Happy Fri-YAY.
I'm not going to lie, using "correct" teacher language all the time isn't easy.
The thing is, there is no such thing as ONE perfect way to communicate with all of our students (wouldn't it be amazing if there was???).
I've had the classic chatty, wiggly, impulsive classes. Whole group lesson times were especially hard parts of the day.
If you've ever experienced lessons with:
- lots of calling out
- students not staying in one spot
- side conversations happening between friends
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
In these scenarios, it's easy to feel like a broken record discussing behavior expectations over and over again.
It is frustrating and defeating to feel "tuned out," and to see your students making little progress.
I have one simple shift you can make IMMEDIATELY that will help your students tune back in.
There is nothing wrong with telling a student you love something they're doing. It's always meant with the best intentions! The thing is, it can easily lose steam when it comes to positively reinforcing behavior.
By changing "I love..." to "I notice..." you're explicitly recognizing and naming positive actions children are doing.
Students go from doing "the right thing" in order to please, to taking control of their actions & developing an awareness of how to do their personal best.
The subtleness of you simply acknowledging that you SEE the great choices your students are making can be a total game changer.
Whether you have that wiggly, chatty class you're trying to get through to, or you're looking to empower your students to build more independence, give it a try!
Happy weekend!
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