Key points:

• Classroom learning is most impactful with highly-trained teachers and proven instructional strategies
• See article: 5 strategies for turning boredom into brilliance
• See article: Innovative ideas for school libraries
• For more news on classroom learning, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

There’s no denying it: Classroom learning is changing. Classrooms today could be in person, online, or hybrid. Classrooms may be student-driven, might focus on project-based learning, or may offer learning through a specialized topic such as STEM.

And while today’s classrooms look different, students and teachers remain at the heart of classroom learning.

Let’s take a look at a few trends in classroom learning and how these trends are impacting the future of education.

What is a learning activity in a classroom?

Project-based learning is one of the most sensible solutions to the variety of needs teachers must try to meet for each student because it allows student autonomy and targets specific areas. The concept hinges on the idea that students complete a project on a single topic–ideally, they choose their own topics to promote interest and motivation–and, in doing so, dive deeply into that topic, ultimately becoming an expert on it. Projects can be individually completed or a collaborative effort, promoting group work and social skills. Because students control their learning in the PBL approach, differentiation is simple, if needed at all, as students conduct their own learning at their own pace and present their learning in a mode that makes sense to them. One of the most significant benefits of PBL is that it addresses students’ questions as they learn, fostering curiosity and perseverance in
learning as opposed to having to stick to a specific curriculum. Here’s how one educator is advocating for more PBL in classrooms through effective teaching strategies.

What is an example of learning by doing in the classroom?

Classroom learning is much more successful when students are engaged in that learning via interactive classroom activities. Whether students take the bus to school or run downstairs to the computer room, keeping them engaged in their classwork throughout the day is the best way for them to master content and progress to the next level of their education. But not all students do this, or at least, do it well. So how can teachers and principals up their game to keep students engaged and make sure each child stays focused and ready to learn? A teacher with more than 20 years of experience offers 6 tips to help keep students engaged throughout the day, whether they are in a traditional or a virtual classroom.  

What class activities help you learn the most?

Edtech tools are invaluable when implemented correctly by trained educators–and they can help reluctant students come out of their shell. Engaging shy students in K-12 classrooms can be a rewarding challenge, and edtech is a valuable tool in creating inclusive and interactive learning environments. Many educators are merging one with the other, discovering strategies to use edtech to engage shy students. By leveraging edtech tools and educational activities for students, teachers can foster participation, build confidence, and provide tailored learning experiences for excellent classroom learning. Explore these five strategies to use edtech to engage shy students.

What is an advantage of classroom learning?

Classroom learning doesn’t have to happen indoors. COVID was a national window-walled classroom moment. In fall 2020, many districts, schools, and individual educators across the country took to learning outdoors out of necessity–and their learning activities and strategies blossomed. Green Schoolyards America led a beautiful collective effort to document outdoor learning practices in a National Outdoor Learning Library. Learn how one teacher is dedicated to using the outdoors as the perfect classroom learning environment.

What is the learning process in class?

Classroom learning is most impactful when students feel safe and can be their true selves in their classrooms. Every educator knows that weirdness is what makes our students grow. After all, curiosity, creativity, and critical thought don’t bloom in a stagnant mind. So instead of wringing our hands over the social ecosystem, let’s encourage our students to think weirder through fun activities for students in the classroom. Here are just three benefits to letting students embrace their inner weirdness.

Key points:

• Use boredom in the classroom as a catalyst for creativity and self-discovery
• See article: 3 pillars for building a positive classroom culture
• See article: 3 ways ChatGPT can reduce teachers’ workloads
• For more news on classroom management, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

As someone who began teaching in middle school, I’ve had plenty of firsthand experience dealing with boredom in the classroom. Most educators will recognize the signs: students sleeping during class, students watching the clock, students daydreaming when they should be paying attention. If, like me, you work with younger students, you might have even seen one or two get up and start wandering the classroom. Needless to say, these things can be highly disruptive and undermine our ability to manage the class.

Despite these problems, I’ve learned over time that boredom itself is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, when approached correctly, boredom can become a powerful force for good in the classroom.  

Typically, student boredom is triggered by a lack of choice, challenge, or engagement within a lesson. This means that educators can turn boredom to their advantage by tailoring their content to meet these student needs. These adaptations do not need to be complicated either. In fact, there are a number of simple methods teachers can use to spark student engagement while fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

Below are five strategies that I have found incredibly useful for turning a blasé lesson plan into student brilliance:

• The Bored Board: Extra time, free time, downtime, whatever name it goes by, can be a great time for students to pursue some of their own interests, However, not all students know what to do with this time! The “Bored Board” can help give students options and eliminate the question, “I’m done, now what?” This can be a physical handout, but it also works great as a digital tool that can link to text, videos, interactive simulations and more.
• Learning Menus: Provide students with a learning menu filled with intellectually rich activities. Students can then choose which activities to complete in order to meet the assigned requirements. It’s best to include choices that differentiate for content (such as harder or easier texts), process (such as where to work), and product (such as presentation format). This can take the form of a tic-tac-toe board, or an appetizer-main course-dessert, or any other format you dream up.
• Notes Scavenger Hunt: Turn your next lecture into something interactive and exciting! Create a handout with blanks that need to be filled in then paste QR codes, books, articles, or other materials around the room and allow students to move around freely and explore each resource in order to complete their notes. This strategy actively engages students in notetaking and gets them up, moving, and thinking.
• Wrong Answers Only: Have students come up with the best wrong answers to a question. Wrong answers might be great because they show a common error, because they’re the exact opposite of the correct response, or just because they’re funny. Students will be challenged to understand the correct answer deeply in order to get it wrong just right.
• Project-based Learning: Through PBL, students work on hands-on, real-world projects that are relevant and interesting to them, fostering a deeper connection to the subject matter. This approach encourages critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, as students are often working in groups and learning from each other. The dynamic nature of PBL maintains student interest and motivation.

When we use boredom as a catalyst for creativity and self-discovery, we show students that learning is about more than just memorizing old facts. Learning is about engaging with questions, using knowledge to expand our horizons, and equipping ourselves with the tools needed to meet new challenges as we grow.

So, when you see boredom beginning to take hold in your classroom, take steps to channel it toward something positive. After all, a little boredom could be the starting point of a student’s ongoing learning journey.

Key points:

• A classroom lacking a positive culture won’t lead to growth
• Certain pillars–and related strategies–can help teachers create positivity
• See related article: 5 ways to manage students’ screen time
• For more news on classroom culture, see eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

True education is as much about the environment as it is about instruction. That may sound like a bold statement, but it makes sense when you take a moment to consider the evidence. If a child is placed in a classroom that experiences multiple disruptions, has little interpersonal connection, and rarely tries to engage students, they are unlikely to experience much growth. Students require positive environments that strive to build them up both socially and academically. Unfortunately, even the best educators can fall short of this if they don’t understand what positive classroom culture fully entails.      

Positive classroom culture functions a lot like a three-legged stool. If one of the legs is removed, the stool becomes unstable. The key for educators is recognizing the three pillars of a positive classroom culture and the unique role they play in shaping student development.

Below are the three pillars of a positive classroom culture, as well as strategies to help teachers get started:

Community: The purpose of community is to foster trust, communication, and understanding.A healthy classroom community welcomes students from all backgrounds and encourages diverse viewpoints – even if students don’t always agree with their classmates’ conclusions.One strategy for building a healthy student community is to utilize images that can be viewed in different ways. Show a picture that could be interpreted in two or more ways (A rabbit or a bird? An old woman or a young one?). Have students share their perspective and then allow for the class to respectfully debate their point of views. As students learn about others and their perspectives around an interpretation of a picture, they will start to become more open to listening to others as they progress through the year. 

Content: Content is the actual material taught in the classroom. It’s important to remember that we don’t just disseminate information to students for the sake of memorizing facts. The knowledge they gain from their lessons will go on to be applied in their future lives and careers. As such, it’s vital that students recognize that their learning can make a positive impact on the world around them. One way to accomplish this is through project-based learning. Project-based learning involves lessons that investigate real-world problems while allowing students to dig deeper into the content. This gives them a sense of purpose while incorporating the outside world into their everyday activities. When students know they can make a real difference through their schoolwork, they are more likely to engage with the content, work with others, and persevere through adversity.   

Conduct: Students require structure and guidance if they are to grow into mature adults. Things like social awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making are just as essential to student success as reading and algebra. An ideal strategy for helping students control any disruptive behavior is by setting up a Classroom Contract at the beginning of the semester. This allows students to know what is and is not allowed as well as the repercussions for breaking the rules. The twist? Students should be the ones to create this contract (along with help from their teacher). By inviting students to take part in the process, they become invested in their own learning and are more likely to acknowledge the rules since they had a hand in creating them.  

By building a classroom where they feel encouraged and empowered, teachers can equip students with the mindset necessary to thrive – both within the classroom and outside of it. Let’s do our part to ensure their time in the classroom is memorable, meaningful, and fun!  

Key points:

• Students can’t learn if they’re having trouble listening
• Tech tools and sound amplification can help combat classroom noise pollution

Learning depends on listening. But classroom noise pollution is making hearing in the classroom harder. Finding simple and effective ways to dial down classroom noise levels can help increase focus and stamina.

The World Health Organization recommends classroom sound levels of no more than 35 decibels. The average volume of a classroom, however, rings in at more than twice that level. At 77 decibels, the average classroom produces the same level of noise as freeway traffic or other “annoyingly loud” sounds.

What’s causing all this noise? Changes in the classroom that brought many advantages, such as interactive technologies, more small group work, and flexible classrooms, have contributed to noise levels. Some schools may also experience environmental noise such as city traffic, construction, or noise from ventilation systems.

The result is classroom noise pollution that causes distraction and discomfort for students and teachers. From learning loss and lower standardized test scores to student distraction and teachers losing their voices, noise has significant impacts in the classroom. Research reveals that 40 percent of students say they can’t understand their teacher due to background noise. Meanwhile, three-quarters of teachers say their jobs make their voices hoarse or strained.

In addition, it is important to keep in mind that students are physically developing and their voices may be changing, cracking, or softer than adult voices. Exacerbating these challenges, students may  also be self-conscious about speaking loud enough to be heard by other students or educators. Studies have found 15 percent of students feel embarrassed or report a lack of confidence because of bad audio in learning situations.

The “right” classroom strategies and setups can help

District and school leaders can help minimize the impact of noise pollution by setting up quieter classrooms. Classrooms are generally built to maximize space, but that’s often done at the cost of adding more noise. There are a number of strategies that can reduce this excessive sound effectively, with or without the use of technology. 

For example, making physical changes to classrooms or remote teaching areas by adding cork boards, rugs, curtains, soft materials on the walls, and thick, temporary partitions can help absorb sound. As a side benefit, these additions can make the classroom feel less institutional and instead, feel more welcoming and comfortable.

Teachers can use strategies such as designating certain times for talking and collaborating, using visual queues for quiet, and structuring class time to start in a quiet manner. They can turn to time-proven practices like call-and-response and clapping response strategies. These practices are often quick and helpful ways to bring attention back to the teacher or adult in the room.

Using effective technology to measure and manage noise levels

Thoughtful use of technology can also be effective in addressing noise levels. For example, students need instruction amplified 15 to 20 decibels over background noise or learning loss can occur. Educators can choose from a variety of paid and free noise meter apps to help measure classroom sound levels and keep them in check. The visuals in the apps range from stoplights and bouncing balls to smiley faces so educators can choose what works for their classroom best.

Headsets or microphones can amplify the right sounds while reducing others. Sound-field studies show that amplifying a teacher’s voice results in exceptional improvement in reading and language test scores for all students at all elementary levels. In fact, amplification reduced special education referral rates by up to 40 percent over five years.

A microphone can help the teacher’s voice cut through classroom noise pollution and give educators confidence that students can clearly understand information and instructions. With an omnidirectional microphone, educators don’t have to be stuck at their desks or in a certain position, either. These mics make it easy for teachers and others to be heard no matter where they are in a room.

Headsets can reduce background noise, making it easier for students to distinguish between superfluous sounds and the educational content they need to hear. But it’s important that they fit students so classroom edtech enhances, not hinders, learning. This is especially critical with headsets designed for extended wear, whether this is to hear instructions from a teacher or educational technology.

Educators will want to look for headsets with soft foam in padded ear pads that create noise isolation and keep students comfortable. Adjustable slider arms and articulating ear cups are useful to get the right fit on students of all sizes and stages of physical development.

Left unaddressed, noise will continue to distract students and create uncomfortable environments to teach and learn. But educators can make a big difference in helping students hear and be heard. Adopting quiet practices and tools can reduce the challenges and power stronger focus and stamina throughout the school day.

Related:
How to manage students’ screen time
5 ways tech helps create calmer learning environments

Everybody’s talking about ChatGPT and how it’s going to impact K-12–and generally not in positive terms!

Granted, ChatGPT might make writing that 11th-grade essay on symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” a whole lot easier (which, to be fair, does make grading a whole lot harder). Aside from that, there are real positives to our new AI pal, and overworked teachers can embrace it as the gift that it is: a free personal teaching aide. The one who sketches out the lesson plans and assessments, finds source materials, and just generally carries out the grunt work.

In other words, ChatGPT can save teachers a whole lot of time.

1.     ChatGPT Helps with Writing Lesson Plans

Teachers can use ChatGPT to get a jump on lesson-planning.

Let’s say I’m teaching symbolism in literature. First, I’m going to ask ChatGPT for five creative ideas for teaching symbolism in “The Great Gatsby.” One of the amazing things about ChatGPT is that we’re actually chatting – we’re in dialogue together. I want to include some additional primary resources along with the teaching activity. So, my next question is: What are some primary sources I could teach along with those suggestions? ChatGPT suggests some great resources, but who has time to go digging those up?! Oh yeah! ChatGPT does. I ask it for links for each of the resources it suggested.

Lastly, I ask for it to write an exit ticket. Whoops, I stumped it! But when I ask it for two summative and two formative questions about the lesson, and voila!  I have to put in some revision time, but I’ve got the building blocks for a great lesson.

And note, this works for any subject, at any grade level. It’s not an ELA thing.

2.     ChatGPT Can Help with Managing Family Communications

Let’s say you’re sending a weekly update to families on Friday. Ask your teaching aide to help compile it for you! Just follow these steps:

1. Upload your lessons from the week
2. Ask ChatGPT to write a paragraph with bullet points detailing the main ideas of the week’s lessons with three “Ask Me About” questions.
3. Link to any resources you’ve pulled from ChatGPT over the course of the week.
4. Ask ChatGPT to write engaging social media posts for Facebook and Twitter to promote your weekly update.

It’s not that you couldn’t do this yourself; it’s that your AI teaching aide can save time by doing it for you in mere seconds.

3. ChatGPT and that One Parent…

You know that one home adult who’s overly enthusiastic with their emails and texts or otherwise pushes the boundaries? You know how coming up with an appropriate response takes so much time? ChatGPT can help with these responses. There’s a free handy-dandy assistant available 24/7 who’s never impatient. Here are two easy ways it can help:

1. Upload the offending email or text message to ChatGPT and ask it to write a polite but firm response explaining why the request isn’t possible.
2. Ask ChatGPT to write a broadcast email to all parents/caregivers explaining the hours you’re available to talk and when to expect responses to emails/texts. Then, ask it to write a polite follow up to a parent who is making unreasonable demands on your time.

Again, some editing will be required, but personalizing text is a lot quicker than generating it from scratch.

Teachers Shoulder a Lot of Responsibility

Student teachers, while great, require mentoring. But ChatGPT? Why not take advantage of a free, always-available teaching aide to help you stay in communication with families? Because the more you communicate with home adults, the more successful their students will be.

Want proof? Just ask ChatGPT!

Related:
How schools can respond to ChatGPT with inquiry-based learning
5 things to know about ChatGPT in education

Ask me what technology I’d most like to see implemented in every single K–12 classroom and I’d say instructional audio. As a long-time audiologist, I’m admittedly biased. But research bears out the benefits and I’ve seen the results firsthand in my 27 years (and counting!) working in public schools.

Here are some of the ways we know instructional audio technology helps build students’ confidence and benefits all student groups—as well as a few suggestions on how to get started.

Amplifying students’ voices

Did you know a fear of public speaking affects an estimated 73 percent of the population? Unfortunately, that stress and fear can start in the classroom at a young age. Whether presenting a project, raising a hand to answer a question, or reading a passage out loud in front of others, students are often hesitant to put themselves out there.

At Rio Rancho Public Schools in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, we’ve seen how some students can be reluctant to participate and engage in the classroom. However, we’ve found that microphones can help boost confidence and classroom participation. Students often struggle to hear their soft-spoken classmates, someone with an unfamiliar accent, or someone talking from the opposite side of the room. Audio clarity particularly impacts the ability of non-native English speakers to follow discussions.

With all the hours students spend listening in the classroom, students must be able to hear clearly and without undue concentration. If it’s too much work for too long, they mentally check out. Instructional audio remedies that by giving every student in the room access to clear and comprehensible audio. As a result, students are more alert, engaged, and focused on what’s being said, not falling behind as they work to process sounds.

The Lightspeed microphones make it easy for our students to speak during class. One of our teachers commented that some of her soft-spoken and shy students especially like the microphone because it makes them sound more natural, not like a “karaoke voice.” She believes that while some low-cost classroom systems are intrusively “sharper and more amplifier-sounding,” instructional audio solutions designed specifically for the classroom don’t disturb the ambience of the classroom and help create an environment where all voices are heard. 

Ensuring clear, concise instruction

If you’re a teacher, you know all too well the physical challenges of speaking day after day to a roomful of students inherently prone to distraction and disinterest. Projecting your voice to reach students sitting in the back of the class, speaking loudly to be heard above routine classroom noises, and using your voice to manage behavior can take a toll. Analysts report that teachers are more than twice as likely as non-teachers to have voice problems and almost 600,000 teachers miss a day or more of work because of voice issues.

The costs of voice strain go beyond the financial to impact teacher availability, retention, mental health and of course, student learning. With instructional audio, teachers don’t have to work as hard to engage students, and report less end-of-day fatigue and more enjoyable teaching experiences because of the ability to use the full expressive range of their voices.

Instructional audio ensures students hear your voice and, in turn, are aware of what’s being asked of them. As educators, we often assume our students will hear each word from us, but realistically, students often miss parts of words or sentences, or even fail to distinguish between similar sounds. Instructional audio eliminates the distortion that occurs when certain words and consonants are spoken loudly, making sounds like “th” and “f” much more audible and intelligible—ensuring students know what’s being asked of them and, in turn, they don’t second-guess what they need to do next.

Promoting engagement and discussion

With the potential for such positive impact on student learning, districts should be working to fully outfit each of their schools and encouraging every teacher to consistently use a lapel or pendant-style wireless microphone.

If your school already has an instructional audio solution installed, use it. Training can help teachers better understand the simplicity and benefits of using the technology. When training, I start with the system off then turn it on 5–10 minutes into the training so they can hear the difference. “Wow” is the most common response.

I also recommend that teachers leave their microphones on all day. It’s easier to use the mute/unmute control than to take the microphone off and set it down somewhere only to have to search for it when you need it. We also encourage teachers to give a microphone to anyone—including students—talking to a majority of the class.

Instructional audio is a fast, simple avenue for building students’ confidence in the classroom, and on top of this, it gives us the tools to create an environment where everyone’s thoughts and ideas are heard—all while promoting authentic discussion and engagement. While it’s scary for students to participate and voice their opinions with their classmates, instructional audio provides that little bit of confidence boost students need.

Related:
3 reasons instructional audio is a must-have in classrooms
How I build relationships with students using instructional audio

Modern technological advancements can make education noticeably more exciting and entertaining, but accompanied by all its benefits, uncontrolled use of technology in schools can divert students’ attention to unwanted places. That is why efficient school management is important.

Most American children’s daily screen time averages around five to seven hours. Consequently, and considering today’s widespread use of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices among children, monitoring and managing children’s screen time is essential for protecting their physical and mental well-being. Unhealthy usage (may it be time-based or content-based) can lead to physical health issues, feelings of isolation, disconnection from the real world, and a number of other problems.

That is why the problem must be also faced in schools, where students spend a big part of their day. Thus, teachers must be able to monitor student screen time in the classroom. Educators can use several strategies to limit students’ screen usage and efficiently foster engagement.

#1: Establish Clear Classroom Rules

Establishing classroom norms defines the atmosphere of the class and is essential for creating a thriving learning environment. Make sure to decide which behavior in the classroom is acceptable and which isn’t. Communicate your expectations and allow students to partake in setting the norms. This will give them the confidence to share their opinions. Once some ground rules are established, offer explicit instructions and discuss them with students. Clearly outline the expectations to ensure the classroom remains a safe and productive learning space. And with that, also plainly define the consequences for breaking the rules.

#2: Make Sure the Expectations Are Reasonable

When you are setting limits for student screen time, the limits must be realistic. It is best to consider various factors, such as how much screen time is required for fluent schoolwork, how much time students spend behind screens besides that, etc. While establishing these expectations, again, ensure that students know what is expected of them.

Related:
5 ways tech helps create calmer learning environments
4 tips to build a strong classroom culture this year

#3: Monitor Screen Use in the Classroom

Modern problems usually come with modern solutions. So, the fear of students uncontrollably using technology in the classroom is unnecessary. You can use various classroom screen monitoring tools to stay on top of students’ online activities. School management tools help you manage everything from supervising the websites students use and introducing time constraints, to blocking inappropriate content and keeping track of their attendance.

You can use content-filtering student safety software that also allows communicating with parents and allows them to participate in their children’s activities. In addition to facilitating parent-teacher communication, this often enables parents to impose time restrictions on their children’s device use and block access to particular websites and apps.

#4: Encourage and Foster Balanced Use of Technology

The easiest and most long-term effective method of managing student screen time is making sure students gradually learn how to use technology responsibly by themselves. Encourage students to use technology in balanced, constructive, and beneficial ways. Stressing the value of the benefits and possibilities of using technology for educational purposes is crucial.

#5: Cultivate Digital Citizenship

As we mentioned earlier, seeing how technology will play an important role in students’ lives, it is essential we teach children to use the internet ethically and responsibly. Cultivating digital citizenship is about using technology safely, all the while defending one’s privacy and the rights of other internet users. And this not only fosters responsible online behavior but also nourishes children’s compassion, thoughtfulness, and morality.

You can do that by developing courses centered around subjects like cyberbullying, online safety, and responsible internet usage. Learning how to navigate the online world safely is easier with the guidance of adults, especially if you are equipped with the aforementioned tools.

These are some methods for establishing a healthy and high-functional learning environment by regulating student screen time. When you make sure students are safe from threats and potential risks technology usage (and its exploitation) brings, you enable them to flourish in a safe and productive setting. With a little help, they can stay focused on their classwork and foster their digital competencies, with the goal of one day becoming upstanding responsible digitally literate people. And all the while promoting student engagement and making the best of the various benefits of today’s technology.

This post originally appeared on Blocksi’s site and is republished here with permission.

When I started as a school counselor more than 15 years ago, technology in the classroom looked much different than it does today. Only a handful of students had their own personal device and the concept of one-to-one models, meaning every student is given a school-issued laptop or tablet, had not yet taken hold. At that time, students were accessing the internet or using digital tools sparingly throughout the school day, and typically only in tech-focused classes. Today, most teens have access to a smartphone and more than 80 percent of K-12 students use a school-issued device as part of their learning. Students are clearly more connected than ever, both inside and outside of the classroom.

This increased access to technology in school has had both positive and negative impacts on students. For some, the internet has proven to be an incredibly engaging and useful learning tool, while for others, the constant stream of information can be overwhelming. Because of this, it is important for educators to help students use technology in a purposeful way that supports learning.

While it might seem counterintuitive, technology and certain digital tools can actually help provide students with a sense of calm while enhancing in-the-moment thinking.

Here are five ways I have seen technology serve as a remedy for brain overload:

1. Mental health check-ins to start class

The short time between class periods is often hectic, with many students physically moving to different classrooms or mentally preparing to dive into a new subject. Hallway passing time can also be filled with stressful social interactions or glances at social media.

Well-being check-ins at the beginning of class can be a great way to help students regain focus and center their thoughts. Simple online tools that let you survey your class – like Pear Deck, Google Forms, or Kahoot – can be used to support these emotional checks. Asking questions along the lines of “How are you feeling today?” or “What color would best describe your mood today and why?” and allowing students to respond anonymously can be a game changer in the classroom.

2. Mindfulness apps

Helping students practice mindfulness, or the ability to be present in the moment and aware of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, can greatly benefit mental health far beyond the classroom. In addition to non-tech strategies like paper mood boards, mindfulness dice, or breathing exercises, there are free digital tools and apps like Calm, Headspace, and more that can guide students through mindfulness exercises in both a group or individual setting.

Related:
How to identify student anxiety in the classroom
Teachers can’t keep up with the need for SEL

3. Private, digital feedback

Some students are not comfortable raising their hands in class or asking for feedback in a group setting. Leveraging solutions that have chat features or allow for real-time digital feedback on student work is a great way to engage students who prefer more private communication.

There are also certain classroom discussions where anonymity is key. If there is a conversation of a sensitive nature, where not even the teacher needs to know whose answer is whose, anonymous feedback will help educators facilitate an honest, open discourse. This way, students will feel more comfortable sharing their responses knowing that they are anonymous. Try utilizing digital tools that support this kind of safe engagement.

4. Audio & visual tools

Classroom environments can directly impact students’ ability to learn. Adding calming music, videos, or lighting can help put students at ease and create a more peaceful learning space. Music has shown to help improve focus, and there are endless playlists with classroom-appropriate songs available through services like Spotify or YouTube. Projecting videos of a fireplace, waves on a beach, or slow-moving clouds to the front of the classroom during work time can also help create a more relaxing atmosphere.

5. Digital guardrails

When students are using their school-issued devices, it can be helpful to set thoughtful guardrails or parameters around which web pages they can or cannot access during class. Certain filtering solutions or classroom management products can help narrow or broaden internet access depending on what is needed for the day’s lesson. This helps students focus on the task at hand and reduces information overload or distractions.

For today’s students who often find themselves overloaded, a calming learning environment can serve as a much-needed moment of stillness. As classroom technology continues to evolve, educators and school mental health professionals can use strategies like the above to help students navigate their digital world with purpose.

The past two years have been immensely difficult for our nation’s students and teachers. In the wake of the isolation and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and behavioral challenges are on the rise as students continue to process unprecedented amounts of stress, anxiety, and grief. The decline in child and adolescent mental health has been so great that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association have declared it a national emergency.

These mental health issues have translated into increased disengagement, conflict, and bullying — and as a result, disciplinary action — in school classrooms and hallways across the country. 

As a Dean of Culture at a public school in Queens, New York, until recently, I saw these challenges first-hand. I also know that traditional discipline methods fail to address the root cause of behavioral issues. Many forms of disciplinary action are doing more harm than good. This is especially true when research shows that Black students are disciplined far more than White students for the same offenses, perpetuating and sustaining cycles of inequity in our schools.

Rather than continue to create a culture of punishment, I worked with my school to enact a unique blend of mindfulness strategies and social-emotional learning–informed by Breathe For Change, a 200-hour Wellness, SEL and Yoga Teacher Training for educators–to create a safe and inviting space for kids. 

As we educators–exhausted from two years of our own stress, fear, and uncertainty–begin a new school year, it can be tempting to default to punitive discipline measures. But it’s critical that we start the year on a positive note. Here are four strategies that can help create a positive classroom culture as we begin the school year: 

Create a Calming Environment
It’s important to set up a welcoming space that invites feelings of calm and safety for students. This can include adjusting the lighting, setting out aromatic scents, and playing tranquil music without lyrics. When a student is struggling, teachers can bring them to this space to deescalate the situation and provide them with time to process what they are feeling. Before bombarding them with questions about what happened, offer students the opportunity to journal, guiding them through the process with thoughtful prompts. The student may also just want to sit quietly for a moment, and that’s okay too. When discussing what happened with the student, be sure to validate their perspective with compassion and understanding–even if you personally disagree. 

Related:

One district’s push to help students feel like they belong
How to transform your school culture

Offer Opportunities for Pause
These discussions can be stressful for students as they work to make sense of their emotions and stressors. Pay close attention to cues in body language and speaking tone and create ample opportunities to pause the conversation and allow for opportunities for students to re-ground themselves. If a student seems to be growing more stressed, suggest you both take a break.  Sometimes it’s helpful to frame the suggestion as you needing a break yourself. This both protects students from embarrassment and provides them with a clear model of how to use breaks as an effective coping strategy.

During these pauses, allow the student to go on a short walk in the hallway, drink some water, or simply take a few deep breaths. Teachers can also demonstrate to students how to use the 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique to help control their anxiety and the body scan method for promoting mindfulness. 

Enact the Peace Process
When the student has had a moment to calm themselves and reflect on the situation, ask them to describe the facts and their feelings about what happened. Allow for plenty of chances to express how they feel, then ask the student to state the specific needs that were not met at that moment using just one to three words. This should help illuminate for the student exactly what they were reacting to so strongly, and it will hopefully help them realize what could be done differently in the future. Wrap up the Peace Process by asking the student what they need to make themselves and the relationship feel better moving forward. Help them phrase the answer as a request. 

Close Out with a Two-Word Check-In
Before you and the student return to the rest of the day, close out the conversation with a two-word check-in. Tell the student to take a few more deep breaths and to soften their gaze or close their eyes. Then ask them to think of two specific words that capture how they’re feeling now. This step serves several purposes, from re-grounding the student back in the present to ensuring the teacher has an understanding of how effective the previous strategies were in helping the student. It could also help reveal unresolved emotions that still warrant further discussion.

We’ve all seen the headlines and know the challenges at hand: staffing shortages, teacher burnout, student trauma. But through centering social-emotional learning—and focusing on mediation and compassionate conversations over discipline—we can safely guide our students through this historically turbulent time as they make sense of the complicated emotions they are experiencing.

As a new school year kicks off, it is vital that schools work to prioritize the emotional needs and mental health of students over their punishment. We can do this.

A rise in harassment and violence against teachers is taking a toll on already-exhausted educators. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that 6 in 10 teachers reported student violence or verbal aggression during the pandemic, with nearly half expressing a desire or plan to quit or transfer schools.

To create a teaching environment where educators feel safe, school leaders may want to consider adding evidence-based behavior management strategies to their back-to-school plan. The more preventative maintenance teachers can do through proactive strategies, the less likely they will encounter problem behavior.

Here are five classroom management strategies to help educators regain control of their classrooms: 

1. Understanding students 

Getting to know each student individually will enable teachers to better evaluate the nature of the problem behavior when it occurs and respond appropriately. Additionally, challenging behaviors are much less likely when a teacher and student build a rapport based on trust and understanding. To build this rapport, teachers’ nonverbal behavior and paraverbal communication need to reflect their compassion for each student.

2. Practicing patience

An important de-escalation skill is what the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) terms “Rational Detachment”–the ability to manage one’s behavior and attitude and not take the behavior of others personally. When faced with student misbehavior, instead of thinking something like, “I can’t take this disrespect anymore,” teachers can use positive self-talk such as, “I’ve seen this before. This behavior is not about me. What is it about, and how can I help?”

Many educators know that not taking disrespectful or defiant behavior personally is a skill acquired through practice. Every challenging incident allows teachers to demonstrate that they are in charge, calm, and assured (even if they do not feel that way in the moment). As educators practice the strategies suggested below, they will become inoculated against student challenges to their authority.

3. Staying Calm

The first step in practicing rational detachment is remaining calm. When teachers encounter disrespectful or challenging behavior, starting with a deep breath will help them relax and remain silent, allowing them to further assess the situation at hand. Conversely, if a teacher overreacts, the entire class will take note of the cause, which virtually guarantees that some students will try it again. However, remaining calm does not mean ignoring the problem. From the students’ perspective, a teacher will have backed down and relinquished authority. Consequently, both overreacting and ignoring the situation result in the loss of control and authority.

The second step is simply to wait calmly and silently while assuming a supportive stance (i.e., standing askance or sideways to the student who issued the challenge) and “model cognition” (i.e., the teacher acts like they are thinking). An example of the latter action is standing with a hand on one’s chin, perhaps tapping the index finger to give the impression of thinking. These body positions are supportive, non-confrontational, and, most importantly, signal a willing determination without adding any more tension to a volatile situation.

The simple act of waiting, combined with a supportive stance, often solves the problem without the teacher ever having to say a word. Teachers have reported experiences where the silent period (usually lasting only five to nine seconds) causes the student to throw up their hands in defeat and say something like, “Fine. I’ll do it even though it’s dumb!” and storm back to his seat. Teachers can later address the student’s misbehavior on their own terms and set effective limits.

4. Setting effective limits 

Establishing clear, consistent classroom expectations can help students monitor their own behavior. Post the expectations where they are clearly visible so they can serve as reminders. Additionally, they should be stated in simple and positive terms that address what students can do. For example, instead of saying, “No side talk,” the posted expectations should say, “Please raise your hand to add to the conversation.”

5. Being aware of the causes of misbehavior

In all cases, a proper response to student misbehavior begins early in the chain of events. Being mindful of precipitating factors–preexisting circumstances that cause distress behavior–and early warning signs can prevent an incident. For example, if a student seems consistently irritable or inattentive in the morning, could hunger be causing the behavior? Can steps be taken to ensure the student gets breakfast in the cafeteria before class, or can the teacher keep granola bars on hand? Classroom management is not just about avoiding student disruptions. It’s also about creating an environment that enables students to focus on learning.

A common saying at CPI is, “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.” Being proactive is the key to reducing the frequency and intensity of incidents so that the classroom can remain a safe, productive environment for students and teachers.

The 2021-2022 school year began full of promise. Students, families, and educators were ready to get back to pre-pandemic learning routines. Almost no one was prepared for how the landscape had changed – many educators had left the profession, staffing needs were at an all-time high, and students were engaging in more frequent and more severe challenging behaviors.

The disruption wreaked by Covid dramatically impacted our students, especially those who were at-risk or experiencing behavior challenges prior to the pandemic. School leadership often struggled to meet the training needs of their staff–many of whom were brand new–especially needs related to behavior support. 

The influx of staffing issues coupled with the uptick in challenging behaviors highlights the need for dedicated, integrated behavior support systems that are proactive, responsive to students’ individual needs, and grounded in evidence-based practices proven to increase prosocial behaviors.

Systems are what support staff behaviors and include training, ongoing coaching and performance feedback, efficient data collection processes, and opportunities for professional development. Models like schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) provide a framework for creating sustainable systems that can be brought to scale.

Practices support student behavior. Practices that increase the likelihood of prosocial behaviors include  clearly established and operationally defined expectations, explicit teaching and prompting related to those expectations across all school routines, reinforcement of behaviors that meet those expectations, and reteaching and restorative practices when behavior errors occur.

Clearly Establishing and Operationally Defining Expectations

Most positive behavioral support models begin with identifying three to five broad expectations (e.g., “Be Safe,” “Be Respectful,” and “Be Responsible”). These broad expectations are defined across all routines that students encounter during the day; for example, school staff would define what “being safe” looks and sounds like during arrival, dismissal, in the hallway, in the restroom, while in class, and for any other setting where students are expected to be safe. Operationally defining these expected behaviors includes stating exactly what the behavior looks and sounds like and ensuring that the behavior is positively communicated: telling students what we want them to do, rather than what we don’t want them to do.  Meaning, “being safe” in the hallways could look and sound like “keeping hands and feet to self,” “walk,” and “go directly to your destination,” instead of “don’t run” or “don’t linger.”

Teaching and Prompting for Expected Behaviors

Once we’ve established and defined our expected behaviors, we explicitly teach and prompt for the expected behaviors. We teach social behaviors like we teach academics: using a model, lead, test format with multiple opportunities for practice and feedback. We provide review and booster sessions as needed (e.g., after a long break; during the pandemic, many booster sessions have been required!) and prompt for expected behaviors before the student is expected to demonstrate the behavior. For instance, we say, “remember to walk in the hallway” before a transition, rather than waiting until students speed up a little and then saying, “slow down!”

Reinforcing Behaviors that Meet Expectations

Now, more than ever, we need to focus on what’s going well and acknowledge students’ appropriate behavior. There’s a good chance that students’ prosocial behaviors – like their academic skills – have not made steady upward progress over the last two years. In many cases, they’ve plateaued, or even deteriorated. One of the fundamental mechanisms of behavioral science is “behavior followed by pleasant outcomes for the learner tends to be repeated” (i.e., the principle of reinforcement), so we must set up the environment to increase the likelihood of behaviors that meet our expectations and provide acknowledgement and reinforcement of those behaviors when they occur. The first response should be behavior-specific praise (e.g., “great job reading this article so far!”), which consists of a positive statement that includes the behavior being praised. Behavior-specific praise helps form the contingency between the prosocial behavior and a positive outcome for the student, reminds all others within earshot of the expected behavior, and provides direct and personal attention for the student (which is often reinforcing). In addition to behavior-specific praise, school staff may employ more overt reinforcement practices, including token economies or group-based contingencies.

Responding to Behaviors that Don’t Meet Expectations

When students make behavioral errors, staff should respond similarly to how they react to academic errors: provide feedback and a reminder of what to do, offer the opportunity to try again, and assist if needed. This kind of specific error correction allows the student a chance to practice and receive feedback on the appropriate behavior and prevents teachers from relying on reprimands to correct behavior. In addition, if staff members remain supportive and helpful, behaviors are much less likely to escalate. When students make more serious behavior errors that cause harm to others or to the environment, responses should include a restorative conversation that includes a chance for the student to describe what happened, how they felt about their behavior and the harm caused, how they can make different decisions next time, and what supports they need to be successful. Students may also complete restorative tasks to repair harm done, as appropriate. Behavior mistakes provide opportunities for reteaching and growth.

During uncertain times, having an educational environment where expectations are clearly established, taught, and reinforced regularly will contribute to a consistent, positive experience for students – and consistency and positivity are in high demand right now. In addition, building a solid foundation of evidence-based practices makes for more efficient differentiation when students have varying needs.  Building durable systems ensures predictability and comfort for both staff and students.