Caring Teaching

This module offers suggestions about ways that classroom teachers can create a caring classroom community, and model and promote respectful interactions and prosocial behaviours.

Focus questions
  1. Did the “Caring teaching” sub-aspect data suggest any next steps for your school?
  2. Do you have other school data about this area of school practice? What does this tell you?

Key ideas about creating a caring community in classrooms

Creating a caring classroom involves building an inclusive community that values relationships and diversity along with achievement. A caring classroom community reflects values such as hospitality and respect (manaakitanga), caring (aroha), and fairness and tolerance (rangimārie).  

Reflective question(s)
  1. At this school, how do we develop a caring community through every-day classroom interactions?
  2. Do we provide space and time for students to discussion any concerns they might have and find solutions?

Ways of working could include

  • Exploring through professional learning way of modelling relationship-building behaviours, using culturally-responsive practices, and developing a culture of care in the classroom (see Cavanagh, 2007).
  • Co-constructing a set of class values or a code of rights with students that reflect school-wide values, and deciding on ways to recognise when students engage in behaviours that show these values.**
  • Providing class discussion or sharing time for students to talk about their experiences of school life and work together to build strategies that enhance relationships and wellbeing (e.g., approaches such as Jenny Mosley’s Quality Circle Time (QCT) can be used for this purpose)
  • Promoting high expectations of social behaviour and an achievement-focused culture which includes good feedback, relevant teaching, challenging work, and learning that is at students’ pace)

 

**denotes PB4L-School-wide core practice. Core practices are more effective if they are implemented together.