Do you dream of a classroom where students are engaged, eager to learn and working to the best of their ability? It is not an unrealistic dream. It is however, highly related to setting expectations for success.
How do you set expectations for success? Here are some things you can do to help assure that your classroom runs smoothly and that students will succeed:
Create a vision of a successful classroom.
Ask students what kind of classrooms they like to be a part of and what kind of classrooms help all students to learn. Ask them to share their vision of a safe, positive classroom environment. Then share your vision for the classroom you want to create.
Build the picture for them. Have them vision themselves achieving their highest potential. Have them imagine that the work they do leads to their success. Help them to see themselves working well with others, gaining help when they need it and giving help when they can give help. Have them describe what life will be like if they achieve their goals and what it will be like if they don’t.
When students understand the purposes behind the behaviors and actions they are expected to follow, they are much more likely to comply.
Be sure you are communicating your expectations.
Have you ever been in a position to have to guess what it was that a teacher wanted from you? Have you ever been unsure what material a test would cover, or how to study for it? Have you ever been unclear about how to do a task that was assigned?
Each of these things is a sign that the teacher has not clearly communicated expectations. Make sure you explain your expectations. Repeat directions, have a student repeat them, and give them to students in writing. Give students clear rubrics and models. Show them how to do things. When you are clear about your expectations and have communicated them clearly, you can then hold students responsible for their actions and progress.
Check negativity versus positivity in your communications.
Read the signs on your walls. Do your walls contain mostly lists of things NOT to do? Do you have long lists of rules? Is your punishment/reward system the most visible thing in your classroom?
Think about walking into the teachers work room at your school. How would you feel if there were reminders everywhere of everything you were not allowed to do? What if every morning the first thing you saw was a large poster noting: You will be fired for any of the following infractions!
It’s not very welcoming is it?
There’s nothing wrong with posting rules. But you also need positive, welcoming messages. You need reminders that tell students that they are valued such as their work on the walls or positive and encouraging posters. If everything a student sees and hears tells them they are expected to misbehave and to fail, they just might live up to those expectations and you don’t want that.
Tell students when they are doing things right.
This is NOT about false praise, building self-esteem and giving all children a trophy for trying. This is about noticing when students are working hard, behaving in the way you expect and showing your genuine appreciation. It is about recognizing kindnesses and commenting on them. It is about helping students understand the kinds of behaviors that will lead to success.
This is also NOT about rewards. Despite their mass popularity, putting beans in a jar or adding stickers to a chart when students behave well is not the key to positive behaviors. Students will only learn to work for the treat and not for the feeling of accomplishment. Do you want students who say nice things to others to get a reward or do you want students to say nice things to others because they mean it? Be careful with positive behavior systems. They tend to work best for teachers who wouldn’t need them in the first place because they have built a community and culture of learning.
What practices do you put into place to create expectations for success? We would love to hear your ideas!
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Teacher movies have a reputation for being syrupy, predictable, and clichéd. A typical plot is that of an idealistic young teacher who takes on a class of unruly students and “saves” them by using tough love and encouragement. These are often feel good movies designed to evoke strong emotions and be inspiring.