School should be a safe, engaging place where students are eager to learn and free to be themselves using their unique gifts and talents-- not trying to fit into some established mold dictated by Miss or Mr. Cool and their special, chosen cool friends. Students should be able to ask questions, share thoughts and ideas, and answer questions without any fear of mockery from their fellow students. They should feel completely safe and accepted by the teachers and their peers. The whole goal of a Christian school should be to train up our young people to walk in and follow the ways of Christ, and secondly to learn the school subjects and to think. Not much of either of these can happen if the students are fearful and constantly worrying about what the other students will think of them, say to them, or do to them.
It doesn't make much difference what we as teachers do, promote, teach, etc., if there is an unsafe environment at school, because the students' fear of each other will almost always be at the forefront of their minds rather than the morning devotion or a lesson on fractions or grammar.
This fear is usually caused by, and is manifested by the ones creating it, as negative peer pressure, "coolness" (barf), and sometimes just downright sin. If getting the right answers, or even answering questions at all isn't the "cool" thing to do, then there will be a pervasive negative influence over the entire classroom or school. No matter how positive teachers try to be, no matter what motivation we are offering, or attainable content we are teaching will make a difference. For deep learning and spiritual growth to really effectively occur, school must be a safe place. For students to be in a healthy environment, school must be a safe place.
The very first day of school this should be addressed so that everyone knows the rules and hopefully that will prevent any of it happening, but building culture takes awhile. If you are new to a school or in a situation where the environment is not safe, it's your duty as the teacher to change it. It's not okay. I usually give my students the "We are here to learn, to build each other up, to encourage each other, and to edify each other as well. That means we should say and do things to support and encourage each other" speech. Then I enforce it.
Teachers should have ZERO tolerance for any kind of meanness or disrespect from any student toward any student. Any inkling of that should be met with a stern, "That is NOT allowed in my classroom. Please see me after class," and that being said with an incredulous look on your face with your eyeballs wide open and popping out a little. (Practice that while looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror several times before August 25th.) If any other hint of something happens like that from the offending student again, the child can wait out in the hall until you're done teaching your fantastic presentation of attainable content.
It doesn't make much difference what we as teachers do, promote, teach, etc., if there is an unsafe environment at school, because the students' fear of each other will almost always be at the forefront of their minds rather than the morning devotion or a lesson on fractions or grammar.
This fear is usually caused by, and is manifested by the ones creating it, as negative peer pressure, "coolness" (barf), and sometimes just downright sin. If getting the right answers, or even answering questions at all isn't the "cool" thing to do, then there will be a pervasive negative influence over the entire classroom or school. No matter how positive teachers try to be, no matter what motivation we are offering, or attainable content we are teaching will make a difference. For deep learning and spiritual growth to really effectively occur, school must be a safe place. For students to be in a healthy environment, school must be a safe place.
The very first day of school this should be addressed so that everyone knows the rules and hopefully that will prevent any of it happening, but building culture takes awhile. If you are new to a school or in a situation where the environment is not safe, it's your duty as the teacher to change it. It's not okay. I usually give my students the "We are here to learn, to build each other up, to encourage each other, and to edify each other as well. That means we should say and do things to support and encourage each other" speech. Then I enforce it.
Teachers should have ZERO tolerance for any kind of meanness or disrespect from any student toward any student. Any inkling of that should be met with a stern, "That is NOT allowed in my classroom. Please see me after class," and that being said with an incredulous look on your face with your eyeballs wide open and popping out a little. (Practice that while looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror several times before August 25th.) If any other hint of something happens like that from the offending student again, the child can wait out in the hall until you're done teaching your fantastic presentation of attainable content.
Then, we just have a nice little talk with the offending student. "We care about all of you, but we do not tolerate anyone making fun of or (fill in offense here) to any other student. We won't let you do that, and we won't let any student do that to you either."
I once called upon a seventh grade gentleman to read a paragraph. We did this every class and it was just his turn; and his voice wobbled and cracked. Like three times. Three or four young ladies broke out in a giggle -- and my eyeballs stopped it instantly. A little later I casually mentioned, "Remember, we never laugh at anyone unless that person is laughing at themselves first," with a smile. It never happened again. (The giggles-- not the cracking. Especially not with junior high boys.)
IF the meanness stops (or hopefully never started), then true growth and encouragement can happen. With proper modeling by the teachers, students can begin to feel safe, try harder at their schoolwork, and encourage each other. Then absolutely wonderful things can happen. I've seen it. Admittedly, it takes about two years, but it is so worth it.
Here are some things that we as teachers can do in our classrooms to promote building up and encouragement rather than whispering, giggling, and division.
1. Have no tolerance for any mockery or meanness of any kind (see above.)
2. *Sincerely praise students for putting forth effort resulting in work that they did well. I try to make a big deal over victories and accomplishments. I find the top quarter of the class's work and show it off. This can be done anonymously with older students so as not to embarrass them. This does two things. First, it affirms the ones who worked hard and did well. Secondly, it sets a goal for future work for the other students. They see or hear the work that their fellow students have done, know what I'm looking for as a teacher, feel inspired themselves, and try harder next time. I've seen this go incredibly crazy in a good way before. They get ideas from each other, help each other study, encourage each other, and spur each other on to better work. It's great fun for them and me.
*Note: This is not grade-based, although it sometimes can be. I try to mix everything in. In my classroom, students get recognized for having great ideas, asking probing questions, hitting a home run, creating amazing art, bringing up the whole class average by 10%, or just being their funny selves (not disruptively, of course.)
Examples:
*Say: "I'm going to show you five of these projects that were just amazing. Look at these!"
IF the meanness stops (or hopefully never started), then true growth and encouragement can happen. With proper modeling by the teachers, students can begin to feel safe, try harder at their schoolwork, and encourage each other. Then absolutely wonderful things can happen. I've seen it. Admittedly, it takes about two years, but it is so worth it.
Here are some things that we as teachers can do in our classrooms to promote building up and encouragement rather than whispering, giggling, and division.
1. Have no tolerance for any mockery or meanness of any kind (see above.)
2. *Sincerely praise students for putting forth effort resulting in work that they did well. I try to make a big deal over victories and accomplishments. I find the top quarter of the class's work and show it off. This can be done anonymously with older students so as not to embarrass them. This does two things. First, it affirms the ones who worked hard and did well. Secondly, it sets a goal for future work for the other students. They see or hear the work that their fellow students have done, know what I'm looking for as a teacher, feel inspired themselves, and try harder next time. I've seen this go incredibly crazy in a good way before. They get ideas from each other, help each other study, encourage each other, and spur each other on to better work. It's great fun for them and me.
*Note: This is not grade-based, although it sometimes can be. I try to mix everything in. In my classroom, students get recognized for having great ideas, asking probing questions, hitting a home run, creating amazing art, bringing up the whole class average by 10%, or just being their funny selves (not disruptively, of course.)
Examples:
*Say: "I'm going to show you five of these projects that were just amazing. Look at these!"
*Put all of their science or history projects on tables for display, or hang them on the wall for all to see. Then the whole school can look at them! Better yet, also display them at the school program or at a parent-teacher night.
*Read the best journal entries, research paper introductions, or essays aloud to the class. (Do this anonymously, or give students the chance to admit it was theirs.)
*Make mention of all the As on the test; especially when a struggling student worked hard and achieved an A too.
*Challenge them to attain more; give them ideas, materials, research, books -- whatever they need to get them going.
If the environment in a school is safe, wonderful things can happen. Students can try hard, be appreciated, and do well. It may take awhile, but as more and more students get on board and decide to join in the good fun, it does get easier and better. On the other hand, if the environment set by the teachers, or allowed to be strongly influenced by students, is not safe, a prevailing negativity will loom over the whole school -- and that's not a good thing.
Most of this happens between the students, and it can be nasty.
I've seen it happen as young as 4th grade, especially when a few older students are reaching their nasty, tentacled arms down to lower grades, and it is an awful thing.
Here are some of the symptoms.
* making fun of other students
* forming exclusive groups
* whispering
* note-writing
* cheating
* secrets (from other students and the teachers)
* laughing at students' answers (then no one will dare answer)
But sometimes the problem is with the teachers. It's dreadful, but it happens.
This occurs when:
*teachers laugh at (not with) the students
*teachers try to be "cool"
*teachers befriend or seek approval from the "cool" students.
And worst of all, when the teachers allow all of the above lists of behaviors from the students themselves.
Okay, so that's the bad part. Here is the good part. Just like teachers have an influence over the school 98% of the time, teachers should use that influence to promote godliness and acceptance on one hand, and on the other hand to nip in the bud any badness, negativity, mockery, or anything else that rears its ugly head inside the school walls.
We are the teachers, we've got God on our side, and we can do our best to create a safe environment in which our students can learn, grow, and blossom.
For further reading:
Fostering an Encouraging Atmosphere:
Other: