#ClassroomCommunication

[acornsalessealsstamps]

Customized Bitmoji Teacher Stamp

Transform your classroom mail with the Customized Bitmoji Teacher Stamp! This self-inking stamper adds a personalized touch to every message. With 11 vibrant ink colors, it's easy to create eye-catching notes. Ideal for teachers who want to make their mark in a fun and efficient way!

[persimmonsrain]

Teaching = connecting

Teaching, at its core, is a deeply human endeavor. Beyond instructional strategies and curriculum outcomes, what often sustains teachers through the demands of the profession is not just the act of teaching itself but the relationships formed within it. Human connection in the classroom is not a sentimental bonus; it is a central, evidence-based contributor to both teacher effectiveness and well-being.

Educational psychology increasingly acknowledges teaching as an emotionally laborious and relational practice. As Hargreaves (1998) asserted in his seminal work, The Emotional Practice of Teaching, "Good teaching is charged with positive emotion. It is not just a matter of knowing one's subject, being efficient, having correct competencies, or learning the right techniques." Rather, good teaching “arises out of the relationships teachers build with their students.”

This idea is echoed and expanded upon by Sarah Mercer (2016), who emphasizes that language teaching in particular is inherently affective and relational. She argues that the quality of interpersonal relationships in the classroom significantly impacts both learner success and teacher well-being. Teachers who feel connected to their students are more likely to experience intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, and resilience (Mercer, 2016; Yin et al., 2019).

From a cognitive science perspective, the social brain hypothesis suggests that our brains are evolutionarily wired for connection (Dunbar, 1998). Social interactions stimulate neural circuits related to empathy, reward, and meaning-making suggesting that the emotional bonds we form in classrooms are not only psychologically satisfying but neurologically reinforcing. This could explain why something as simple as a student’s enthusiastic participation, or an appreciative glance during a lesson, feels deeply rewarding.

Positive psychology offers further insight. Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions (2001) posits that positive emotional exchanges such as those between teacher and student enhance our cognitive flexibility, build resilience, and create upward spirals of well-being. These brief yet powerful moments of interpersonal resonance contribute not only to teacher flourishing but to more dynamic, trusting classroom environments.

In practical terms, these human interactions can turn a routine lesson into something meaningful. A simple “thank you” after class, a student bravely asking a question, or the shy learner finally laughing out loud, these micro-moments of trust and joy are small, but they accumulate. They are often what teachers remember long after the term ends.

As a language teacher, I often receive affirmations from my students, verbal and non-verbal, that they feel safe, seen, and engaged. These connections don’t just help them learn. They help me teach.

There are days when I enter the classroom exhausted, uncertain, or quiet from life’s weight. And then, something shifts. A student greets me with a smile, another asks a follow-up question from yesterday’s lesson, and sometimes the quietest one says, “I like today’s activity.” These may seem like small things, but in the life of a teacher, they are everything. They remind me that presence matters. That being human in the classroom isn't a flaw; it's a gift.

And so, while we prepare our materials and plan our outcomes, it’s worth remembering that no learning happens in a vacuum. The relational space we co-create with our students may be the most powerful pedagogy of all.

It is in those shared silences, honest laughter, and mutual care that we not only build understanding but belonging. And in that belonging, we teach and are taught in return.

How do you nurture meaningful connections in your own learning or teaching spaces?

Selected References:

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.

Hargreaves, A. (1998). The emotional practice of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 14(8), 835–854.

Mercer, S. (2016). Teacher well-being and the complexity of language teaching. In Gkonou, T., Tatzl, D., & Mercer, S. (Eds.), New Directions in Language Learning Psychology (pp. 103–123). Springer.

Yin, H., Huang, S., & Wang, W. (2019). Work environment characteristics and teacher well-being: The mediation of emotion regulation strategies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 4701.

Dunbar, R. I. M. (1998). The social brain hypothesis. Evolutionary Anthropology, 6(5), 178–190.

[insertsimblrhere]

Tips for Differentiating Instruction in Your Classroom

Tips for Differentiating Instruction in Your Classroom - Instruction that is differentiated seeks to gain an understanding of the qualities, needs, and growth patterns of each student in order to support the creation of documents and resources that will shape the learning of each individual student within a group setting.  Its purpose is twofold first, to ensure that the opportunities for students to demonstrate what they have learnt are suitable for the various learning needs and preferences of the students second, to ensure that the content is connected to the students' interests third, to enable the deepest possible understanding of the essential knowledge and skills of the discipline and fourth, to remove any barriers that may hinder efforts towards achieving the goal.  It is vital to have clear expectations in accordance with the curriculum in order to ensure that the risk that the students are required to take is suitable for the learning that is being encouraged. This will increase the likelihood of success in moving forward and accomplishing the goals that have been proposed.

The material, the manner in which the student learns, and the manner in which they exhibit learning are the three fundamental qualities utilised in the process of differentiating education.  The information that students need to acquire or the skills that they need to develop are related to the subject that is being presented.  The term "the way students learn" refers to the process by which students comprehend the material that is being presented to them for the first time.  In the context of education, "demonstrating learning" refers to the comprehension of how students demonstrate what they have learnt.  The modifications that are made to these characteristics are determined by a number of different factors, including the level of support that students require in order to access the content, the level of complexity of the content, the skills, interests, and readiness levels of the learners in the class, the social aspects of the students' lives, culture, linguistics, and gender.

The Understanding of the Needs of Students

When you think of diversifying instruction, what are some of the things that come about?  Are you thinking of a great deal of preparation?  A great deal of materials?  Have you prepared a wide variety of lunches for your class?  Having a second helping of spaghetti on a daily basis?  Are there too many different ways that spaghetti can be combined for your class?  What steps can a teacher who puts in a lot of effort take to ensure that they are prepared to meet the demands of each and every student in their classroom?  Is it possible to cater to the requirements of your entire class, even if the students in your class have varying requirements about the English language, different academic levels, and varied emotional requirements?  Instructional differentiation may appear to be a challenging endeavour; but, if we approach it in a step-by-step manner, it will become more simpler to accomplish.  Additionally, it is possible that you may discover that it is effective for both you and your kids.

To begin, you need to ask a single straightforward question: "What is the style of my class?"  The way in which you identify yourself will be determined by the response to this one question.  It can appear to be easy, but in reality, it is not.  There are a big number of factors that you need to think about.  There are three primary areas in which you are looking for information on your students: their preparedness needs, their knowledge needs, and their affective needs.  Your students' emotional needs are referred to as their affective needs.  Do the two of them enjoy playing together?  Cooperative effort?  Would you rather spend time by yourself?  Do they have a fear of having to make mistakes?  What your students already know and what they need to learn in order to read and write are both examples of knowledge needs.

Modifying Both the Content and the Evaluations

Adapting content, which refers to the resources that students come into contact with throughout a learning experience, is the part of individualised instruction that is most readily apparent.  Differentiated classrooms should incorporate a wide range of resources, presenting concepts in a number of formats, such as through the use of print, audio, visual, and experiential learning alternatives.  As a result of the fact that units are not designed primarily for students to work independently, but rather that unit structure also incorporates opportunities for collaborative learning, an effective socially constructed classroom will encourage collaborators to take responsibility not only for their own learning but also for assisting with and augmenting the learning of others.  Adaptations to content materials should include, or relate to, suitable scaffolding that has been carefully constructed to make difficult, higher-level information accessible to learners who are having difficulty, as well as to enable students who are having difficulty to feel meaningful cognitive engagement with the topic. 

It is impossible to adequately differentiate education in the majority of classes when relying exclusively on a single textbook; textbooks are constrained and restrictive because of the necessity of the situation.  Both the modification of call numbers and the development of more extensive classroom collections should be taken into consideration. These collections should include primary and secondary sources, drama, art, cinema, materials written and illustrated by young people, and a variety of literary works.

The number of different adjustments that may be made is immense.  You might group together print resources that are at very comparable reading levels, offer some options for auditory learning such as read-alouds, audiobooks, or videos, and you might also offer some lessons in visual storytelling.  You might also consider providing options that are tailored to the respective strengths of your pupils in terms of how they use and express themselves through technology if you and your students have a sophisticated connection with technology.  Although the majority of the examples in this book highlight the use of print-based media, there are a variety of ways to combine multimedia resources into making teaching developmentally and instructional-linguistically relevant for students who are learning English.

[ntanetfamilyblog]

Articulation and naturalization

Articulation and naturalization are two important concepts in language learning. Let’s explore each of them:1. Articulation: Articulation refers to the physical production of sounds and words in a language. It involves coordinating and manipulating the different parts of the vocal tract, including the tongue, lips, teeth, and vocal cords, to create specific sounds and pronounce words accurately.…

[feministfounders-blog]

Celebrating @treeducation's work in the area of peace advancement today. Well done! 💜 "Last week we finished up our first Fall Session! We spent time in 15 classrooms, delivering 75 workshops to over 300 students. This week Fall Session #2 begins, and we can't wait!" . . #peaceworks #peaceeducation #treeducation #classroomcommunity #KWawesome https://www.instagram.com/p/B5a4cuKFjG6/?igshid=1ewioic384gue

[kingofreason]

We had a wonderful learning experience at Still Well's Emporium Craft Room /Classroom... Thanks to the owners Ralph, Mary, and their extended family... and thank you Jasmine for the invitation @jasmine_i_little @justbegreat5 #classroomsetup #googleclassroom #classroomteachers #classroomtransformation #classroomfun #classroommanagement #classroomoftheelite #artclassroom #classroomdesign #classroomtheme #classroomgoals #classroominspiration #classroompinspirations #classroomdecorations #reggioclassroom #classroomideas #classroomlibrary #classroomtoclassroom #classroomdisplay #kindergartenclassroom #montessoriclassroom #classroom #classroombookaday #classroomcommunity #classrooms #classroomdecor #classroomdoor #classroomorganization #classroomresources #assassinationclassroom https://www.instagram.com/p/B5vdzr_Hily/?igshid=d9ay54s2fbmq

[jaymaqx]

The 2019-20 classroom from another perspective 😁. Name tents and table tents and all!! @mr.maqsood . . . #classroomdesign #autismclassroom #classroomdoor #assassinationclassroom #assasinationclassroom #classroompinspirations #classroom #kindergartenclassroom #classroominspiration #classroomideas #classroomoftheelite #classroomorganization #assassinationclassroomedit #vipkidclassroom #classroomdecorations #classroomdecor #classroomdisplay #classroomtransformation #classroomtheme #flexibleseatingclassroom #classroomcommunity #happyclassrooms #classroomlibrary #googleclassroom #classroomgoals #classroomsetup #classroommanagement #outdoorclassroom #artclassroom #classrooms https://www.instagram.com/p/B2CrLJfBW_E/?igshid=19nf7iu4i0yp8

[tiffsteachingtreats]

Each time I hear a student say that they or someone else is being a "bucket filler," I go over with my camera and document the action - pictured here is a student helping her friend sort the gems that had been scattered all around the table! I then use these pictures during our end-of-day community learning circle to show the students a relatable example of what bucket filling looks like, and I allow the bucket fillers (the students involved) to share the experience with our circle of friends. "What did you do to fill a bucket today?" 👭👍🏻👍🏻 #bucketfilling #bucketfiller #community #classroomcommunity #FDK #kindergarten #teaching #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram

[mrszepedaela]

Norms and Procedures

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_MDYG76c-b5pjBvYxR5s8bntE7xxFiP9v4JM-Dwqj74/edit?usp=sharing

[themateriallife-earlychildhood]

As a part of our #Thanksgiving #curriculum we brought up the #conversation of being #thankful for what we have by #giving to those in need. As a #classroomcommunity, we #cooked 3 #scented batches of #playdough to sell, all proceeds #benefitting @CampHasc which provides a #sleepawaycamp experience for children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities in an environment where all things are possible. After #selling out all three scents of playdough (add a few drops of #essentialoils to the batter) the children of #littleblue raised $200 which was donated to @CampHasc today. Check out their website www.camphasc.org 🍋🎃💚 I got this playdough #recipe from the #talented #teachers at #BankStreets #FamilyCenter and it has been my #favorite ever since. #happycooking #happyplaying #happygiving #earlylearning101 #themateriallife

[uoitmed]

Building Classroom Community https://t.co/eJKrsYp5rH #inclusion #classroomcommunity #backtoschool https://t.co/WQ1DYyNrk9

[jaymaqx]

The 2019-20 classroom. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Happy new school year! 👨‍🏫👩‍🏫👨‍🏫👩‍🏫👨‍🏫👩‍🎓👨‍🎓👩‍🎓👨‍🎓👩‍🎓 @mr.maqsood . . . #classroomdesign #autismclassroom #classroomdoor #assassinationclassroom #assasinationclassroom #classroompinspirations #classroom #kindergartenclassroom #classroominspiration #classroomideas #classroomoftheelite #classroomorganization #assassinationclassroomedit #vipkidclassroom #classroomdecorations #classroomdecor #classroomdisplay #classroomtransformation #classroomtheme #flexibleseatingclassroom #classroomcommunity #happyclassrooms #classroomlibrary #googleclassroom #classroomgoals #classroomsetup #classroommanagement #outdoorclassroom #artclassroom #classrooms (at Lower East Side) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2CqiBuhklJ/?igshid=8vyzu6qgih15

[tiffsteachingtreats]

This week I've been reading the students literature on how to be great Bucket Fillers, and it's really catching on - students have been using the terminology all around the classroom, even without teacher prompts! A Year One student even approached me first-thing this morning when she arrived at school and told me that when she's an adult, she's going to help her wheelchair-bound mother walk again because that's what bucket filler's do! So heartwarming!!!!☺️❤️ #bucketfilling #bucketfiller #community #classroomcommunity #FDK #kindergarten #teaching #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #literature #kindergartenliteracy

[uoitmed]

Building Classroom Community https://t.co/eJKrsYp5rH #inclusion #classroomcommunity #backtoschool https://t.co/WQ1DYyNrk9