After a visit to the school’s nurse, Jonathan entered his history class late and handed the nurse’s note to the teacher.  He quickly settled in and tried feverishly to jump into the download of notes taking place.  At the end of the class, the teacher asked to view everyone’s notes to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Looking with disgust at Jonathan’s paper, the teacher snatched it, ripped it into pieces and discarded it in the garbage bin, all while running on with a verbal tirade that further humiliated Jonathan in front of his peers.

So, what is wrong with this picture?  Well, notwithstanding that this is a real situation, let’s see if there is anything right about it first……..  Got anything?  Neither did I!  One might say that the teacher perhaps had a high standard for work presentation, or that her knee-jerk erratic response was her way to show the student she thought he was capable of better.  But was that the right time or even the right response to convey such a message?  Absolutely NOT!

What Else is Wrong?

Finding out that this same teacher seldom smiles, is always critical in her comments and only offers negative feedback about the student’s work, makes the opening scenario even more disheartening.  Is compassion even in her vocabulary?  Does she have the ability to understand the emotional state of others?  Knowing how to treat students with compassion is one of those things you are not taught in education courses, yet is one of the most significant indicators of exceptional teachers.

Perhaps you have wondered why some students always congregate in a particular teacher’s classroom at recess or early in the morning, while other teachers are devoid of such cordial visits.  Maybe it’s because the teacher understands the students as complex people and make them feel that they belong.  Or possibly it’s because the teacher realizes that he/she does not have to sacrifice academic rigor for a compassionate classroom environment.  Such teachers actually believe that challenge and encouragement are two sides of the same coin.  They value their students’ voices and ideas, and push them to be the best version of themselves.

Practical Solutions

If you think you have moved away from being a compassionate teacher, here are 10 practical ways you can begin to reflect more compassion in the classroom:

1. Smile with your students. Joking around, my teenagers would say that if some of their teachers smiled, their faces might just crack.  What a shame!  A simple smile lets students know that you are glad they are a part of your class.  Country singer, Dolly Parton said, “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.”  So help your colleagues if they fall into the “smile-less” category.
2. No matter what, keep your cool! We all know that teachers have a lot on their plates, and some students can really push your buttons, but this is no excuse to lash out and explode on students with unreasonable behavior and negative words.  If it happens repeatedly, perhaps such teachers may want to consider establishing a personal routine of exercise and healthy nutrition to decrease stress, relinquishing some responsibilities, taking a sabbatical, or maybe even submitting to therapy.  Do whatever it takes because the goal is to be courteous to your students at all times.
3. Celebrate with your students. This may seem to be common knowledge, but to have a student win a national competition and not be congratulated by his teacher or even the school’s administrators, is sadly some students’ reality.  Celebrating their accomplishments opens the door to a better teacher-student relationship and a more engaged student.
4. Write more positive and constructive comments on your students’ papers than negative ones. Can you imagine waiting for over a month to receive feedback on an assignment only to find the words, “You are the only one who didn’t do what I asked!”.  Hmmm, not very constructive and certainly NOT encouraging.
5. Institute a system to make it easy for students who have missed a class to get caught up. This can be as simple as having a box with extra copies of handouts or just assigning a student to fill them in on what transpired.  If, like in the opening scenario, the student missed the class for sickness, you definitely don’t want to make a big deal about missing notes.
6. Communicate positively with your students every day. I am not talking about the long lectures.  Positive communication with your students can be a silent smile, a commending head nod, a pleasing stare or even an encouraging hand on the shoulder.  But let’s not forget that communication is a two-way street.  Therefore, pay attention when your students speak to you and really listen without interrupting.
7. Invest time in encouraging your students to excel. Some students encounter many problems, but praise and encouragement are great remedies for most of their challenges.  One caveat here is to avoid giving those cliché, almost commercialized praises such as, “You have great potential!”  One student admitted that he cringed inside when his principal said the exact words to him.  In his mind, he said those were just empty words that meant nothing.  So, be specific with your praise.
8. Differentiate instruction whenever possible. This means that constantly dictating pages of notes won’t cut it.  Varying your approach lets students learn in a way that best fits their learning styles, and simultaneously demonstrates that you value them and the way they learn.  This may be a more prevalent practice in the elementary classrooms, but differentiating instruction in high school is very important.
9. Embrace each student’s individuality. Young adolescents especially are trying to come to terms with who they are and how they will present themselves to the world.  Embrace their uniqueness rather than giving in to stereotyping and judging.  When we do,
10. Create a community within the classroom. Even as a college professor, this is one of the main avenues I take in my courses.  Do some practical activities to get students comfortable with you and with their peers.  Helping students connect to each other gives them a support system that can help them navigate school life.

Implementing these ten ideas might sound like a tall order that requires much effort.  Admittedly, if compassion is not an everyday practice, these tips may seem challenging.  However, we must remember that just being a smart teacher who knows his/her content area well is not enough.

Students will never trust or even open up to hear what their teachers have to say unless they feel their teachers value and respect them.  Developing a positive relationship with them by reflecting compassion is instrumental in making this a reality.

Leave a comment:  In what ways do you show your students that you understand and care about their emotional challenges?

Have you ever felt as though career-wise you’re just going around in a circle?  Perhaps now you may feel as if you have hit a brick wall and not making any progress.  Deep down you sense a need for change but you’re not sure what that change should be. 

Desiring a change is a good thing, but sometimes the options seem so few and the possible changes seem like a giant step out of our comfort zones.  Trust me I know the exact feeling!