Take CHARGE of the Classroom

Drawing from the fields of social-emotional learning, classroom management, culturally-responsive teaching, neuroscience, behavioral therapy, and even parenting, the Take CHARGE model consists of six strands that weave together the various components into an actionable framework. Confidence - Teachers learn to enter the classroom confidently when they are grounded in their purpose, choose positivity, and understand that their primary role is to protect students.Heart - The heart of teaching is students, not content. These relationships are strengthened when teachers respect students, both their potential and the cultural strengths they bring with them, rather than holding a deficit view. Finally, the heart of teaching is releasing control, honoring students' autonomy and building their agency.Anticipate - Veteran classroom teachers know that one (but not the only) key to successful classrooms is the implementation and maintenance of procedures. Additionally, good teachers maximize productivity to reduce down-time and take care to plan their lessons carefully.Reinforce - What you focus on in the classroom, you get more of. By constantly nagging students and chiding them for minor infractions, you only guarantee that you'll get more of the same. By using the power of their attention, teachers can increase actions and attitudes that meet their expectations without shaming students for their poor choices.Grow - Teachers can explicitly teach and help students grow interpersonal, intrapersonal, and intellectual skills to help them succeed. While teachers do want students to stop calling out or hitting others, that merely inhibits poor behaviors. They can teach their students about resilience, growth mindsets, and curiosity, to name just a few beneficial traits.Engage - The most well-behaved class will be primed for learning but not guaranteed to achieve unless academics are addressed. First, students are motivated by a combination of five facets and instruction that leverages these will be far more captivating. Second, students make meaning by processing new information and tying it to prior knowledge, not sitting and getting. Finally, new work on memory and retrieval practice shows simple tips for greatly improving retention and achievement.