A school is one of society’s most important institutions. It aims to educate children so that they can become physically fit, mentally sharp, emotionally secure and culturally sound individuals.
However, schools are often flawed. Massive buildings where hordes jostle for classrooms at class-change time, where discipline is nonexistent and teachers fear physical attack are not ideal.
Learning at Your Own Pace
Traditional schooling requires students to work through lessons and assignments at the speed of the teacher. This can lead to slow learners falling behind or fast learners feeling bored. Thankfully, online learning has brought a revolution with self-paced learning that allows every student to move through lessons at their own tempo.
This allows them to master lessons quickly if they understand them well, and it gives them more time to focus on concepts that are more challenging. It also helps students develop a sense of responsibility and self-discipline.
The ability to work at their own pace is an excellent way for students to improve their memory performance and knowledge retention. Teachers can encourage this by creating a variety of resources for their classrooms that allow students to track their progress. These tools can include game boards, checklists, or even paper-based progress charts. Providing these tools to your students will help them feel empowered in their learning and create more excitement in the classroom.
Developing Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is an essential life skill. It enables students to manage their time and stay focused on reaching goals. It also helps them deal with setbacks and maintain consistency, which is vital to success.
Most children develop self-discipline naturally, especially if their teachers provide gentle but firm boundaries and rewards or removal of privileges as incentives for compliance. However, some children have difficulty with this development. They may be unable to focus on tasks and have trouble resisting urges to engage in unproductive activities.
Teaching children to plan ahead promotes self-discipline by allowing them to think about what challenges they might face and how to overcome them. It is important to encourage them to find their “why,” or the reason they want to achieve something, so they can use that as a source of motivation when things get tough. For example, if they know that studying chapter flashcards 20 minutes each day will help them pass a test, it will be easier to ignore distractions and stick with the task at hand.
Building Relationships
Developing positive relationships with teachers and fellow students is a central aspect of a healthy school culture. This may include greeting each student, engaging with them during activities, learning about their cultural and educational backgrounds and establishing an open line of communication.
Prioritizing these kinds of relationship building actions can lead to better academic performance and more holistic student growth. It also fosters the development of important social skills like empathy, active listening and compassion that are necessary for a lifetime of success.
In order for a teacher-student relationship to thrive, it is essential that both parties make the effort to invest in the connection. This can be done by encouraging open communication through a range of mediums such as informal gatherings, suggestion jars and surveys. It is also important for teachers to understand their boundaries with students and work within them to develop a relationship that is healthy. See the Building Relationships Despite Challenges module from the DPI Trauma Sensitive Schools Online Professional Development System for resources on how to do this.
Developing Responsibility
We all know adults who don’t take responsibility for their behavior – they show up late to meetings and gatherings, have trouble with money, relationships and work, and are defensive or angry when confronted about their behavior. These people probably didn’t learn the value of responsibility in school.
Teaching students how to be responsible for their actions, their belongings and their decisions is key to their success in school, in life, and as a contributing member of society when they are older. This takes years of consistent expectations and purposeful planning.
To help children develop responsibility skills, teachers should teach them to prioritize their responsibilities, take notes in class, voluntarily participate in class activities, manage their time well, respect others and be accountable for their actions. They also should use restorative practices if their students misbehave. These are strategies that can teach kids responsibility far more effectively than an F on a report card ever could.