From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Recent research from the PEW Foundation tells us that nearly half of teachers — 47% — say their students show little to no interest in learning. Nearly half. But here's what I believe: that statistic does not have to be a verdict. It should be an invitation to rethink how we build our classroom culture from the ground up.
In this episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, four remarkable educators from around the world share how to build relationships that unlock motivation, help students see struggle as a pathway rather than a roadblock, teach thinking explicitly so it doesn't get left to chance, and empower every voice in our school communities. Whether you're driving to school, walking during your planning period, or unwinding at the end of a long day, this hour is for you.
Key Takeaways for Teachers
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- Spend the first five days of school getting to know your students before diving into content. As Hattie's research shows, the social relationship between students and teachers has an even higher impact than the academic relationship. You have to relate to educate. Coach Frank helps us see how.
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- Be vulnerable with your students and own your mistakes. Take off the superhero cape and let them see you're human. When you make a mistake in front of the class, say so — it builds trust and shows students that being imperfect is part of learning.
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- Help students understand that productive struggle is a normal part of learning. James Nottingham's Learning Pit illustrates this beautifully — you go in at one level, work through challenges, and come out higher than when you started. The goal isn't to avoid the pit. It's to learn to journey through it.
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- Teach thinking explicitly using simple routines like See, Think, Wonder. Even the youngest learners are capable of deep thinking when given the right scaffolds. If we aren't clear about what thinking looks like ourselves, we can't help our students develop it either. Alice Vigors applies this is her classroom in Australia.
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- Build a school culture of solution-focused dialogue where every voice matters. As Dr. Tracee Perryman reminds us, we work harder running from issues than we ever do attacking them head on. Stop apologizing for being honest, authentic, and holding high standards.
Visual Summary
Here is a visual overview of the key ideas from this episode created from the transcript using Google Notebook LM. Then, I downloaded and edited it with Canva. The Learning Pit was created by James Nottingham.
Listen to the Show
Author Bios as Submitted
Daron Franklin
Daron Franklin has been inspiring and developing people for more than 20 years as a Mathematics facilitator, Athletic Administrator, passionate Athletic Coach, Father, Son, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, and Friend. “Coach Frank” is known for his patient but assertive demeanor when serving others. Daron's purpose as a Human Performance Coach is to elevate individuals, teams, and organizations to higher heights by sharing relevant life tools. Daron earned his Bachelor's Degree from Langston University and Master's Degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. Before earning the title of “Coach”, Daron played two years of professional football in the Arena 2 Football League and the Indoor Professional Football League. Daron's experiences have molded him into a model of success for various communities that have been a part of his journey. Daron Franklin owner of F42 Empowerment. “Be your best, better than the rest”!
Blog: www.DaronFranklin.com
Twitter: @coach_dfrank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/F42Empowerment
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/daronfranklin
YouTube: @coachdfrank
James Nottingham
James Nottingham is the creator of the Learning Pit, one of the most widely used illustrations of learning to have emerged in the last twenty years. He has worked closely with professors Carol Dweck (Growth Mindset) and John Hattie (Visible Learning); been a teaching assistant in a school for deaf children; taught from pre-K to 12; and held a range of school and district leadership positions. His twelfth book, Teach Brilliantly, published last month shows how to create optimal conditions in which all students can thrive.
Blog: https://www.learningpit.org
Twitter @JamesNottinghm
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/jamesnottingham
Books by this author:
Dr. Tracee Perryman
Dr. Tracee Perryman is the Amazon bestselling author of Elevating Futures, A Model For Empowering Black Elementary Student Success. She also is the CEO and co-founder of Center of Hope Family Services, where she leads the organization's mission to improve the life outcomes of individuals and families living in urban settings. Dr. Perryman partners with government and not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and leaders in education to realize results rooted in evidence-based programming. She graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, earned a master's degree in mental health counseling from Bowling Green University, and received her PhD from the Ohio State University College of Social Work.
Books by this author:
Alice Vigors
Alice Vigors is a dedicated and passionate educator, author and speaker. In 2022, she published her first book with Amba Press; The Thinking Classroom: supporting educators to embed critical and creative thinking. A book loved by educators globally. She has taught in a range of K-6 school settings in both the Public and Catholic education sectors in New South Wales, Australia and wholeheartedly believes that every child deserves the best possible education. She is committed to supporting teachers and leaders through coaching and professional learning opportunities, presenting nationally at conferences. She co-hosts the Teacher Takeaway Podcast and hosts her own podcast Thinking Pathways where she shares her knowledge and expertise in the education space.
Blog: https://thinkingpathwayz.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thinkingpathways/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-vigors-m-ed-976abb159/
Teacher Takeaway Podcast https://teachertakeawaypodcast.weebly.com/
Books by this author:
Other Shows about Classroom Culture:
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- How to Build School Culture and Student Relationships with Danny Steel Episode 611
- Transform Your School Culture with Steve Bollar
The post Building Classroom Culture That Transforms Learning appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!
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from Cool Cat Teacher Blog
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