The teaching-learning process includes a bond between the teacher and the taught. It is a unique association, that evolves gradually to finally result in the success of the student and the satisfaction of the teacher. Such a bond when filled with positivity, will truly reap rich dividends for teachers and students.
It is the responsibility of the teacher to create a positive atmosphere in the classroom. Only then, the students can be kept meaningfully engaged. It is a play of psychologies and every student is unique in his/her own way. The teacher instructs and educates and students receive the knowledge flow. But at the same time, from the perspective of students, one has to understand their challenges in terms of assignments, homework, examinations, presentations, competition and so on. Amidst all this, what keeps them going is a positive learning environment. it becomes the foundation for them to unleash their creativity.
The recent pandemic situation has opened the doors for conducting online classes. so, it is all the more important for teachers to fill the virtual space with positivity.
Building trust is a significant step towards positivity. The students must be able to confidently express themselves, be it a physical classroom or an online one. The teacher has to display a genuine attitude to allow even diffident students to voice out their thoughts and anxieties.
Quotations contribute to the well-being of the class. They carry the potential to make an impression on the young and impressionable minds. Taking five minutes to ponder over the quotation can go a long way in establishing a better bond.
Respect from both sides; that is from the teacher’s and the students’ side, plays a crucial role. It builds a sense of security and allows students to overcome fear when they commit mistakes. When their mistakes are respected by the teacher, students will gain confidence to move ahead positively. This will make them believe in themselves and this will make a big difference in their lives and approaches.
Anecdotes about education and story telling also have their say. In spite of the schedule, teachers can take some time out to narrate students inspiring stories to motivate them positively. It adds onto their education and also contributes to the building of the empathy factor. Making them successful also includes making them good human beings. There are rich resources on the internet that can be explored for these purposes.
Counseling and mentoring by teachers are very important. As part of this process, many schools have designated specific staff and allocated time for the same. The process helps teachers to reach out to students in the real sense. They get to know about the students’ background, families and so on. An intimate talk will help them open up and positively rely on the teacher. Teachers can take the students’ needs and concerns and flex their methodologies accordingly.
Student or Students of the Day an activity conducted every day by the teacher is a process in which a ward or wards are recognized for their performances. They need not be academic performances and could include any thing ‘good’ done by students. Entering their world and giving importance even to their smallest achievements will make them psychologically strong which in turn builds their confidence levels and help them perform better. time for this can be adjusted by the teacher accordingly.
Posters and Wall Journals can be an effective way of building team spirit among the students. They can form teams to make posters in which they can include their contributions like stories, poems , quotations and so on. The Wall Journal is dedicated to a particular class and students can put up their ideas and the like. Both these activities can also be held on virtual platforms.
All these activities travel towards positivity and create an upbeat atmosphere among students. A teacher always holds a special place in the hearts of students and when a teacher guides them through on the right note of empathy, there is no stopping the students. A wise teacher can distinguish between instructing and educating. When both o together, it makes a meaningful difference in the students’ attitudes and performances. It is not just the delivery of knowledge and when it is combined with a humaneness and positivity, the process acquires a soul.
Many teachers across the globe surely must be taking up all these and more. I hope these aspects will help aspiring teachers to implement them in their classes. wishing you all the very best…!
