Everything that enables student success boils down to behavior. Showing up to class on time is behavior, participating in class is behavior, the act of reading and writing is behavior, and cooperating with others in a group is behavior. All of these behaviors are enablers of academic achievement and success. The question is: How can educators intentionally promote positive behaviors that result in a productive, inclusive, and positive learning environment?
In this blog, we'll explore low-burden, high-impact practices (LoHi) that educators can implement to prevent and respond to challenging behaviors effectively.
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Before diving into specific strategies, let's emphasize the foundational element that propels positive student behavior – positive relationships as school administrators, classroom teachers, or any staff position. Establishing genuine connections with students lays the groundwork for trust, respect, and a sense of belonging and is the best way to effectively influence students' behavior.
When students feel valued and understood, they are more likely to embrace classroom expectations and actively participate in the learning process. When there is a need to respond to disruptive student behavior, positive relationships increase the amount of influence an educator’s words have on a student through skillful communication to encourage behavior change. Absent a positive relationship with a student, it becomes increasingly more difficult to motivate and influence students to make the right choice through skillful communication during the school year.
One way we think about the educator-student relationship is through the framework of establish-maintain-restore.
Establish is a particular phase in a relationship in which an educator goes from not having a positive relationship with a student to building one. This happens through banking time with students to get to know and accept them for who they are and intentionally authentic greetings and farewells to ensure individual students feel seen and cared for.
Maintaining a relationship involves striving towards a ratio of 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction. This is true of all relationships: a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions is the strongest predictor of a positive relationship maintaining over time. Think of this as positive reinforcement for a healthy relationship.
Last, there is sometimes a need to restore the relationship after a negative interaction. Restoring a relationship means reconnecting with the student to engage in a restorative conversation to repair the relationship using a skillful communication strategy, such as a letting go conversation, separating the deed from the doer, taking ownership for part of the interaction, and an empathy interview.
Imagine preventing a problem before it occurs. That's the power of precorrection. By anticipating potential behavioral problems that would warrant correction, educators can get on the front end to establish momentum for behavioral success through proactive reminders, prompts, and nudges. This is an important first step. Taking a moment to remind students of expectations before starting an activity or as they transition into the classroom environment is an essential part of any teaching style to ensure everyone understands the clear expectations ensuring everyone is on the same page.
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Co-creating and teaching behavioral expectations to students is essential because, simply put, students can't read educators' minds. By involving students in the process of setting behavior expectations, we provide clarity and a shared understanding of what is expected in the learning environment. This collaborative approach not only empowers students by giving them a voice but also reduces ambiguity, fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere where everyone knows the guidelines and can actively contribute to a successful experience and positive classroom environment.
Praise is a potent tool in an educator's toolkit. However, not all praise is created equal. Effective praise is specific, genuine, and focused on specific behavior, effort, and improvement. Recognizing and celebrating positive behavior reinforces desired actions and motivates students to continue making positive choices on any given day. This practice requires paying close attention to student behavior to deliver contingent effective praise as a form of feedback. You get to deliver good news for the real work students are doing outside of academic success. When done well, students feel appreciated for the energy and effort they put into exhibiting specific behaviors.
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Humans, especially children, thrive on routine and predictability. Establishing consistent and predictable routines in the classroom provides a sense of stability. When students know what to expect, they feel more secure and are better able to self-regulate. Predictable routines also reduce anxiety and the likelihood of disruptive behaviors. Establishing routines gets you halfway there, spending time teaching and practicing the routines builds fluency, which ends up paying dividends concerning student behavior.
Turns out that educator behavior can wield a significant amount of influence on student behavior. It is through the consistent use of low-burden, high-impact practices such as those above that educators can intentionally promote students’ behavioral success.
Remember, positive relationships are the bedrock of creating the conditions to influence student behavior and a productive learning environment. By implementing the above low-burden, high-impact practices, educators can maximize instructional time, minimize disruptions, and contribute to a positive and engaging learning experience for all.
Here's to a school environment characterized by positive educator-student relationships and the delivery of low-burden, high-impact practices that support students’ behavioral success, character development, and in the end increased academic performance!