Norms are the unwritten rules and behaviors that govern social settings and interactions, such as raising your hand to get the teacher’s attention. Establishing classroom norms that support learning can make an environment more effective for teaching. Norms Are Not Normalization Norms do not regulate behavior, they regulate conduct. For example, the normative…
New evidence indicates a sense of belonging is an essential part of optimal learning environments. Children need to feel that they are part of their classroom and the school community. If they are distracted by feelings of inadequacy or alienation, it interferes with their learning. Quoting the authors of the book The ABCs of…
Many in the education field are familiar with Stanford Professor Carol Dweck’s notion of instilling in children a growth mindset, that is a belief that their intellectual abilities can be developed through effort and practice. Recently, some researchers have challenged her work claiming that further analysis indicates that growth mindset interventions are not particularly effective.…
Montessori schools attract staff that are committed to respectful interactions with children and yet sometimes those same skills fail to translate into effective communication between adults. School staff climates can be mercurial and depend on several conditions to become healthy and effective, of which communication is at the top of the list! Yet many…