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Teacher Caring

Uploaded on: August 4, 2022
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Whether or not students feel cared for by teachers, and the overall quality of student-teacher relationships, can have profound effects on their engagement and investment in learning.

Introduction

Introduction to Teacher Caring

Introduction to Learning Conditions

As teachers know, students learn best when they engage—when they focus their attention, invest effort, and resist distractions. However, eliciting students’ engagement can be challenging.

In some cases, the barriers to engagement are outside the teacher’s control. For example, students may have trouble focusing if they come to school tired or hungry or scared.

Fortunately, in many other cases, teachers can create conditions that build students’ engagement. For example, students are more likely to engage if their teachers can help them:

  • feel welcomed, supported, and appreciated in class
  • understand that their teachers want to help them grow as learners
  • believe that the work they’re doing in class matters for their lives

In short, teachers can take a variety of steps to create motivating learning conditions that foster engagement—to create a classroom climate in which students are more eager to learn and more receptive to feedback.

Teachers create ideal learning conditions for students in much the same way that a gardener creates ideal “growing conditions” for plants. An expert gardener carefully adjusts the levels of shade, water, and soil composition to match the unique needs of the plants a given garden.

Following a similar logic, teachers can ask their students targeted questions to understand how their students experience their class. Then they can adjust their practice in order to create a more optimal environment for their students to thrive as learners.

Indeed, when PERTS helped teachers use targeted questions to better understand students’ experiences, those teachers  got important insights that enabled them to markedly improve the motivational learning conditions in their classes.

You can read some case studies at perts.net/stories

Introduction to Teacher Caring

“One time when I got in trouble in 7th grade, I still remember how my teacher took me aside later and listened to my side of the story. She repeated what I said back to me to be sure she understood what I was saying. Then she explained why she still had to give me a detention because I was disrupting class. Even though I got a detention, I was glad that she didn’t just dismiss what I had to say, like other teachers sometimes did. After that, I actually felt better in school because I knew I had someone to talk to.”

– A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT REFLECTING ON MIDDLE SCHOOL

In our achievement driven school system, it’s easy to forget how much relationships matter for students’ engagement. In fact, the kind of relationships students have with their teachers affect whether they decide to engage with the learning material and how effectively they do so.

Almost every student has a personal story about a teacher who they believed cared (or didn’t care) about them. For some, it’s a teacher who reached out and helped them feel comfortable or respected in school. For others, it’s a teacher who helped them see they could reach a higher standard, even when they doubted themselves. Sometimes it’s the story of someone who just listened. These stories show how little things can sometimes create a positive atmosphere that brings out the best in students.

Research suggests that students’ relationships with teachers are essential to student engagement. A teacher who makes his or her students feel heard, valued, and respected shows students that the classroom is fair and they can grow and succeed there (1,2,3).

The puzzle for many teachers is not figuring out how to care more about their students—most teachers already care about their students a great deal. We are not suggesting that teachers should stay up late at night grading homework, or spend more time on weekends preparing lessons. In fact, working around the clock can result in emotional exhaustion that leads to detached, depersonalized interactions with students (4).

Instead, the puzzle for teachers is figuring out how to communicate caring to students in a way that feels like caring to them. Students may not always see the long hours their teachers put in, and, even if they did, they might not make the connection between their teacher’s hard work and their teacher’s caring for them as a person.

What makes students feel personally cared for by their teachers? Research has identified several strategies that reliably help students feel cared for. You will likely recognize some of these strategies in your own teaching practice—or you may have strategies of your own that you know help your students feel cared for that are not mentioned here.

Strategy 1: Get to Know Students as People

Strategy 2: Make Sure Students Feel Heard

Strategy 3: Address Disciplinary Problems with Empathy

We will delve into each strategy in greater detail in the following chapters. Please use the following key to identify different kinds of resources within each chapter:       

bele network icon key

References

  1. Wentzel, K. R. (1997). Student motivation in middle school: The role of perceived pedagogical caring. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(3), 411.
  2. Murdock, T. B., & Miller, A. (2003). Teachers as sources of middle school students’ motivational identity: Variable-centered and person-centered analytic approaches. The Elementary School Journal, 103(4), 383-399.
  3. Sakiz, G., Pape, S. J., & Hoy, A. W. (2012). Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms? Journal of School Psychology, 50(2), 235-255.
  4. Maslach, C. & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2, 99-113.

Associated Measures

To help teachers track their progress in communicating caring to their students, the Engagement Project uses three survey questions.

  • This week, my teacher treated me with respect.
  • I feel like my teacher is glad that I am in their class.
  • I feel like my teacher cares what I think.

The results from the surveys can help you decide whether to continue with your current approach or consider new strategies for communicating caring. Ultimately, teachers have to find the strategies that they feel most comfortable with—and that work for their students. It’s a mutual learning process that will take time and effort.

Chapter 1: Get to Know Your Students as People

Getting to know your students is the first step in fostering meaningful student-teacher relationships.

Get To Know Students As People

Having a personal conversation with a student—especially one who is struggling—can be a great way to build a relationship that will help the student feel better about their prospects in school. But, as we said earlier, even small things can help students feel cared for. For instance, teachers can:

  • Welcome individual students when they come to class
  • Ask individual students about their interests outside of school
  • Incorporate individual students’ interests in class assignments, word problems, projects, etc.

When learning about students’ interests, you may not know the latest music artist, or understand the latest fashion trend—and that’s ok. The goal is not to come across as “cool.” Rather, the goal is to show that you are listening with interest. You are trying to get to know your students over time and understand what matters to them as people. Of course, it takes more time to reach some students than others. Some students have had good experiences with teachers. Others have had negative experiences, or they might have heard negative stories about school from friends, family, or the media. They might think they won’t get a fair shot in school. But teachers who consistently reach out and engage with students and their interests make a difference. These teachers help their students see that, in their class, students are seen for the person they are—not as a test score or a stereotype.

For in-depth practice recommendations, please refer to the toolkit Authentically Connect With Your Students, or check out the next pages in this chapter.

Authentically Connect With Your Students

Developed together by Sevenzo and PERTS, this toolkit provides teacher stories, research overview, student activities, and other resources to help you connect authentically with students.

Preferred Citation

Authentically Connect with Your Students by PERTS and Sevenzo

Attachments

Learning Students’ Names

A list of short strategies for remembering students’ names and ideas for icebreakers

This easy-to-use resource has tons of quick steps you can take that will help you learn student names, a crucial first step in getting to know them.

Time Required

7 mins read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Learning Students’ Names by Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska

The Most Important Day: Starting Well

A well-planned first day can establish a positive tone for the rest of the school year.

This adapted excerpt from “The Morning Meeting Book” discusses why teachers should take extra care in planning the first day of class and some key elements which should be present in a well-planned first day which will get student excited about the class.

Time Required

7 mins read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

The Most Important Day: Starting Well by Delivee L. Wright, Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska.

Building Rapport

Short, easy steps teachers can take to build rapport by encouraging camaraderie, and using specific verbal and non-verbal cues.

This article encourages building rapport with students starting on the first day of class by providing quick and easy-to-implement steps. 

Time Required

3 min read

Required Materials

Connection to Equity

Good rapport between instructor and students one of the most important factor in good classroom dynamics, which is an important prerequisite for an equitable learning environment.

Preferred Citation

Building Rapport by Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska

Making Sure Each Child is Known

A middle school in Nevada uses a simple strategy to build deeper connections between teachers and students.

This resource is a case study of a school in Nevada where a teacher-student-connection poster is used to make sure that at least one adult in the school knows every single student by name and has a connection with them. This practice should ideally be applied school-wide but if that is not possible, teachers can adapt this for their EP teams (or their own classrooms) by having a list of all the students and going through it as a team in the first month to make sure that no student flies under the radar.

Time Required

3:08 min video

Required Materials

An electronic or paper list of student names from participating classrooms

Connection to Equity

Even simple things like acknowledging a student by name can help improve student engagement by making them feel seen as a part of the school community.

Preferred Citation

Making Sure Each Child Is Known by Edutopia

Morning Meeting: A Powerful Way To Begin The Day

A teacher explains the importance of morning meetings and makes suggestions regarding the format.

This resource goes over the format of morning meetings and can be used as a starting point for planning a routine for your class that will help set the right tone for learning. To truncate the morning meeting process, teachers can take out components which might not be useful/relevant for their classes (like all students greeting each other with a handshake).

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Morning Meeting: A Powerful Way to Begin the Day by Responsive Classroom

Icebreakers That Rock

Three ice-breakers that engage the students without being cheesy or forcing them to take social risks.

This resource can be used directly or adapted to create engaging ice-breakers that will help you get to know your students better without being too cheesy. The icebreakers mentioned are also available as PowerPoint presentations for purchase (bottom of the webpage).

Time Required

4 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Icebreakers that Rock by Jennifer Gonzalez, Cult of Pedagogy

Getting To Know Your Students

This video shows how a professor engages all the students on a personal level in a large course by using student surveys and name tents.

This video resource provides a great example of an empathic teaching style and the use of humor to build connections with students. There is additional information regarding classroom considerations and related resources at the bottom of the page.

Time Required

3:20 min video

Required Materials

Evidence of Effectiveness

“Based on a study investigating the psychometric properties of teaching evaluation instruments, student-teacher rapport is one of the distinctive features of master teachers (Keeley et al., 2009).

This rapport is additionally related to increased student motivation and improved grades (Wilson et al., 2010).”

Preferred Citation

Getting to Know Your Students by Instructional Moves, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Connecting With Your Students

Two videos discuss different strategies for building connection with students in the classroom – getting to know students’ names, talking to students before class, and using student surveys.

These brief videos can be a great way to start thinking about how to connect more effectively with students. The page contains lots of additional cited readings that can be used to inform practice as well.

Time Required

1:32 and 0:57 min videos

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Connecting With Your Students from ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework

Making The Most Of Your First Day

A high-school teacher shares how she structures the first day of class (which is only 10 minutes) to make sure she connects with students and gets them to set goals for the year.

Use this resource to inform a plan for the first day of class that makes the most of it. 

Time Required

5:20 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Making the Most of Your First Day by Teaching Channel

Chapter 2: Make Students Feel Heard

Ensuring that all students have a voice and feel like their opinions are valued is essential for an equitable learning environment.

Teacher Caring Strategy – Make Sure Students Feel Heard

Strategies that help teachers make students feel like they have a voice and their opinions are valued.

Every human being wishes to be heard—and students are no different. Many teachers address this need by seeking students’ input whenever appropriate. For example, a teacher might ask students how much they felt they learned from a particular assignment, and then incorporate their feedback into the next lesson plan. Importantly, it’s not just about seeking input—it’s also important to reflect back what you hear and explain what you’ll do differently as a result of the feedback.

For in-depth practice recommendations, please refer to the toolkit Ensure Students Feel Heard, or check out the next pages in this chapter.

Time Required

None

Associated Measures

To help teachers track their progress in communicating caring to their students, the Engagement Project uses three survey questions.

  • This week, my teacher treated me with respect.
  • I feel like my teacher is glad that I am in their class.
  • I feel like my teacher cares what I think.

Ensure Students Feel Heard

This toolkit provides strategies, inspiration, and tools for making sure that students feel heard.

Developed in partnership by Sevenzo and PERTS, this toolkit helps educators build caring relationships with students by practicing active listening, soliciting student input, and prolonging wait time.

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

“Ensure Students Feel Heard” by PERTS and Sevenzo

Attachments

Fire Up Your Class With Student-Interest Surveys

Student surveys allow teachers to get to know the students, and the students to voice their opinions and share their interests.

Use this article to see how student surveys can be integrated into the class.

Time Required

3 min read

Required Materials

Connection to Equity

Learning more about students and their background allows teachers to take students’ identities and interests into account while designing their classroom experience. 

Preferred Citation

Fire Up Your Class With Student-Interest Surveys by Rebecca Alber, Edutopia

The Stoplight Method: An End-Of-Lesson Assessment

A high school teacher uses the stoplight method after class to gauge what students learned, what they had questions/concerns about, and anything that got in the way of their learning.

This exit-ticket strategy can be implemented directly or adapted to get a quick read on students’ learning at the end of each lesson.

Time Required

00:53 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

The Stoplight Method: An End-of-Lesson Assessment by Teaching Channel

Getting Better Through Authentic Feedback

Soliciting authentic student feedback sends the message that students have a voice and that their opinions are valued.

In this video, a focus group led by student leaders gives feedback to the teacher. This format can be used as is or adapted to fit the specific needs of your class. For younger grades, explicit instruction on how to give feedback is recommended. If strapped for time, teachers can meet individually with student leaders when convenient instead of having a focus group with everyone present.

Time Required

5:51 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Getting Better Through Authentic Feedback by Teaching Channel

Creating A Community Of Learners

A middle school teacher encourages her student groups to learn from each other and support each other to make sure that everyone gets a voice.

This video resource shows a teacher modeling how to create a community where students learn from each other and are comfortable sharing their views.

Time Required

3:24 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Creating a Community of Learners by Teaching Channel

Student Interest Survey

A printable student interest survey which asks how students feel about school, their interests outside of school, and ways in which the teacher can best help them learn.

This resource can be printed directly or edited to fit your own style.

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Student Interest Survey by Scholastic

Asking Questions To Improve Learning

This article talks about how to ask questions that encourage active learning and strategies that facilitate student discussions.

Use this resource to facilitate class discussions.

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Asking Questions to Improve Learning by Teaching Center

Teach Like A Champion Technique – Wait Time

This video goes over what wait-time is, the rationale behind it, how to effectively use it, and what happens when you increase wait time in class.

This video by Kaizen Teaching goes over what wait-time is, the rationale behind it, how to effectively use it, and what happens when you increase wait time in class

Time Required

4:35 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

“Teach Like a Champion Technique – Wait Time” by Kaizen Teaching

Asking Open-Ended Questions And Using Wait-Time

This video showcases a classroom where the teacher asks open-ended questions and models wait-time.

This video by the Center for the Collaborative Classroom showcases a classroom where the teacher asks open-ended questions and models wait-time. 

Time Required

2:33 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

“Asking Open-Ended Questions and Using Wait-Time” by the Center for the Collaborative Classroom

Chapter 3: Address Disciplinary Problems with Empathy

Adopting an empathic discipline style can help teachers build more welcoming and caring learning environments.

Address Disciplinary Problems With Empathy

Strategies that help teachers respond to disciplinary issues with empathy and understanding.

Some days it may be easier to show caring for students than others. Many teachers say that some of the greatest challenges they face—and some of their best opportunities for helping students—occur after students misbehave.

Disciplinary situations can be difficult because they often touch on students’ sensitivities. Students worry about being treated unfairly, and they are sensitive to any sign that others—especially authority figures, like teachers—are treating them unfairly. These worries can cause students to experience stress, to overreact, and even to disengage from school.

Some students have additional reasons to worry if people will treat them fairly. For instance, students from low income families and students of color may hear discouraging stories from friends, parents, or the media about how their group is treated by authority figures. So it’s completely understandable that these students are sometimes especially sensitive to how they are treated by their teachers. Unfortunately, these worries can lead students to perceive signs of bias or disrespect even in routine classroom management. Suppose a teacher disciplines a boy who is talking loudly. The student may think, “Why me? Everyone was talking?” and conclude that the school is biased against him or people like him. That perception, in turn, can lead to the student’s behavior deteriorating further and, eventually, to the student disengaging completely from school.

Fortunately, disciplinary encounters can also offer teachers rich opportunities to talk with students and build trust (1). Sometimes, the most emotionally honest conversations that teachers have with their students are conversations about misbehavior. Below are two strategies for turning difficult disciplinary encounters into opportunities for building trust and understanding.

Talk to Students in Private. When a student gets in trouble, many teachers find it helpful to take the student aside and talk to them in private, rather than in front of the class. This gives the student time to “cool down” and removes any pressure they may feel to be defiant in front of classmates.

Show Students You Hear Their Perspective. When a student misbehaves, it can be helpful to take time to hear the student’s point of view. Perhaps they feel that they were treated unfairly, or perhaps they disagree with a rule. You may or may not agree with what the student says, but you want to convey to the student that their viewpoints and feelings matter to you. Even when students are unable to articulate why they misbehaved, asking for their point of view communicates that you are on their side and want to understand them—even though you may have to take disciplinary action. To listen and understand your students does not mean you have to agree with them. However, taking the time to listen and to show interest in their perspective demonstrates care.

  1. Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(19), 5221–5226.

Associated Measures

To help teachers track their progress in communicating caring to their students, the Engagement Project uses three survey questions.

  • This week, my teacher treated me with respect.
  • I feel like my teacher is glad that I am in their class.
  • I feel like my teacher cares what I think. 

Preferred Citation

The Engagement Project by PERTS

Tell Me About…/A Change You Made That’s Helped Support Students’ Mental Health

Educators share stories about how they changed their mindset or behavior and used empathic discipline to help support their students’ emotional needs.

Use this resource to learn about how teachers respond to students with trauma in ways that are empathic and supportive.

Time Required

9 min read/ 1:05 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Tell Me About … / A Change You Made That’s Helped Support Students’ Mental Health by Educational Leadership

Mindsets Impact Perceptions Of Student Behavior

This article discusses how teacher mindset can influence the interpretation of a student’s behavior, and gives some concrete steps on how to respond in ways that highlight a growth mindset.

This article discusses how teacher mindset can influence the interpretation of a student’s behavior, and gives some concrete steps on how to respond in ways that highlight a growth mindset

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Mindsets Impact Perceptions of Student Behavior by Dustin Bindreiff, Mindset Works

Proven Techniques For Managing An Active Classroom

This article lays out strategies for making sure that students are making good choices and conducting themselves as members of a learning community.

This resource from Fair and Effective Classroom Discipline techniques for managing a classroom in way that promotes learning.

Time Required

5 mins read/ 1:34 min, 1:22 min, and 1:33 min videos

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Proven Techniques for Managing an Active Classroom by Anne Vilen, ASCD

Helping Students Return To Class After Discipline Issues

A subsection under “Social and Emotional Learning,” this article describes the benefits of warmly welcoming a student back into the classroom.

This resource explains the importance of welcoming a student back into the classroom after they have been removed because of discipline issues. A warm receival reinforces to the student that they do belong in school, and can help promote self-advocacy when assignment guidelines and new expectations are set. 

Time Required

5 minute read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Helping Students Return to Class After Discipline Issues by David Bulley (Edutopia)

Chapter 4: Use Language That Reflects Caring, Respect, and a Growth Mindset

Your everyday language can send subtle signals to students; make sure that you use language that is respectful, caring, and reflects a growth mindset.

Reinforcing Language: Giving Middle Schoolers Supportive Feedback

This article shares easy to implement ideas for using positive teacher language.

“An adapted excerpt from The Power of Our Words for Middle School: Teacher Language That Helps Students Learn. This compact guide offers middle school teachers many practical, easily do-able ideas for using reinforcing language and four other types of positive teacher language: envisioning, reminding, redirecting, and open-ended questions.”

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Reinforcing Language: Giving Middle Schoolers Supportive Feedback by Responsive Classroom

Reinforcing Language: Giving Middle Schoolers Supportive Feedback

This article shares easy to implement ideas for using positive teacher language.

“An adapted excerpt from The Power of Our Words for Middle School: Teacher Language That Helps Students Learn. This compact guide offers middle school teachers many practical, easily do-able ideas for using reinforcing language and four other types of positive teacher language: envisioning, reminding, redirecting, and open-ended questions.”

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Reinforcing Language: Giving Middle Schoolers Supportive Feedback by Responsive Classroom

Group Work And Group Discussions

This video discusses the structures, protocols, modeling, and guidance that builds students’ collaboration and discussion skills.

“Although it can be tempting to assume that older students know this already, consider taking a little time to discuss norms and expectations before assigning group work. This video discusses the structures, protocols, modeling, and guidance that builds students’ collaboration and discussion skills.

Time Required

1:42 min video

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Group Work and Group Discussions by Teaching Channel

Reinforcing, Reminding, And Redirecting

A subsection under “Positive Teacher Language,” this article provides concrete ways in which teachers can use language to optimize learning and engagement.

This resource provides clear guidelines on how to use reinforcing, reminding, and redirecting language.

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Reinforcing, Reminding, and Redirecting by Paula Denton, Power of Words (Responsive Classroom)

Growth Mindsets For STEM Careers

This video shows a teacher using positive, growth-mindset language in order dispel myths about STEM careers and encourage students to explore STEM fields.

You can use the video and the accompanying lesson plan (available after creating an account) to create a lesson for STEM exploration.

Time Required

9:12 min video

Required Materials

Connection to Equity

Making sure that students from underrepresented minorities see themselves represented in STEM fields and understand that they can succeed is an important part of building equitable learning environments.

Preferred Citation

Growth Mindsets for STEM Careers

Powerful Words

A teacher reflects on her own journey while trying to change the language she uses in class to be more positive and encouraging.

If not done correctly, praising children can sometimes backfire. This resource shares how to switch to encouragement instead of praise. Consider keeping track of your language goals by writing down the goal for the week in your weekly planner.

Time Required

5 min read

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Powerful Words by Responsive Classroom

Professional Development Activities And Resources

Resources that encourage growth mindset language and behaviors.

This page provides multiple worksheets and activities to encourage growth mindset language and behaviors. It includes professional development tools, some of which can be used with students as well.

Required Materials

Preferred Citation

Professional development activities and resources by The Mindset Kit


Highlighted Resources