.

2. When I see parents, they will share jokes with me. They always think their jokes are the funniest. I bet their kids disagree.

3. Multiple students have bought me joke books. "Hey, Dr. G, I picked up this book for you at Barnes and Noble over the weekend. You need all the help you can get!" 

4. One student rates my jokes each day. When he sees me, he will say, "Dr. G, your joke today was a 3 out of 10." I rarely get higher than a 5 or 6, and often it's a 1 or 2. Oh well.

5. On a survey of my faculty for feedback on my performance as their principal, one comment suggested that I should "watch some professional comedians and take notes." I wasn't sure how to take that.

6. We occasionally have some students and staff members who provide the guest joke of the day, to offer some variety.

7. We've also had joke battles. A student tells a joke. I tell a joke. And then everyone votes for which one they liked best via Google Forms. I've lost the joke battle every time.

8. One student in particular, who is living in extreme poverty and struggles in school, has been a joke champion for me. He has the best jokes, and he is constantly helping me with my material. I think he gains something significant from that. I know I do.

9. When students were asked to write notes of thanks/encouragement to a staff member, I was grateful to receive a couple that mentioned that they liked my jokes. Those kids are going to go far in life!!!

It's probably clear to you now that this joke of the day thing is really not about the jokes. 

It's about making connections.

It's about a sense of belonging.

It's about creating an environment that kids and adults enjoy. 

It's about bringing people together. 

And those are things that really matter for nurturing your school culture.

What rituals do you have at your school that contribute to your school culture? Leave a comment below or respond on or . I would love to hear from you.

Experience Alone Is Not Enough

I recently finished reading Peak: Secrets From the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool.

One of the things in the book that was interesting to me was related to the impact of experience on performance. In 2005, Harvard Medical School published a review of existing studies on how years of practice in the field influences the care of doctors.

"If years of practice make physicians better, then the quality of care they give should increase as they amass more experience. But just the opposite was true. In almost every one of the five dozen studies included in the review, doctors' performance grew worse over time or, at best, stayed about the same.

 The older doctors knew less and did worse in terms of providing appropriate care than doctors with far fewer years of experience, and researchers concluded that it was likely the older doctors' patients fared worse because of it. Only two of sixty-two studies had found doctors to have gotten better with experience."

Other studies have noted similar results when looking at medical professional decisions as well as the performance of nurses. Counter to what might seem intuitive, experience didn't seem to correlate with improvement. The reasons for this phenomenon aren't completely known. However, it seems very clear that with few exceptions, experience alone is not enough.

I'm guessing this truth might also apply to educators. If you've worked in education long enough, you've probably observed people who have continued to grow and improve, but you've probably also noticed that some people tend to stay the same in spite of experience, or even decline in some sad cases.

So what makes the difference? How can experience be valuable to continued growth and improvement?

Here are three ideas I might suggest...

1. Not knowing can be a strength. 

As we gain experience in the profession, we can fall into the trap of being certain about things when we shouldn't be. We are no longer curious or open to other perspectives or open to new information. We cling to our beliefs even when they aren't true or helpful. A better approach is to test our ideas and beliefs and seek opportunities to abandon unhelpful approaches in light of new information and possibilities. Sometimes unlearning can be as valuable as learning.

How are you challenging your own beliefs and practices?

2. Widen your perspective.

While we may feel experienced because of the amount of time we've spent in education, our experience may be limited in its useful because of the context that surrounds us. In other words, unless I see beyond my classroom or school, I may not be able to accurately reflect on what is possible for my classroom or school.

Something that has been helpful to my own growth has been examining my own experiences with those of others from different schools. I've learned from visiting others schools, from connecting with other educators outside of my school, from hearing their stories, and from consistent engagement with the larger education world on Twitter. I've also gained perspective from reading professional books and articles. It's important for ALL educators to pursue these types of opportunities to support their own growth.

If we don't widen our perspective, we create a type of professional bubble, where the types of ideas and practices we know and develop are probably very limited. We don't know what we don't know, and we get locked into a certain type of thinking.

How are you seeking to widen your perspective beyond your current context?

3. Reflection is required for learning

As John Dewey said, "We don't learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience." Experience alone will not result in growth or change. We must have a process for collecting feedback about our experience and then considering how we might adjust in light of that new information.

If we're not careful, we rush on to the next thing without slowing down to consider what might be different next time. The tyranny of the urgent keeps us from a process of reflection and adjustments that might result in a better learning experience for our students.

How are you developing and refining a process for continual reflection?

Does this sound right to you? What are your thoughts on experience and effectiveness? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

3 Lessons from the Life of Fred Rogers and "It's a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood"

This past weekend I watched the movie It's a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood for the second time. Like many educators, I'm a big fan of Fred Rogers. I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. I'm grateful for the impact he had on so many during his lifetime.

While there are countless lessons from his life and from the movie, I wanted to share three things that really stood out to me.

1. "I don't think anybody can grow unless he really is accepted exactly how he is." —Fred Rogers

Mr. Rogers loved people. He understood children. He remembered what childhood was like, the good things and the hard things too. He meets them where they are. He is accepting of others. And as a result, he had a tremendous impact on generations of children. All of us as educators should be reminded to accept our students where they are. 

2. When the journalist Lloyd Vogul is introduced to Joanne Rogers, he asks, "How does it feel to be married to a living saint?"

"You know I'm not fond of that term. If you think of him as a saint then his way of being is unattainable," she replies.

"He works at it all the time. It's a practice. He's not a perfect person. He has a temper. He chooses how he responds to that anger."

"It must take a lot of effort," Lloyd said.

"He does things every day that help to ground him. He reads scripture. Swims laps. Prays for people by name. Writes letters, hundreds of them. He's been doing that since I met him."

Developing strength of character is not an accident. It takes intentional effort. It takes practice. Mr. Rogers had a specific routine for strengthening his character. How are you developing your own character and leadership?

3. Fred responds to Lloyd's pointed comment, "Thank you for sharing that perspective."

"I can't imagine it was easy growing up with you as a father," Lloyd admonished.

"Until recently, my oldest never told people about me. He's very private. And that's okay. And my youngest son he genuinely tested me but eventually we found our way and now I'm very proud of both of them. But you are right Lloyd. It couldn't have been easy on them."

And then after he pauses for a moment, Fred continues, "Thank you. Thank you for that perspective."

Fred Rogers is able to acknowledge and even accept the struggles and shortcomings of his own relationships with his sons. That's something Lloyd had failed to come to terms with in his relationship with his own father.

When Lloyd expresses a hard truth of what Fred's sons might have experienced, Fred responds with openness and curiosity. He responds as if this is a valuable insight and not something hurtful or unfair. 

Fred's response causes me to reflect. How can I listen without judgment? When would be a time I might say, "Thank you for sharing that perspective"?

Read More: How Mr. Rogers reminds me of my purpose as an educator and father by Sean Gaillard

Have you seen the movie, "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"? What did you think? Did you like it? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

5 Simple Habits to Build Connection With Your Students

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Creating stronger connections with your students doesn't require grand gestures. But it does require some intentional behaviors on the part of the teacher. It requires taking action.

But these actions can be simple in the sense that they don't require any extra time. But that doesn't mean it's easy. They do require showing up with a certain emotional readiness, and they require making the effort to work at the interactions you're having each day.

"Every interaction is an opportunity 

for building relationships."

For elementary school teachers who see the same kids all day, these things may seem almost too obvious. I don’t know for certain, but I’m guessing these things might be more common in elementary.

But in middle school and high school, where teachers see so many different students each day, and the amount of time is so limited, it seems more likely that these things aren’t prioritized as much as they should be. We might tend to focus our energy on other things, but kids of all ages need us to take the leadership to create a warm classroom environment.

Here are 5 things you can do to build connection. If you already do them, you might try to do them even more, or more effectively. Just writing this post is a reminder to me that I can do better.

1. Smile

Every kid wants to feel like they are important, valued, and loved. They want to feel like they matter and that their teacher likes them. They also want to feel like their teacher enjoys them and enjoys teaching them. So smile. That's one of the best ways you can show warmth and care toward your students. 

But don't be fake about it. Fake smiles don't work. Kids can see right through that. You have to prepare yourself emotionally to be fully ready to teach with your heart. When you arrive for school with a full heart, your smile will shine through.

2. Make eye contact

Lots of kids are hurting or have been hurt, and they're moving through their day with their heads down, avoiding interaction because they either lack confidence or think that someone else will hurt them. But these kids need someone to see them. They need someone to notice them and connect with them eye to eye.

Eye contact lets your students know you have their attention. It shows them you're paying attention to them. When they are speaking, it shows them you're listening to them.

I've found that teachers often think they're making eye contact with their students, but they're speaking in the general direction of the class, or they only make eye contact with one side of the room, or with certain students. 

Search out and find the eyes of all the students in your classroom. Really see them, hear them, and understand them.

3. Call students by name

Dale Carnegie said, "A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language." When you call your students by name, you are connecting with their identity, their individuality. 

Learn the names of all your students as soon as possible. As a teacher, I would always make it a point to remember names the first day of school. The students would see me struggle, make mistakes, but continue to practice as I went around the room saying their names until I could get them all. 

Make sure you learn to say their names correctly. There were names that were tricky for me over the years. Other people might be able to get them easily, but I had to work at it. I wanted the student to know it mattered to me to say their name correctly, and I would apologize if I didn't get it right.

I think most teachers know it's important to learn student names. But are you intentional about saying the student's name regularly? Do you make it a point to try to say every student's name every time they are in your class? I suspect many teachers are missing lots of opportunities to call students by name.

If a student is in trouble or the teacher needs their attention, you can bet they will hear their name then. But students need to hear their name on a regular basis in each of their classes. They need to know they aren't invisible to you.

4. Say thank you 

While it's great to encourage students with just the right compliment, that's not always easy to do. But it's not difficult to give your students a heartfelt "thank you." Show your appreciation for them. Model the behavior you want to see.

A sincere, heartfelt "thank you" shines your gratitude and appreciation in their direction. It shows them you care. Never, under any circumstances, say thank you in a sarcastic way, "Thank you for finally showing up on time for my class." You'll destroy any connection with that student and create a toxic classroom environment. There's no excuse for biting sarcasm from any educator. 

5. Praise your students

A recent article detailed some of the extraordinary benefits of giving praise to students. The more students were praised, the more engaged they were in their academic tasks. And the more they were scolded, the more they exhibited disengaged, unhelpful behaviors. Praise really works wonders.

I've heard teachers say, "I only want to praise a student when they've done something truly outstanding. I think it lessens the praise if I give it out too freely." Unfortunately, that is a personal preference and not what works best for kids.

Praise even the slightest of improvements. Don't miss a chance to lavish praise on your students. Be generous in your encouragement and affirmation. See the best in each of your students and let them know it. It will give them the confidence to succeed, and they will be forever grateful to you for it.

The person who will influence you the most is the person who believes in you and sees the best in you.

These tips are not difficult. They don't take a lot of time. They just require us to be more intentional. And they're a great start for building those connections. Deeper connection will require even more time, more energy, more conversations, and really getting to know students on a personal level. But you can never go wrong with getting started on the path of connecting with your students.

What are some of your tips for building connection with your students? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Leadership is Energy: Bring It!

Countless books have been written on the topic of leadership. There are styles, and theories, and frameworks.

But at it's essence, leadership is about energy. 

What kind of energy do you bring each day? Are you showing up with enthusiasm and excitement? Are you bringing your best? Are you building stronger relationships? Does your energy inspire others to do more and be more?

Everyone has leadership, because everyone has influence. What you do matters. 

If everyone in your school had your attitude, what kind of place would it be?

Your energy is contagious.

So bring your best energy. Bring your passionate energy. 

Bring your determined energy. Nothing can stand in your way.

Your positive leadership is a result of your positive energy.

But how are you using your leadership? Does it lift up or does it tear down? Are people stronger because of you? Are you growing? Are you giving? Are you grateful? Are you bringing your best?

Your positive risk-taking leads to positive results.

No matter your title, your position, or your background, you can make a difference. If you're on a path of purpose, people will follow.

We're all looking for direction. We're all looking for meaning and significance. We're all looking for someone like you to share your leadership.

Your energy is your leadership. 

Bring it.

3 Ideas You Must Reject If You Want to Grow

Growth requires change. And it also requires doing some things that aren't comfortable. We all have thought-patterns and beliefs that contribute to our progress or lack of progress. That's why it's so important to challenge any beliefs that might be standing in your way. Get uncomfortable by choosing some new habits of mind!

Here are 3 Ideas You Must Reject If You Want To Grow

1. Reject Your Self-Limiting Beliefs

Be careful of deciding that you're just not the type of person that could ever be good at a certain thing. Those limits may hold you back in ways you can't even imagine.

"I'm not creative."

"I'm not good with technology."

"I'm not athletic."

"I'm not organized."

"I don't have much energy."

"I'm not good at classroom management."

Reject these beliefs. Or whatever limiting beliefs you might have. They don't serve you well. Open yourself up to new possibilities. Take small steps to expand yourself. You have unknown and unlimited capacity. 

But these things are true, you say. No! These things are beliefs, not truths.

When you notice your limiting beliefs invading, reject them immediately...

"I'm experimenting with my creativity."

"I'm learning new things about technology every day."

"I'm getting more fit with each workout."

"I'm trying some new organization strategies."

"I have boundless energy."

"I set boundaries in my classroom, and I stick to them."

Read More: 4 Steps to Release Limiting Beliefs from Psychology Today


2. Reject the Idea That Experience Makes You Great

Some people believe the key to improving is just having more experience. But various studies have shown that experience doesn't necessarily correlate to greater knowledge or skills or improved performance.

Many people get to a certain level of effectiveness, often a minimum acceptable level, and become content to just stay there. They hit cruise control. As a result, their performance in the 10th year in the profession isn't much different than their performance in the 3rd year. They are doing the same things over and over like the entire town in the movie Groundhog Day!

The only way experience actually makes you better is through feedback, reflection, and adaptability. You must have a process for learning and action. 

Experience can be an excellent laboratory for growth, but only if you are using your experience to inform your efforts to build your own knowledge, skills, and other positive characteristics.

Read More: Experience Doesn't Predict a New Hires Success from Harvard Business Review

3. Reject the Notion That Trying Harder Is Enough

I've known many educators who are stressed out, burnt out, and maxed out because they keep trying to do more and more. They feel stuck. They feel like things aren't working, and the way they respond is to work even harder, to spend more time doing the same things.

And that type of determination is admirable to me. These educators are committed professionals who care so much about kids and learning they are willing to do whatever it takes. 

But it's not healthy.

And in the end, it's not effective. If you burn the candle at both ends for too long, eventually you're just melted wax.

A better approach is to work smarter, not harder. 

Instead of trying to do more, develop a process that helps you be more. Take care of yourself. Be healthy. Feed your mind and renew your energy every day.

Rather than spending more time with the same old methods you've always used, take some time to develop new knowledge and skills. What got you here, won't get you to the next level. 

Nothing's gonna change if nothing changes.

Be willing to try different approaches that might work more efficiently. Instead of trying to do more, try something different. That's where your creativity, your problem solving, and your innovation come into play.

Read More:

The Importance of Daily Renewal for Educators

When Trying Harder Doesn't Help from LeadershipFreak


What's your experience with overcoming mindsets that aren't helpful to your progress? I'm interested to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Knowing vs. Understanding vs. Applying

The focus of traditional education has mostly been on knowledge. The focus has been on learning more information. But now we have more information available to us than ever before. And the amount of information out there is growing exponentially. 

And this rapidly growing body of information is readily available. We can access it at any time in any place at the tip of our fingers with a connected device. Our tools have transformed our experience. So while learning information still has some value, it's not as valuable as it once was.

So what about teaching for understanding? That raises the bar a little I think. While teaching for knowing is about accumulating more information, teaching for understanding is about making sense of that information and seeing how the pieces fit together. It's recognizing the context of the information, why the information is important, and how the information might be applied.

Teaching for understanding is a deeper type of learning. It involves critical thinking, making personal connections, and being able to have discussions and make arguments about the information. But it's not actually applying the information.

For me, that's the true test of learning. How can you apply what you know? How are you applying your learning? The most important thing for our students is what they are able to do. Application is seeing knowledge and understanding in action. 

When we talk about students being ready for life, it's about them being able to do things to contribute and make a difference. 

Doing makes the difference.

I think traditional education has mostly assumed that students would be able to take their knowledge and understanding and apply it as needed. But we know that's not the case. Students are often not able to transfer their knowledge or understanding. They often don't even see the relevance of their knowledge or understanding because they haven't done anything with it. 

And that's the reason why many people find the best learning after their formal education has ended. 

I'm guessing most educators can relate to this very well. To train to be a teacher you go to college and you expand your knowledge and understanding of the teaching profession. Mostly you learn theoretical concepts or discuss various scenarios or established principles in a way that is isolated from actual practice. You take the quizzes. You take the tests. And you write the papers.

And then, you enter your student teaching and the application begins. And you quickly learn that much of what you learned in your coursework is very different from what you learn in actual practice. At least that's how it was for me. There seemed to be a very big disconnect.

To further prove this point, have you ever known someone who aced all of the classes in college to become a teacher, but then struggled mightily to succeed in the classroom? The skills they needed to succeed on the quizzes, tests, and papers in college weren't the same ones needed to succeed in an actual classroom.

After student teaching, your first full year in the profession is still like a crash course. For several years, you continue feeling a little like a beginner but your learning is consistently reaching new levels. The learning from actual practice was actually far more helpful than the learning from education classes.

So all of this brings me to suggest a different way of learning in school, a way that I believe is more effective than starting with knowing and understanding. Let's start with doing. Let's start with solving and creating and applying. 

The student will still need to learn the information and understand the information. But they will see the relevance of the knowing and understanding, because they will need it to succeed in the application of what they are doing. 

They will learn by doing.

And they will be more curious, more engaged, and more empowered because they will have to decide what information and concepts they need to successfully complete the task. They will see how the learning matters and how it makes a difference beyond the classroom. Through this process, they will need lots of guidance and feedback from the teacher, a learning expert. 

That's the role of the modern teacher, to skillfully design learning experiences that help students know more, understand more, and most importantly, do more.

The best learning requires students in action.

What am I missing here? Can we flip the script and get better results? Can we start with the project, or the problem, or the application and learn the content through the process? How are you doing this in your school? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

7 Benefits of Apologizing to Your Students

No one is perfect. Not one of us. But if we're not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking we have to act perfect. 

I find it puzzling how students sometimes have the idea that teachers/principals/educators are somehow above making mistake or should be above making mistakes. 

I remember when I was teaching 9th grade English how students would jump at the chance to point it out if I misspelled a word on the white board, as if I was suddenly an incompetent teacher. They would express shock and dismay that I would make such a mistake.

But without question, I made my fair share of mistakes, and I learned that it was best to admit them and help dispel the myth that teachers don't make mistakes.

But a bigger issue than spelling errors is how we show up in our relationships with our students. And guess what, we're still imperfect. We make mistakes in how we treat others sometimes too. And when we do, the right thing to do, and the most effective thing to do, is to admit our mistakes and apologize for them.

As a principal now, I try to model apologizing to our staff and to our students when I don't meet the mark. I've made more than my share of mistakes. It might be a small thing or it might be something bigger. It might have been overlooked or there might be hurt feelings. Regardless, it's hard to go wrong with a sincere apology.

Here are 7 reasons to apologize or express regret...

1. Shows You're Human

Kids sometimes think their teachers are above making mistakes. But kids need to know we're human too. We are doing the best we can, and we're going to make mistakes. Positive human behavior involves admitting mistakes.

2. Creates a Healthy Example

When students see us apologize and show regret for our actions, it helps them feel more confident to do the same. We get a clearer picture of how things really are when we are honest about our mistakes.

3. Shows Ownership of a Mistake

Students will be more likely to take risks if they know the teacher admits and takes ownership of his or her own mistakes in this classroom.

4. Builds Connection

When you admit mistakes, it makes your relationships stronger because students feel they can trust you.

5. Increases Your Influence

Some people fear admitting a mistake because they think other people will use it against them. But the opposite is usually true. When we admit mistakes, we appear smarter, more confident, and more sincere and that creates allies.

6. Shows You Care

People who won't admit mistakes are often self-focused and want to protect themselves rather than show they care about others. Admitting a mistake is a selfless decision.

7. Develops a Growth Mindset

When you have a growth mindset, you view mistakes as part of learning. Admitting a mistake and apologizing for it, if it hurt someone, is important to be able to move past it and learn from it.

How do you feel relationships are made stronger by apologizing? Can you apologize too much? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .