A student ’ s exposure to and retention of the cultural , social and emotional capital that a teacher provides can greatly enhance the development of resilience .
Most young children tend to believe that they are not capable of grasping an idea or subject when faced with failure . A fixed mindset causes additional challenges for an at-risk student when coupled with other difficult situations in their life , and they begin to believe that their intellectual abilities cease at certain levels of understanding .
Adversely , the idea of simply telling children how smart they are is not the answer to fostering resilience or building growth mindsets . Instead , teachers should focus on praising the child ’ s individual process to learning ( Dufur , Parcel and Troutman , 2013 ; Dweck , 2006 ). When a teacher focuses on a child ’ s effort or strategies they have applied to their individual learning , they instill an eagerness in the child to confront new challenges with an individual belief that ultimately leads to growth and enjoyment of learning ( Ginsburg and Kinsman , 2014 ; Sadowski , 2013 ). The language of the teacher is such that a child recognizes they have the ability to learn and achieve equally to their peers , despite the different challenges they face .
The second theme that emerged from the interviews as being an effective strategy to support student-teacher relationships is establishing high expectations for all students . High expectations are critical to a child ’ s success in school when the expectations are communicated in a supportive and edifying manner .
The expectations can be proximal ( shortterm ) or distal ( long-term ), depending on the circumstances , with the distal producing lasting , long-term effects on the child . Teachers can communicate these expectations through conversations about the importance of acquiring a quality education , while teaching the child his or her role in meeting those expectations . This strategy is easy to incorporate in classrooms through effective feedback using formative and summative assessments as their guide .
When adults on campus model a passion for learning , coupled with high expectations and rigorous , engaging curricula , students attain higher levels of academic achievement . However , high expectations should be realistic , and students must receive the necessary supports to meet the expectations . In-classroom activities need to emphasize academic achievement , while teaching skills that build confidence and self-efficacy .
High expectations leading to student achievement are not only verbalized by the teacher , but are also the environment by which a student learns . High expectations and an effective learning environment are closely woven together when developing positive student-teacher relationships . The relationship is strengthened when the learning environment created by the teacher is one that invites inquiry , promotes experimentation ( be it right or wrong ), and makes connections to deeply learned concepts .
Effective classroom curricula will embrace academic tasks , peer collaboration , result indicators , and positive reinforcement when students display the expected skills and behaviors . Conversely , when a teacher inaccurately places different levels of expectations on children based on their circumstances , or establishes a learning environment that discourages individual thinking , they limit , and at times , reverse the established positive relationship . By establishing high standards , teachers can inspire students to overcome their weaknesses and focus on achievement . As students reach these expectations , they gain confidence in their abilities , and develop academic resilience .
The third theme surfacing from the interviews is vital to establishing a positive relationship among teachers and students . Positive relationships are predicated upon the genuine care and empathy teachers give to students . Evidence suggests that the empathy and caring of even one adult in the life of a child can prevent future negative consequence for that child .
March | April 2018 33
A student’s
exposure to and
retention of the
cultural, social and
emotional capital
that a teacher
provides can
greatly enhance
the development of
resilience.
Most young children tend to believe that
they are not capable of grasping an idea or
subject when faced with failure. A fixed
mindset causes additional challenges for an
at-risk student when coupled with other dif-
ficult situations in their life, and they begin
to believe that their intellectual abilities
cease at certain levels of understanding.
Adversely, the idea of simply telling chil-
dren how smart they are is not the answer
to fostering resilience or building growth
mindsets. Instead, teachers should focus
on praising the child’s individual process
to learning (Dufur, Parcel and Troutman,
2013; Dweck, 2006). When a teacher fo-
cuses on a child’s effort or strategies they
have applied to their individual learning,
they instill an eagerness in the child to con-
front new challenges with an individual
belief that ultimately leads to growth and
enjoyment of learning (Ginsburg and Kins-
man, 2014; Sadowski, 2013). The language
of the teacher is such that a child recognizes
they have the ability to learn and achieve
equally to their peers, despite the different
challenges they face.
The second theme that emerged from the
interviews as being an effective strategy to
support student-teacher relationships is es-
tablishing high expectations for all students.
High expectations are critical to a child’s
success in school when the expectations are
communicated in a supportive and edifying
manner.
The expectations can be proximal (short-
term) or distal (long-term), depending on
the circumstances, with the distal produc-
ing lasting, long-term effects on the child.
Teachers can communicate these expecta-
tions through conversations about the im-
portance of acquiring a quality education,
while teaching the child his or her role in
meeting those expectations. This strategy
is easy to incorporate in classrooms through
effective feedback using formative and sum-
mative assessments as their guide.
When adults on campus model a passion
for learning, coupled with high expectations
and rigorous, engaging curricula, students
attain higher levels of academic achieve-
ment. However, high expectations should
be realistic, and students must receive the
necessary supports to meet the expectations.
In-classroom activities need to emphasize
academic achievement, while teaching skills
that build confidence and self-efficacy.
High expectations leading to student
achievement are not only verbalized by the
teacher, but are also the environment by
which a student learns. High expectations
and an effective learning environment are
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