Facilitating Performance

During an exit interview with a senior, I asked if there was any teacher that really connected with him and helped move him along as a student. He named a teacher with high expectations and standards who was always willing to help him understand the difficult material. He credited this teacher with helping him overcome the fear of a subject that followed him from elementary school. He added that although the teacher's course was even more challenging and demanding than any course he had before, he never once felt pressured, put-down or intimidated in the class, or in the presence of this teacher. 

This caused me to consider the kind of environment I thrived in when I was teaching. I recalled that I was most comfortable and effective when the following were in place.

(1) A clear understanding of expectations 

(2) A close alignment of my personal values with those expectations

(3) A helpful, supportive and accessible supervisor

(4) Friendly, helpful and supportive colleagues

(5) The freedom to try something new and be allowed to fail and learn from it

(6) The knowledge that I am doing something important and meaningful

I am sure there are a number of other considerations that could maintain welcoming, healthy, productive, and even "joyful" learning environments. Often however, these important factors are crowded out by an array of well intentioned school initiatives. 

Our challenge is to ensure that these very basic environmental considerations are not just one of our many educational initiatives, but remain, the very plate that supports them.