As a young teacher, I remember visiting the classrooms of my mentors and being awed by their ability to lead the group rather effortlessly through a learning experience. On a superficial level, I was impressed by the attentiveness and orderliness of the group. Students did not talk out of turn, they had their materials ready, they had thoughtful things to say. It felt just like a scene from Dead Poets Society or even Harry Potter where nearly all of the classroom scenes reflected a very eager or (at the very least) a very compliant collection of students.
Unfortunately, my observations were entirely misguided. For starters, my data set was limited to fictional classrooms or-- in the event of my mentors-- Honors and AP classes where the level of participation is different from the average on-level or intervention class, which I was much more likely to teach. Furthermore, I misinterpreted how the students were working. On the surface, it seemed to be about control and submission. In other words, it looked from my perspective as though the teacher had exerted control over the class and they willingly submitted. Therefore, I felt that to be a good teacher I too would need to exert control and demand a type of submission.
But a more nuanced understanding of those model classrooms suggests that I was seeing engagement and buy-in not submission. In the chapters to come, we will unpack this idea of engagement a little bit more deeply, but at this point, I would like to specifically address the idea of engaging students as a collective group.
In many of my struggles with classes, my first reaction is to complain about the superficial behaviors: they talk out of turn, they are getting out of their seats, they are not listening, they are not using their work time, they are not completing tasks. Defining the problem in this way puts all of the responsibility on the students. It suggests that all of this would be better if they simply behave more maturely. But when interpreted from another lens, these behaviors could be seen as an indicator of disengagement, meaning that students do not feel connected to their teacher, their fellow classmates, or the content of the course. So then, the question changes from “why won’t they listen / respect / respond to me?” and becomes “How can I get them better engaged or invested as a community?”
Here are a few thoughts about how to encourage collective engagement.
Find joy. Creating an atmosphere of community begins with the joyfulness and playfulness of the teacher. As often as possible, I begin class with something fun. They are just bits of silliness to engage students. “Turn and say ‘Hello’ to the person sitting next to you, and tell them about the weirdest (legal) thing in your backpack right now.” “Turn and talk to your neighbor, explain to them why they might enjoy a one way trip to Mars!” “Okay, today, I have a deep philosophical question I want you to ponder. Why is it you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish?” The best openers are those where you can call on students and engage them a little. “Right now, point to the best singer in the room.” When TikToks were big, we discussed the hottest trends. When the spinners were popular, we had “spinner tricks” where students stood up and displayed their skills. Just have fun with them.
Listen. Having meaningful conversations with students in those moments just before class starts, or even just moments before they leave, are extremely valuable. They are also extremely difficult since there is usually a lot going on and since I am usually exhausted by everything that an average day in front of students can bring. But, in these candid moments of conversations, I discover so much about the music, shows, apps, games, hobbies, and trends that interest students by just being willing to engage them in conversation.
Warm Demander. Getting a “community” feel within a classroom is not about discipline and respect. However, it does not mean that the classroom is a free-for-all where “anything goes”. Ed Moore in his book Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys, he describes the happy medium between tough love and unhealthy permissiveness. He calls teachers who hit this balance “warm demanders”. It is the ability to have expectations, to voice those expectations, and model those expectations without having to create an atmosphere of law and order, where the message becomes “do it my way, or you are going to have to leave”. Warm demanders are capable of setting standards within a classroom but know who to be flexible when classes struggle. They know how to address individual behaviors versus punishing entire classes. They work relentlessly to build and foster relationships, and let students know that even after times of frustration and disagreement they will always be welcomed back. This is important to establishing the feel of community within a classroom. Everyone is welcome! And that means absolutely everyone! When I signed up for this life, I did so knowing that I would have to teach everyone, not just the ones I found pleasant and agreeable and submissive. What can I do today to make my students feel connected, not simply compliant?
Moore, Eddie. The Guide
for White Women Who Teach Black Boys. Corwin, 2018.
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