Teachers set the tone in a classroom and can affect children's lives in profound ways. What teachers do and say encourages or discourages their students. When teachers model acceptance and caring for all children, the students are likely to follow their example. The resulting classroom climate is conducive to children's growth and development. Children thrive when teachers:

• Sincerely like them and believe in their worth
• Are dedicated to helping children learn
• Are enthusiastic about teaching and inspire their students
• Are prepared, consistent and firm
• Provide a nurturing, safe environment
• Accept themselves as imperfect and freely admit to making mistakes
• Model fairness, honesty and dependability
• Listen carefully and give recognition freely
• Are sensitive and respectful of children's individual differences
• Provide an opportunity for children to help formulate classroom rules
• Help children feel important by allowing them to make choices
• Have clear, high, reasonable expectations for children's work
• Acknowledge children's efforts and successes no matter how small
• Stress that it is okay to make mistakes because they are a natural part of learning
• Avoid threats, sarcasm, favoritism and pity
• Focus on solutions to problems rather than on punishment
• Teach children how to solve their problems peacefully by listening to each other and by compromising
• Provide opportunities for children to encourage and applaud one another
• Involve parents or guardians as partners in their children's education
• Invite them to dream, share goals, and to think of themselves as being successful

Used by permission of the author, Leah Davies, and selected from the Kelly Bear website [www.kellybear.com]. 9/01

» More Gazette articles...