Three Strategies for Fostering a Positive Learning Environment to Enhance Student Achievement.
As educators, we hold a profound privilege and a considerable responsibility to foster a positive learning environment that promotes student success both within and beyond the classroom. Here are three strategies to enhance your classroom atmosphere and cultivate a supportive environment conducive to student growth. Aim to be a transformative influence in shaping your students' skills, confidence, accountability, and passion for their chosen art form. Encourage them to recognize and embrace their unique potential!
1) Encourage students to establish and take responsibility for their personal goals through the practice of journaling.
Recognizing the individuality of each student is essential for educators to embrace a teaching strategy rooted in openness and empathy. Our aspirations for our students may not always coincide with their personal goals. By understanding each student's authentic intentions for their craft, we can customize our lessons to offer tailored support and guidance.
On the first day of class, I present my students with a fundamental question: “Why are you taking this class?” We allocate time for writing and reflecting on this inquiry. While the question may seem simple, the motivations driving our engagement in movement are inherently both complex and diverse. Students frequently articulate their passion for dance and movement as “an escape” or a “source of joy.” This collective love for movement unites us, while the diversity of our motivations and aspirations highlights the individuality that makes each person wonderfully unique.
Establishing goals with your students is instrumental in fostering motivation and encouraging the development of new behaviors that will facilitate the changes they seek, both in their craft and in their daily lives. While goal setting may appear daunting to some students, it is essential to ensure that the goals are achievable, specific, and measurable.
Here are several questions that I encourage my students to periodically answer and reflect upon throughout our time working together.
What motivated you to enroll in this class?
What aspects of movement do you find most enjoyable?
Identify three strengths you possess in a classroom or performance setting.
Identify three areas for improvement in a classroom or performance setting.
What is your short-term class goal?
What is your long-term class goal?
How can you integrate your class goals into your personal life to foster growth beyond the classroom?
Journaling serves as an invaluable tool for students to connect with their goals by maintaining a written record of their plans and progress, which they can refer to throughout their movement journey. This practice fosters accountability and encourages personal achievement and growth. My students are motivated and determined to transform their aspirations into reality. Journaling and goal-setting will cultivate positive habits that lay a strong foundation for lifelong personal development across all facets of life.
2) Check in with your students before every lesson - both body and soul.
Human connection serves as the foundation of our personal well-being. By recognizing the unique needs of each student, we as educators, are better positioned to form meaningful and lasting relationships. In our fast-paced world, it is all too easy to neglect how our bodies and minds respond to our surroundings. Engaging with our physical selves prior to class fosters body awareness and enhances our understanding of mental health. This practice also provides an opportunity to check in on any physical discomfort a student may be experiencing, enabling educators to tailor their classroom strategies to alleviate pain, reduce tension, and prevent injuries. Taking a few moments to assess our emotional states allows students to release any external stressors that may accompany them into the classroom.
I have chosen to pursue a teaching career to create a lasting, positive impact on the world around me. Demonstrating compassion, kindness, and care for my students are fundamental ways to establish meaningful connections. Such connections foster a positive learning environment that enhances student engagement and camaraderie among peers. When students support and celebrate each other's achievements in the classroom, it leads to a deeper understanding and enthusiasm for one another's successes. Ultimately, we are all part of the same team, united by a shared passion for movement.
As educators, we possess the remarkable opportunity to share our passions and life lessons to those in our care. Much of what our students absorb stems from not just our words, but our actions. It is imperative that we lead by example, demonstrating compassion, kindness, and consideration for each student who enters our classroom. My aspiration is that my students will not only carry the techniques and skills acquired in class but also the invaluable life skills they have developed along the way into the broader world around them.
3) Acknowledge and celebrate every achievement - both big and small.
Recognizing our own successes and achievements can often prove challenging, as we tend to be our own harshest critics. As instructors, it is our responsibility not only to provide students with corrections and guidance but also to serve as their most enthusiastic supporters. By doing so, we create an environment where students feel encouraged to pursue their passions without fear of judgment. Every step forward, no matter how minor it may seem, is a testament to their dedication and hard work. Growth is rarely a linear process; it is accompanied by obstacles and setbacks. Therefore, it is essential for students to acknowledge and appreciate every small accomplishment that contributes to larger victories. When we highlight each milestone, we reinforce the understanding that progress is a journey, not a destination.
Taking pride in our work creates a positive ripple effect that enhances classroom dynamics and ultimately fosters student success. By celebrating student achievements, we foster a culture of mutual respect. When each individual feels valued for their unique talents and contributions, the classroom environment thrives. Furthermore, the positive energy generated by achievements within the classroom can extend beyond its walls, influencing others in the broader community.
While dance and movement arts provide a valuable medium for creativity and personal expression, they can inadvertently create an environment of comparison and competition. As instructors, we bear the responsibility of fostering a setting that promotes healthy competition within ourselves rather than among our peers. This approach encourages a deeper journey of self-discovery and personal expression.
Recognizing and appreciating what might appear to be a minor victory to some is essential for sustaining focus and momentum toward larger personal goals. When students feel acknowledged and valued as individuals, they are more likely to take pride in their personal achievements. This sense of self-motivation fosters greater student success and contributes to an overall positive learning environment. By acknowledging each achievement, we not only validate the hard work of our students but also inspire them to reach for even greater heights in their movement journey
Are you interested in learning how these practices have influenced my students? Below are their insights regarding goal setting, individual check-ins, and growth within the classroom.
“ ‘How is your body and soul today?’. Those are the opening words of every class. This alone makes me feel very loved and cared for. I love how Miss Lilly honestly cares for us, and our safety. She always lets us know that if anything hurts, we can take it easy. The classroom is a lovely and safe environment that Miss Lilly manages so well, even better than some of my teachers from school! I enjoy every class. Lilly compliments on how well we do and how we've grown individually, calling each of us by name. I've never really experienced that in a dance teacher before, but I absolutely love it. It makes me feel cared for and seen. Miss Lilly also does an amazing job at teaching the class. I learn so much during each class! Every time I leave the classroom, I am so much happier than I was when I came in. Even after a really hard day at school, Miss Lilly can make me so happy. For me, this class is more than just a dance class. It's a place of joy and rest.”
-Olivia L - Student (Age 13)
”Taking dance with Miss Lilly has been such an amazing opportunity for me not only because I have grown and learned so much, but also because I have enjoyed my time and found an outlet to do what I love that makes me excited to come in each week. The first class I walked into with Miss Lilly, she took incredible care to understand each one of us in class - how we felt, who we were, what our goals were, etc. By having us write out a sheet answering questions about what we have and still would like to accomplish in our dance journeys. From that week on, she has started every week asking us how we are physically and spiritually, taking our answers into consideration and taking the time to remember things shared and apply them to her class. She has shown an incredible ability to manage a classroom setting and take charge responsibly, always being prepared and ready to test the limits, and always recognizing and commenting on our personal successes and achievements. She takes the time to teach original thoughtful combos and routines that showcase many different key concepts and elements of dance and can be used in auditions and showcases, and explains the mechanics of technique or movement quality. Overall, my experience in Miss Lilly’s class has been one to remember, and I highly recommend her as a teacher and educator.”
-Hayden S. - Student (Age 16)
