Tips for Building a Positive Environment

The Effects of Our Interactions Positive Corrective Students feel disengaged Students feel unsuccessful Decreases the future likelihood that students will want to engage with you Students feel supported Students feel successful Increases the future likelihood that students will want to engage with you Even saying corrective statements, for example “sit down” or “let’s try that again” can have these impacts. Even positively stated corrections have the same impact, especially when shared in front of a crowd This does not mean we do not give corrective statements, just that we must be aware of their impact on our relationship with students and how they percieve the environment as being positive or not positive

What we want to see: 5 to 1 Ratio Negative and corrective interactions carry a lot of weight for students who have not traditionally been successful academically Acknowledging small things students do makes corrective feedback the exception and not the norm Making small positive impacts helps to cover up the effects of our negative or corrective interactions we want to overall effect of our words to be positive Research studies have shown that this ratio is the tipping point for students to report that they feel like their classroom environoment is positive and that their teachers like them. Example: Teacher who switched from moving color cards when students were engaged in inappropriate behavior vs. recognizing appropriate behavior. The students reported immediately following class that they were confused about why their teacher was being so nice today. When asked what she did that was so nice, the students could not recall specifically, but the effect of those interactions left an impact. Additionally, in a classroom where typically 2 to 3 students were sent out per period with referrals (middle schoolers), no students were sent to the office that day. Refer to 5 to 1 quick guide: you do not need to give 5 positive comments to individual students. comments made to the class count for everyone!

Positive Greetings at the Door Students feel welcome Students feel acknowledged Provides data for teachers on which students may need extra support Opportunity for pre- correction Helps to mitigate target behaviors in the hallway We want students to know they are welcome here and here for them There are many students who come to school and do what they are supposed to do each day and are never recognized for it This is also a tool to support students who repeatedly engage in behavior of concern First you can recognize days when they may need extra support or a check-in and also an opprtunity to give a reminder about issues that may come up or that happened the previous day Lastly, standing by the door provides additional hallway supervision which can limit other behavior that could bring issues into after school before students even officially arrive.

Steps to Greeting at the Door Provide pre-corrective statements to individual student or entire class Remind students to look at the schedule or to use the previously practiced entry routine Stand at or around the door Positively interact with students as they come into the room Explain steps Give a reminder that standing sideways by the door is helpful so that supervision can be maintain inside the program as well.

Insert Greeting at the Door Video What did he do well? What can he improve on? This is an example of how this can work with all ages and you can see some of the extra attention he gives to students who may always be late or absent for his class to welcome them.

Let a SMILE be your ambassador! Effects of Smiling Smiling actually affects your mood and outlook even if the smile is forced. The mirroring effect causes others around you to smile, including staff and students. Students who may not have a history of positive relationships with adults know you are approaching with positive intent. I’m a nice guy! This can be a tricky strategy as not everyone is a smiley person, but there are ways to use what you have to still show that positivity or simply just fake it until you make it. Even if you never make it, just keep faking, because it has such amazing effects for yourself and students.