FITB- Chapter 4- Creating a Culture of Success

Teachers need to value and respect the students not just through words but through their actions. Holding your students to high expectations can help them to push harder to work for that higher grade and higher understanding because someone believes in them. Students need to feel that their teachers have faith in them and that someone will be there when the pressures of life whether home, social, personal or educational. At this point in their life, students (teenagers) are developing and trying to find their own identity. This can mean that it’s not always easy following or standing apart from the crowd, even when this may lead to self-discovery. Everyday is a battle between their own culture, customs, habits and style versus that of everyone around them. However, with a teacher that firmly believes in his or her students- having value in their abilities, a student will be willing to “try and try again”.

It is important to remind students that you expect the very best from them and that you are encouraging their efforts even when they are having trouble. It is also important to give feedback and support along the way and after they are finished. It may also be helpful to allow for revisions, allowing for greater understanding. It is important to set priorities along the way for students to understand what is important and how to organize everything going on within their life. When calling on students or asking to do errands or help with something, teachers should not favor the students that they “think” will do the best. All students should have equal opportunity to do errands, help with something and be called on. If all students are equal then they should not be compared to other students. Sticking with the students and not giving up on them is crucial to their understanding and their faith in you to help them.

A great way to create a fun and challenging environment for your students and yourself is to take some risks. However students need to feel comfortable and safe in the classroom in order to take risks for fear of being rejected by their peers or looking “dumb”. Encouraging students to build on one and other’s ideas helps learning because it takes the pressure off an individual and creates a group task. Students, whether or not they know they answer, may not want to draw attention to themselves. Teachers should also address those students who are having trouble privately, so as not to embarrass them. Praising a child should also be done privately. Grades and such matters are not for public discussion. The grades a student receives, whether or not the emphasis should be on grades or not, affects many aspects of their life. Making any sort of grading public is inappropriate and can really hurt some of the students. At some point, students will understand that being able to be a strong learning and obtain and education is more valuable- it has rewards within itself.

Keeping eye on students and when/ if they hand in their homework can help to solve any number of problems that a student could be facing in their lives. There are many other pressures that a student may feel because they are trying to respond to the “values, priorities of friends, family, and the culture that surrounds them outside and inside of school as well as their internal feelings can be overwhelming. Home life can sometimes be more pressure than school, dealing with experiences, duties, siblings, etc. Helping students to cope and work through these pressures can help them to further deal with and work through academic challenges.