Standard 5

Uses motivation strategies effectively with students. Motivation initiates and directs behavior. Teachers can influence students’ motivation in a variety of ways. For example, they can increase students’ self-efficacy, which is a strong predictor of achievement. Students high in self-efficacy are more willing to take on and stick with challenging tasks, put effort into learning, and learn more. For another example, teachers can influence students’ motivation by promoting autonomy in the classroom. Autonomy is a sense that one is engaging in learning activities that reflect one’s own choice and self-identity, rather than being compelled to do so. Teachers foster autonomy by deemphasizing external reinforcement, encouraging students to solve problems in their own way, acknowledging students’ feelings, and listening more than talking. In contrast, teachers who use directive, commanding statements and use coercive techniques, such as rewards and punishments, diminish feelings of autonomy. Teachers also increase motivation by using interesting materials and making instruction relevant to students’ lives, among other practices.

In the classroom, this might look like:

• Teacher uses several research-based motivation strategies
• Teacher incorporates motivation as part of well developed comprehensive classroom management plan
• Teacher provides specific and immediate quality feedback to students
• Teacher is able to identify what activities and strategies motivate the students in the classroom
• Teacher identifies the need to use a specific technique when appropriate
• Students express positive emotions in the learning activity
• Teacher emphasizes intrinsic motivators more than external motivators
• Teacher uses research-based strategies such as connecting instruction/activities with students’ lives, showing relevance, using authentic examples and interesting materials, presenting a puzzling problem, providing attractive choices (autonomy), praise (and avoiding criticism), communicating enthusiasm for the content, inviting responses or involvement from all students, setting achievement goals, promoting self-efficacy, communicating that success is due to effort (not ability).

A student might say this teacher:

• makes lessons interesting
• points out how this topic is important to our lives
• gives us choices in our classwork
• tells us that we can all be successful if we try hard
• gets us excited about the subject

In the early childhood classroom, centers are fully engaging to that learners want to play. Lessons are developmentally appropriate, quick and relevant. Teacher is enthusiastic.

The teacher organizes, allocates, and manages time, space, and transitions well. Almost all students are on task 90% of the time. Learning is a direct function of the amount of time students spend engaged in a learning task, relative to the amount of time they need to learn that task. Classroom management enables teaching and learning to proceed. Good classroom management increases instructional time. It includes being explicit about expectations, giving clear, detailed directions, dealing with inappropriate behavior promptly, and having a strong game plan for the class period.

In the classroom, this might look like:

• Teacher manages time and transitions well most of the time
• Students appear to know routines and procedures
• Students are mostly on task with only minor redirects from the teacher
• Teacher identifies common procedures, routines, and transitions and teaches those to students as part of a comprehensive classroom management plan
• Classroom management is so fluid that management is invisible
• Evidence indicates students know classroom routines and transitions
• Students appear to be self-directed

A student might say this teacher:

• makes sure we are learning almost all through the class time
• makes sure we each know what we are supposed to be doing all the time in this class
• is ready to teach when the class begins
• makes sure we each know where to find all the materials we need in this classroom
• makes sure the space in our classroom is well organized

In the early childhood classroom, an adequate amount of quality materials are in the room (e.g., realistic developmentally appropriate). Visual schedules are present and actively used. Transitions are well organizes (e.g., with lights, cues, movement, music). Learning occurs during transitions. Learners are busy and active. Learners are involved in routines. Room is warm, inviting and organized.

The teacher almost always effectively uses discipline that promotes self-control with almost all students.

In the classroom, this might look like:

• Teacher consistently uses multiple research-based discipline strategies (e.g., using inductive reasoning using praise, describing how misbehavior affects others, and respecting negotiation with students) to promote long-term self-control and obtain compliance
• Teacher keeps a warm, but authoritative tone demanding appropriate behavior

A student might say this teacher:

• talks respectfully with students when they misbehave
• explains why the rules are important when students break them
• never threatens or “loses it” when students misbehave
• Is someone most students want to behave well for

In the early childhood classroom, the teacher consistently uses positive reinforcement (e.g., positive words, hugs, high-fives and tokens with words), redirects and re-teaching. Distractions are always handled in a developmentally appropriate way. All adults are actively supervising and are at the learner’s level. Universal expectations are used and all learners are treated fairly.

This indicator addresses the teacher's ability to apply research-based strategies that promote positive social interactions between students, and develop a caring classroom community. It addresses whether the techer promotes individual student's social competence and raises the civility of the classroom as a whole.

What it is NOT: This is related to indicator 5.2 (promoting rules, procedures and routines in the classroom), indicator 5.2b (how the teacher uses discipline within the classroom) and 5.3b (a positive teacher-student relationship), in that success on these other indicators may contribute to a more positive classroom climate. However this indicator is specifically about improving student's social competence; such as improving conflict resolution, kindness, helpfulness, cooperation and encouragement among students. One caveat about the overlap with indicator 5.2b is that a particular form of discipline, known as victim-centered discipline, is a powerful approach to promoting more prosocial behavior in students. This entails pointing out to a student who has misbehaved and harmed another how their behavior affected the other. It is a form of empathy-training. It is even more powerful when accompanied by suggestions for reparation of the harm. (Note that this does NOT include making a child say they are sorry; which can backfire.)

The teacher is highly sensitive to students’ social needs and frequently applies research-based strategies to promote students’ positive social interaction, almost all the time or for almost all of the students. Strong positive relationships exist among the students.

What to look for: Research suggests the following teaching strategies are effective in promoting students' prosocial behavior toward each other:

• advocating prosocial values ("In this classroom we help each other ...")
• praising kindness and pointing out prosocial behavior ("Thanks Tom, that was nice")
• providing opportunities for students to help others
• making sure that everyone is included in activities ("Tom needs buddies to work with ...")
• pointing out individual's strengths (Tom is great with details like this...")
• coaching friendship skills
• valuing diverse personalities (Find something to like about even difficult students. "We appreciate Tom's enthusiasm ...")
• coaching compromise during conflicts ("What is Tom's perspective; how do you think he feels about it? What is a solution you both could live with?")
• these do no need to involve a long discussion, but can take the form of a quick statement

A student might say this teacher:

• encourages us to be kind and help each other
• makes sure we only say positive things about each other in this class
• points out each student’s strengths to the rest of the class
• makes sure no one is left out
• would help students figure out how to get along if there were conflicts
• has something positive to say about every student

In the early childhood classroom, the teacher continually provides opportunities for a variety of peer interactions. Almost all learners are engaged with peers. All learners are included, integrated seamlessly and treated kindly. Teacher fully implements the district’s social skills program and teaches social and emotional regulation skills. Teacher allows time for social problem-solving.

Non-cognitive skills, like prosocial behavior, are important for academic success. Students who are more prosocial tend to have higher grades and test scores. Students who have more classmates who are prosocial also will earn higher test scores. When schools implement interventions to increase social skills, students tend to increase in test scores. (Bergin, 2014)

Indicator 5.3 is related to Indicator 5.2 (promoting rules, procedures, and routines in the classroom), Indicator 5.2b (using effective discipline within the classroom), and 5.3b (positive teacher-student relationships), because success on those three indicators may contribute to a more positive classroom climate. However, this indicator is specifically about improving the social competence of students (e.g., improving conflict resolution, kindness, helpfulness, cooperation, and encouragement among students). Also, there is another overlap with Indicator 5.2b. A particular form of discipline, known as victim-centered discipline, is a powerful approach to promoting more prosocial behavior in students. This type of discipline points out to a student who has misbehaved how their misbehavior affected others. It is a form of empathy training. It is even more powerful when accompanied by suggestions for reparation of the harm; however, this does not include making a student say they are sorry as that can backfire. (Bergin, 2014).

The teacher almost always interacts very positively with students, and conveys a strong, positive relationship with almost all students, encouraging risk-taking and enjoyment of learning. Positive teacher-student relationships have been shown to correlate with positive student outcomes like grades, critical thinking, attendance, motivation and engagement.

In the classroom, this might look like:

• Teacher has a variety of positive interactions with students
• Teacher is sensitive and responsive to students
• Teacher maintains an unconditional positive regard with students
• Teacher understands how behavior is developed
• Teachers create an inviting atmosphere for all
• Students appear to enjoy interacting with teacher
• Teacher greets students at the door
• Teacher acknowledges student perspective

A student might say this teacher:

• knows me and cares about me
• is someone that students enjoy being with
• enjoys working with students
• is someone students can talk to if they have a problem
• is friendly

In the early childhood classroom, the teacher has a personal relationship with all learners and creates an exceptionally warm and caring environment.