The individual components of the relationship between teacher and student are like an ongoing dance - we must be careful not to step on their feet, but we must be firm in leading them to where we want them to go. I especially liked Ormrod's explication of this ongoing cycle of interaction between teachers and students:
"...educators can improve students' behaviors, which in turn can enhance students' self-efficacy and other personal characteristics, which can then support students' self-regulating behaviors, which then enable students to benefit more from their classroom experiences-and so on and so on, in an ongoing interaction among environment, behavior, and personal variables." (Ormrod, p. 137)
Rick Smith and Mary Lambert wrote an interesting article, "Assuming the Best", which addresses classroom management strategies based on the assumptions that both students and teachers bring to the relationship. They describe this as the "Invisible Contract". Students come to the classroom with the following expectation: "Please teach me appropriate behavior in a safe and structured environment." Teachers have their own side of the contract: "I will do my best to teach you appropriate behavior in a safe and structured environment."
Students test these assumptions, sometimes the first day, but often throughout the year. But rather than seeing this test as a challenge to our authority, the authors implore to change their mindset. When students behave contrary to what they already know is appropriate behavior, students are simply saying, "Is this teacher going to hold up his/her end of the deal, or is s/he going to break it?" Only by "internalizing" the idea that all students want to be taught, can teachers respond with an action that addresses this question. This seems like a mindset that teachers should strive to instill in their classrooms.
The authors offer several strategies to support this mindset, but Raymond Wlodkowski's "Two-By-Ten" strategy caught my attention. In this strategy, teachers commit to connecting personally with a student for 2 minutes in every class for 10 classes in a row. Not only does it improve the relationship with the student, it seems to have a positive effect on the whole class.
I have used this in my classroom and I have found it to be very effective. I used proximity to the student during class, whispering helpful cues such as: "Use your eyes to follow me when I am speaking." I made sure to call upon him when I knew he would know the answer to a question, praised him in front of the class, and spoke to him after every class for 10 days in a row. Sometimes, I would just ask how he felt during class, or about a new pair of shoes; other days, when he seemed a little off, I would ask if he was feeling OK. Other students also noticed and there was considerable improvement in overall behavior. This student is no longer afraid of Spanish class. He still struggles from time to time, but he knows that I'm not going to step on his toes.
Ormrod, J. E. (2012). Human Learning. New York, NY: Pearson.
Wlodkowski, R. J. (1983). Motivational opportunities for successful teaching [Leader's Guide]. Phoenix, AZ: Universal Dimensions.
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