Staying Positive During a Not-So-Positive Time

The social and emotional well-being of students begins within themselves. Last week’s blog post addressed the struggles of COVID-19 regarding technology and organization. This week I am going to dive deeper into the social and emotional aspects of students and how to create a positive learning environment for students.

Part of creating a positive learning environment is effective and appropriate communication. During a global pandemic, communication is necessary for conducting instruction and giving directions/due dates for assignments, but it is also necessary in keeping up with the social and emotional well-being of our students. As teachers, we are able to model effective and appropriate communication in the classroom daily with our students. One important skill to teach our students is self-advocacy. In teaching them to self-advocate in a respectful manner, they will learn speak up for themselves in an effective and appropriate way. Self-advocacy during a global pandemic is crucial. In advocating for oneself, students are able to speak up when they are struggling academically, socially and/or emotionally.

Another important piece of creating a positive learning environment comes with self-awareness and self-management. Amber Chandler’s ‘The Flexible SEL Classroom’ discusses ‘echo chambers’ throughout Chapter 3. As described in the media, an echo chamber is: ‘a metaphorical description of a situation in which information, ideas, or beliefs are amplified or reinforced by transmission and repetition inside an ‘enclosed’ system…” In relating this to our students, Amber Chandler discusses how we each have our own echo chambers as human beings. Some student’s echo chambers are wonderful places filled with positive affirmations, but other student’s echo chambers are dark places filled with unwanted thoughts. We must teach our students to be kind to one another, but also kind in the way they talk to themselves. Teach them it is OK to mess up. Teach them it is OK to apologize for being wrong. Teach them that they are HUMAN. During a global pandemic, it is extremely necessary for students to be aware of their mental health and discuss any struggles they may be having. In teaching our students it is OK to be imperfect, this may alleviate some stress and pressure that they are experiencing during this difficult time.

Lastly, building relationships with our students is important – always, but especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Unfortunately, we may never meet some students in-person, but it is crucial that you let them know you are there for them. Building a positive learning environment includes building relationships with students. My favorite way of building a positive learning environment and relationships with my students is by having a community classroom. In a community classroom, students greet one another every morning, engage in meaningful conversations with one another, create classroom rules/policies together and collaborate with one another. Having a community class and placing emphasis on being a community creates a positive and inclusive environment for all students. A community classroom also becomes a safe space for students which is crucial during this time as students may be stuck at home for long hours and have little interaction with peers.

Although this time is difficult for us all, our students are amongst those who may be struggling. It is important for teachers to build positive learning environments that include (but are most definitely not limited to): effective and appropriate communication, self-advocacy, self-awareness, self-management and a community classroom.