Language of Community & Learning
We begin with the Language of Safety, to establish and uphold clear expectations to create a physically and psychologically safe environment. We respond to children’s emotions with Empathy, to build relational connections with students. Building on that foundation, the Language of Community & Learning contributes to connections between members of the classroom community as well as promoting children’s learning.
Why this works:
Positioning yourself as a co-learner with students, and students as co-learners with each other, sets the tone for the classroom as a collaborative learning community where every person’s ideas have value. In an environment of equals, students are empowered to set meaningful goals, take risks, fail, keep trying, and chart their own course towards learning goals. This leads to a motivating and self-directed learning environment, where the teacher trusts the students and students trust themselves and each other.
Interactive discussions that position students to do the thinking and speaking result in more learning. As students do more work and their thinking is more visible, teachers have more opportunities to address misconceptions and ensure true understanding of the content.
Providing specific, descriptive, informative feedback shows students that you are paying close attention to their work - which is evidence that you care a great deal about them and their learning, without developing a dynamic where children depend on your praise for validation or self-worth. As children are developing their self-awareness, reflective capabilities, and inner voice/metacognition, your outer speech helps form their inner speech. Reflection and metacognition are essential to agentic action.
How to do this well:
Prepare yourself to lead instruction
Create an intellectually safe environment where all ideas are welcome
Construct discussions thoughtfully
Provide specific, descriptive, informative feedback to students