Printer-friendly version"I just don’t know what to do about Jordan," confessed Mary, whom I’d just met. I don’t know if she was confiding in me because I teach English or because that’s just what one does at a nail salon. “Last year, he spent hours filling his journals and talking about being a writer when he grew up. Now he hardly writes at all. He says he’s not any good at it.”
Mary explained that during the previous school year, her son’s English teacher praised him for his writing and encouraged him to keep a journal. It was filled to the brim by the last day of school. Unfortunately, this year’s writing teacher focused primarily on mistakes he’d made. The constant criticism caused him to believe that he was not a good writer. Jordan soon began to dread English class. He stopped journaling altogether.
I don’t believe that Jordan’s teachers differed in their intentions or motivations—both wanted him to excel at writing. But something was subtly different between the two. Neither explicitly labeled him as good or bad, but their attitudes, words and actions yielded wildly different outcomes.
This particular phenomenon is not an isolated occurrence. The power of suggestion or expectation has been labeled as self-fulfilling prophecy. If someone just believes he or she will fail then failure is likely.
A 2010 study found that even slight hints about expectations can influence a student one way or another. In this study, researchers gave several students the same test. Test takers were divided into three groups. Members of one group were told to identify their tests with an A. The second group used an F. The third group used a J. The test takers who used A outperformed the F and J students, and the F’s ranked the lowest. These differing scores reveal how vulnerable students are to even subtle suggestions about their performance.
We need to be aware of the many subtle ways that we communicate approval and affirmation—or the opposite. This requires reflection on our part. But it also requires vigilance in day-to-day interactions with students.
Consider where particular students sit: Are they physically far away from you?
Do you smile more often at some students?
Do you call on everyone or just a select few? Do you give each student equal time when answering a tough question? Do you feed hints to only certain students and then lack patience with others?
It is impossible to be aware of all the unintentional messages we send students. However, we must do our best to use the power of the unsaid for students’ benefit. We must ensure that Jordan will continue to fill many more journals.
Sansbury is a middle and high school English teacher in Georgia.
Comments
I too am a teacher, and I
I too am a teacher, and I completely agree that the way we respond to students' writing can affect students attitudes toward writing. I teach teachers the writing process, and I take them through exactly what the students would go through, and it is amazing how after a while, they truly understand what part they play in how students feel. We affect the climate in the class, and it is important that students feel valued in their writing.
What a powerful observation!
What a powerful observation! We, either fortunately or unfortunately, have so much power over students' attitudes about writing. By modeling the writing process with the students in the classroom, the teacher creates a community of writers. When the teacher struggles to choose the right word or has an awkward sentence, sharing these issues with students establishes an environment in which all writers are equal.
Yep, I even make errors so
Yep, I even make errors so that my students can correct me thus modeling for them how to handle "making an error" without explaining how to handle an error. They learn to correct without being judged. I also have the students give "feedback" to other students: the first student does or says something that needs "corrective" input, so a second. and usually a third, stduent "explains" what she learned from what she saw or heard rather than merely correcting the first student. The first student then can chnage what she did or said originally. It's a win-win!
Wow, the power of details. I
Wow, the power of details.
I often point to the kids body language and ask them what they are saying with their non-verbal communciation. Some say our non-verbal comunication speaks louder than our voices. The subtlties are incredibly powerful!
Sansbury hits it dead on when she states that "it is impossible to be aware of all the unintentional messages we send to students." This is because we only have our persepctive to live from and students have their own! However, we can be clear on our expectations and we verbalize these daily. For example, have your students write out an essay/paragraph as to why they deserve an "A" on the first day of school. This establishes the bar and expectation.
If we beleive people can do it, we tell them they can do it, and we continue to comunnicate--they will usually do it.
Great comments! The longer I
Great comments! The longer I teach, the more I realize how much influence I have on my students and how much I have to learn as a teacher. Conversations like this and teacher development will only make us better teachers as we conciously and subconsciously influence our students.
Great incites Sarah! Your
Great incites Sarah! Your thoughts and ideas make me wish that I could go back and change so many interactions I've had with former students. I hope the many still teaching can read this and glean encouragement on how to teach in ways that will inspire and empower students!