Moving into a new decade is an opportune time to reflect on personal and professional growth over the last year and the previous decade. The 2010s were marked by significant changes in the classroom environment, new opportunities forged by the advancement of educational technology, and an increasing need for social and emotional learning. With each passing year, students continue to change, and so must educators adapt to serve their current audiences. My 2019 involved migrating to a new educational platform, exploring blended and online learning, and seeking a greater understanding of my role as an instructional coach. Through these experiences, I realize that in spite of the evolution of our society, culture, and our students, one aspect of education remains constant and critical to the success of our students today and moving forward - and that is connection.
It is when we connect with others beyond merely teaching facts and skills that we successfully empower and educate students. But how do we foster authentic and meaningful connections when we feel pressure to cover the required curriculum or meet deadlines? How do we remain sincere and genuine in our delivery during difficult days?
1. Focus on getting to know the audience.
As a speech teacher, this is the first lesson I teach my students, and much to their chagrin, I make them recite it back to me at least once a week. Who is/are the most important person/people in the room? The audience. To inform, engage, persuade, and, most importantly, inspire others, we need to tailor our messages to our audience. Understanding the students (or teachers) in front of us allows us to craft ideas that will resonate with them. Using personal stories and references that are meaningful to the audience makes the message more impactful and influential. The goal of any speaker is to deliver a message successfully. Likewise, the goal of a teacher is to educate students, and to educate students, we must understand and connect with them on their level.
In an age in which social and emotional learning is at the forefront of our minds and professional development experiences, we must recognize our students' well-being. We need to empower students with coping skills and cultivate empathy. When we can support students emotionally, they are far more likely to engage and grow academically.
2. Adapt as needed.
Lessons need to be relevant to students' learning styles and emulate real-world experiences. What was successful and effective decades ago need to be rethought and restructured to meet the needs of the current audience. While we do not need to remove tried and tested methods of instruction, we do need to consider the audience carefully as we craft our current curriculum. Change is hard, but sometimes, we need to get over it. Changing for the sake of change is tiring and ineffective, but taking time to recognize when change must occur is the mark of an exceptional teacher and can lead to more meaningful experiences for our students.
Change or adaptation does not need to happen on a yearly or semesterly period either. Making adjustments to teaching practices does not need to be a complete philosophical or curricular shift either. Adaptation can occur in the moment. I am a planner, and like many teachers, I make my semester-long roadmap at the beginning of the semester, but I reevaluate every week and even every day. Some classes of students come to me more accomplished writers than others. Some classes need more explicit instruction and practice with crafting claim statements. The ability to adapt is crucial, and creating personalized lessons has provided me with resources to differentiate instruction for my current students. Learning is about the process - not necessarily the final product. Working through and embracing the process can lead to wonderful outcomes.
3. Radiate energy.
According to Joan Young, author of Encouragement in the Classroom, a positive classroom environment can increase student engagement and achievement, and it is something that is in our power as teachers to control. While we have all experienced a more challenging mix of students or time of day can impact the mood of the students, and thus the classroom as a whole, teachers have the power to choose their attitudes and approaches with students. Greeting students at the door and saying goodbye as each one exits takes energy but makes a world of difference. Sometimes that energy is difficult to expend, especially on tough days, but reframing one's attitude to see the best in the moment can sometimes reverse even the most tired or exhausted feelings. A mindset change can spark and reignite the flames for learning and create more connections with students in the process.
Connecting emotionally with students will alter their attitudes, even if the change is subtle. When students know they are cared for and that they are in a safe environment, they will engage. They will work harder when they know that the adult in the room believes they can achieve their very best. That energy and momentum is contagious and will create a much more connected and communicative learning environment.
4. Keep communication consistent and clear.
Perhaps it is the communications teacher in me or simply the fact that we encounter thousands of messages a day, but communication is a necessity to connectivity. As John C. Maxwell emphasizes in his book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, that even though we may exchange messages with others does not mean that we are authentically connecting with them. Our words must be sincere, thoughtful , and emotional. We must radiate energy and intentionality in the communication we engage in within our classrooms, but we also need to remember to be clear. Directions and expectations must be clear and direct. If students are unsure of what to expect or what the expectations are, they will not rise to their highest potential; they will disengage. The clarity in our directions and precision in our feedback can help students to understand the learning environment and our content more effectively. Ultimately, it is everyone's goal as a communicator to be heard. To move beyond basic comprehension of our messages, however, we must connect. We only connect when our communication is devoid of barriers that may inhibit understanding.
5. Be authentic.
Even though young students often believe that teachers live at school and sleep on cots underneath their desks, we are, in fact, human. We have lives and go out into the community. I even run into my students at the gym. Teenage boys are really awkward and really funny when they realize that their English teacher could potentially outrun them in a distance race.
I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, perhaps to fault, but I believe in authenticity. I believe in showing my students my human side, and while I might talk about my biological children a little too much, my personal life allows them to understand how I have arrived in the classroom that we share. It reminds them that they are allowed to be human too. We all have happy days and tough times. Those experiences shape us and provide us with fodder to grow, learning, share, and understand. Our experiences give us empathy, perspective, and allow us to connect. Our feelings and shared emotions are what life is all about. Being authentic leads to kindness and leads to a more productive experience for all. No matter where life takes my students, my greatest hope is that they learn that they can connect to others will allow them to succeed and find happiness in this world authentically.
Returning to John C. Maxwell's book, "connectors create an experience everyone enjoys." Life is too short not to feel connected to others. Our connections are what make us stronger, better people, and it is our connections that allow us to share out our gifts with others. May 2020 be the year of making sincere and authentic connections with others. May 2020 be filled with joy.
