I am the decisive element in the classroom.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.
I am...
- Addressing situations rather than students' characters.
- Inviting student cooperation.
- Accepting and acknowledging student feelings.
- Conferring dignity upon students.
- Expressing anger appropriately using "I-messages."
- Using brevity in correcting misbehavior.
- Using appreciative rather than evaluative praise.