was a victim of a poor school climate. The instability, lack of direction, insufficient motivation of staff, and lack of support at the school all contributed to Eddie feeling the way he did.
The correlations between school factors and Eddie’s situation were glaring. The school environment was unstable, and so was he. The school did not have a clear vision, and Eddie did not have a vision for where he wanted his life to go. His teachers were not motivated to find ways to help him achieve academic success, and Eddie was not motivated to work hard. Lastly, Eddie did not have sufficient support at school, nor could he support himself or find support outside of school.
I made it a point to take Eddie under my wing and establish a relationship with him to provide him with the support that he needed. I was also better prepared to connect with the students during our grade-level meetings when we returned to school after Christmas break. Eddie’s sentiments clearly expressed a few observations that I also had made about the school at the time, and he drove the point home. Hearing it from a student confirmed that there was a critical need to create a positive school climate. Eddie took down his wall for a moment, and the entire school benefited. Taking this walk with Eddie showed how beneficial it is to show students we care and illustrated for me a stark need to address the climate of the school by establishing a culture for learning, which I address in the next chapter.
Use the following four questions to reflect on what you have learned in this chapter. You may choose to journal about them or discuss them with a partner or small group to gain further insights.
1. Do your students perceive you to be warm and caring? How do you know?
2. What teacher behaviors from the research shared in this chapter can you begin to implement that may lead students to perceive you as warm and caring?
3. What are two or three aspects of your school’s environment that may need to be improved to promote a warm and caring atmosphere?
4. Think of a student who reminds you of Eddie. What are several statements you can make to him or her several times a day for several days in a row to make him or her feel welcome and cared about?
Following are four action steps you can take right now to apply what you have learned and help students at risk in your classroom.
1. Empower your students and value their thoughts and opinions. Put students into groups and ask your students to share their opinions or ideas about social justice, school rules, or discipline policies. Guide a discussion on what fairness and equity look like to them. Have each group make a list of ways it can be established and maintained in your class or within the school.
2. Use specific words, actions, and gestures that have helped you connect with your students in the past. Be cognizant of the reinforcing qualities of touch and use the level that works for your students. For example, you can give students a pat on the back or shoulder or touch them gently on the arm. Ask students what names they would like for you to use when referring to them. Find out how students would like you to redirect them when necessary. Your students’ responses to these inquiries may surprise you.
3. When planning your next unit, build in time to conduct morning meetings or circle time.
4. Have students complete the reproducible “Student Questionnaire” so you can learn more about them.
Student Questionnaire
Answer the following questions to help your teacher learn more about you.
1. What name do you want me to call you this school year?
2. Please list a couple of hobbies or interests you have.
A.
B.
3. Which of the following best describes the way you learn?
A. Kinesthetic (doing hands-on activities)
B. Auditory (listening)
C. Visual (observing)
D. Group learning
E. Independent learning
F. Note taking
4. What kind of support do you need to be successful in this class?
5. What life experiences have you had that shape your perception of this world?
6. Write down the names of two of your role models and an important life lesson you have learned from each of them.
7. What in this class do you look forward to learning the most?
8. What is more beneficial to you? A teacher who:
A. Is warm and caring
B. Pushes and challenges you
C. Both
Building Bridges © 2019 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/behavior to download this free reproducible.
{ CHAPTER 3 }
Establish a Culture for Learning
Schools with a strong culture for learning communicate high expectations for all students. According to Barth (2002), school culture is:
A complex pattern of norms, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, values, ceremonies, traditions, and myths that are deeply ingrained in the very core of the organization. It is the historically transmitted pattern of meaning that wields astonishing power in shaping what people think and how they act. (p. 7)
The message communicated to students, regardless of the many issues and social problems that they have, must be, “We are glad you are here, we care about you, and you are here to achieve!” There are a myriad of barriers to student achievement, well-being, and success that go above and beyond traditional instructional and assessment concerns (DeWitt & Slade, 2014). A sense of caring and a culture for learning must be two of any school’s main pillars if that school is to sustain a positive climate and a strong learning environment.
Establishing a culture for learning refers to the educational importance of the work that both the students and the teachers perform. In classrooms where there is a robust culture for learning, all students receive the message that even though the work may be challenging, they are capable of success (Danielson, 2011). This culture is not only important for individual teachers in their own personal classrooms but should be the resounding message frequently announced, demonstrated, and further established throughout the entire school so that everyone understands it.
To move toward establishing a culture for learning, the school has to set high expectations for all students and let students know that educators will take appropriate actions when they fail to meet behavior
