The Mandatory Prerequisite to Learning

The Mandatory Prerequisite to Learning

The stage is set; here you are during the first days of a new school year with your brand new students. You’ve got an entire rainbow of colored dry erase markers for your spotless whiteboard. You’ve personally cleaned all the student’s desks. You are eager to begin teaching; they are excited about learning. But wait, something’s missing. What could it be? Sure, you’ve done some great icebreakers and you’ve even learned most of the students’ names, but there’s still something in the air; you can see it in their eyes, on their faces and in their demeanor. What is it?

For many students, the classroom experience can be like walking through a minefield, never knowing what they, as a student, might say or do that will cause instant name-calling, teasing or put-downs. Imagine for a moment you are a scuba diving instructor. You are in the ocean with a small group of students. You are giving them some very important instructions; however, all the while there are sharks visibly swimming in the vicinity. Where will the students’ attention be? Will they hear any of the instruction being given?

This may seem overly dramatic, but it is exactly what happens in the classroom. Acceptance, or at least tolerance by one’s peers is of utmost importance to students. Unless a child feels safe and secure in the classroom, not much, if any learning or participation will take place.

This is the mandatory prerequisite to learning so many of us gloss over as sort of an afterthought, or something to be “covered,” but not vital to the learning process. That is one of the biggest mistakes we can ever make!

What can the teacher do to create a safe and nurturing environment for all students? My next Blog will have some answers for you.