Five things every teacher should know

When students perceive that a teacher has their best interests at heart, they are more likely to take risks in their learning. For example, they are more likely to do the dreaded oral presentation or spend the time on the big assignment. If students believe a teacher cares, they will put more effort into their learning and assessment. Never underestimate the power of compassion. Acts of kindness and compassion can boost student confidence, and consequently their learning experiences. And to debunk a myth, kindness does not equal lowering standards of behaviour. A teacher can uphold high standards of respect and a strong work ethic in a classroom and be kind. It is possible to do both.

In many cases, by the time they are in upper primary school many children have made personal judgements about their abilities. For example, “I’m a ‘C’ in Maths” or “I’m not musical.” These personal judgements can determine the level of effort made. That is, if a child thinks she is a C in Mathematics, she may only put in the level of effort required for a C. In many ways, self-judgements can act like self-fulfilling prophecies. The teacher needs to interrupt these fixed mindsets and encourage a child to take risks and stretch themselves in their learning. Interrupting fixed mindsets about ability is the constant work of teachers, whether it be in the arts, sport, social relationships, or academics. Teachers play a critical role in building confidence in children.

The students in your class may or may not be learning the content in your subject, but they are learning a lot about you and how to survive (perhaps stay under the radar) at school. Throw away lines like, “He’s learnt nothing!” are never true. The child who appears to not be learning may indeed have a suite of skills for surviving the locker bay at lunch times, how to stay under the teachers’ radars, and how to avoid the class bully. Work avoidance itself is a skill, a maladaptive skill, but a skill, nonetheless. Helping students shift their efforts from work avoidance to learning engagement is the craft of an expert teacher as it often requires cultural change. Many students experience a clash of cultural values at school, as they feel that engaging in learning makes them unfaithful to their peer group or their sub-culture outside school. If a student belongs to a family or community that resists education, then positive engagement at school is a cultural risk. Skilled teachers help students negotiate and participate in learning cultures in ways that benefit them in every area of their lives.