Bringing Out the Best in Our Students

One great thing about being a teacher is that you never have time to get bored - there is always more to learn, more to try, and more to do! For example, over the last year or so, the focus of my editorials has been digging deeper into helping students learn how to learn. Though I am far from finished with that topic, I want to add another aspect to our exploration of best teaching and learning practices – before I tell you what that aspect is, let me first share how I started thinking about it. Recently, I was at a junior high school basketball game. In all honesty, the girls were not looking so good that night – sloppy passes, traveling violations, and an overall lack of energy. The funny thing is, a year or so ago under a difference coach these same girls won 14 and lost only 1 game in their conference. I thought to myself “What is going on with these girls?” Then it dawned on me, the coach that brought these girls to a nearly undefeated season did something special – she brought out the best in them. Sure, they worked hard on skill development, offensive plays, conditioning, and the like, but there was a huge dose of encouragement lavished on them during those practice times. The coach was constantly shouting positive comments to the girls, with of course some corrective measures mixed in, but the many positives were loud and clear. The girls learned a lot, but moreover they came to believe in themselves and in each other. As I sat thinking about the difference between last season and this one, it wasn't long before I transitioned from thinking about basketball coaching to thinking about my teaching. I soon found myself asking myself the question “Do I bring out the best in my students?” I must admit it was a timely question. Recently, I have come across a situation in my classroom that has got me searching deep into my teaching and learning toolbox. My tried and true “tricks of the trade,” so-to-speak, were not getting the job done. The student I was working with was just not getting the material, despite lots of effort and time on my part and hers. She was new to University life and new to being away from home. She was having trouble focusing during class and during her study time. She was inconsistent in taking her medication. She was failing my class. This question of bringing out the best in my students gave me renewed hope and a new approach to try. Instead of focusing on the course content, I was also going to need to focus on bringing out the best in the student. Soon I was not only thinking about how to bring out the best in this one student, but also how to bring out the best in all of my students! I want to wrap up by sharing a few brief thoughts with you regarding two questions: What does bringing out the best in my students mean to me? and What might it look like in my classroom? I hope I have motivated you to ask yourself these same questions. First, what does bringing out the best in my students mean to me? That turns out to be a rather big question, one that others have written entire books to try and answer (for example: McGinnis 1985; Scheidecker and Freeman 1999; Daniels 2000; Connellan 2003). But, if I had to boil it down to a few simple principles, I would say it is about making students feel important and valued; it is about being genuinely interested in students and their world; and it is about investing my time, energy, and effort into students in order to make a lasting difference in their lives. Teachers who do these things are life-touchers1—they are the teachers that students remember with warmth, gratitude, and affection for many, many years to come, often for a lifetime. Who are the teachers that made a difference in your life? I hope, like me, that you have some names of former teachers rushing to mind. That question and those names help motivate me to make a difference in the lives of my students. What might bringing out the best in my students look like in my classroom? There are a number of facets to this question that deserve attention and further exploration; however for now I have clustered my ideas into three main themes. First, I would expect the best out of my students and look for the best in my students, both individually and collectively. To be effective, I would need to communicate my expectations clearly and regularly, and do my best to provide support and encouragement to facilitate my students’ success. It has been shown that when teachers have high (or great) expectations of their students, the students often rise to meet those expectations (Ellison 2015). Second, I would try to create a positive, energetic learning environment, where growth and cooperation are emphasized, where failure isn't fatal2 and where success and achievements are celebrated. Constructive criticism would also be provided, but hopefully given in such a way as to engender both intellectual and character development. Third, I would do my best to be real with my students and genuinely interested in their lives in and beyond my classroom. Taking an interest in students doesn't take an inordinate amount of time, but it does take thoughtfulness and consideration. Sometimes it's the little things that end up making a big difference, such as e-mailing a student who has been absent because of an illness and asking if he is okay; attending a performance of a student who is a member of a musical group or athletic team; discussing possible internship opportunities that you heard about with a group of students to see if anyone is interested; following-up with a student who attended office hours about how she did on the last exam; and asking a student how he is doing upon his return to class after being at a family member's funeral. These are just a few of the many possible “little things” that we can do to connect with and care for our students. John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, said that “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” If I may, I would like to rework this quote just a bit. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a teacher that brings out the best in your students!” I must admit that intentionally thinking about how to bring out the best in my students is a very powerful and energizing thought to me – it has stirred up my affective side and has caused me to see yet another aspect of teaching and learning that I can actively work on, because at the end of the day, I want to be a life-touching teacher.