Today鈥檚 post is a continuation of a multiyear series on small changes teachers can make in their classroom that can lead to positive results.
Greetings
Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey are both professors of educational leadership at San Diego State University:
The task was to describe a small teaching move that should be more common. Last year, we focused on universal response and the need to solicit learning evidence from students on a regular basis. This time, we go even smaller. A small teaching move that should be commonplace but is not: greeting students at the door.
And yes, we鈥檝e seen the TikTok complaints about teachers having so many other things to do that greeting at the door is not useful.
As simple as this may sound, we all like to be greeted when we enter an environment. It鈥檚 part of the social contract we humans have: We expect to be acknowledged. Greetings serve a basic communication function and increase the likelihood that the interaction will be positive. In fact, when students are greeted personally by their teacher before class, they engage in academic instruction and han when they do not receive the same attention from their teacher.
Yes, this small teaching move can increase engagement and learning throughout the class period.
of 10 middle school classrooms, engagement increased by 20 percentage points, and problematic behavior decreased by 9 percentage points when teachers started class by welcoming students at the door. The intervention was simple. When greeting students at your door, include these steps:
- Say the student鈥檚 name.
- Make eye contact and match it with a friendly facial expression. Note that in some cultures, eye contact can be considered disrespectful. When we truly know our students, and are culturally responsive, we will know which nonverbal messages work best for them.
- Use a friendly nonverbal greeting, such as a handshake, high-five, fist-bump, wave, or thumbs-up. Again, knowing our students and who appreciates physical contact is important.
- Give a few words of encouragement.
That鈥檚 it. That small teaching move had a powerful impact on engagement, problematic behavior, and by extension learning. Although it takes time away from other tasks, being present in the hallway regularly and greeting students is an investment in the smooth operation of the classroom. Make greeting students in the hall a habit rather than a random occurrence.
鈥楺uick Reviews鈥�
Irina McGrath, Ph.D., is an assistant principal at Newcomer Academy in Kentucky鈥檚 Jefferson County school district and the president of KYTESOL:
Research indicates that without consistent reinforcement or links to existing knowledge, people tend to forget new information quickly. As early as the 1880s, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus identified a startling trend: Individuals forget approximately 56% of new information within one hour, 66% after a day, and as much as 75% after a week.
Subsequent studies have confirmed and built upon these findings, offering deeper insights into how we retain information. An important discovery made by researchers is that active engagement with material is critical to sustaining memory over time. highlights an optimal pattern for memory retention, suggesting the most effective times for learning are at the beginning of a lesson (prime time 1), followed by the end (prime time 2), with the least retention occurring just past the midpoint (downtime).
Considering these two important points: active engagement with material and optimal time of engagement, a small teaching move that, in my opinion, would require very little prep and can easily be made into a routine is a quick review of previously learned material in class through various strategies including:
- Word Wall Interaction in which a teacher subtly removes or adds words, then challenges students to identify the changes. This not only draws English learners鈥� attention back to the word wall for review but also fosters engagement as students compete to identify the new or missing word and its meaning.
- T-Chart Knowledge Sharing encourages students to create a T-chart labeled 鈥淲hat I Know鈥� and 鈥淲hat I Learned from My Partner.鈥� Students pair up, alternating between speaking and listening roles. The speaker briefly shares key information, claiming expertise in the topic, while the listener summarizes and confirms the information shared. This reciprocal teaching strategy ensures active participation and mutual learning.
- Interactive Review Games strategy uses a beach ball and slides with prompts colored differently. A student tosses a beach ball, and the student catching the ball answers the question or prompt associated with the color under their thumb, stimulating recall and discussion.
- Group Quick Review allows students time to individually list what they know on a specific topic. Then, in pairs or small groups, students compare their lists and add new insights. Each group presents their enriched list to the class, gradually building a comprehensive, collective review that integrates unique contributions from all groups.
- Leveraging Digital Quizzing Tools allows teachers to use engaging digital platforms like Quizizz and Kahoot, along with traditional practice tests, to facilitate active recall.
Utilizing a variety of testing methods enhances memory retention by allowing students to interact with the material in multiple formats.
鈥楶ersonalized Feedback鈥�
Cheryl Abla, M.Ed., a senior consultant at McREL, works with schools, districts, and other stakeholders to develop sustainable plans for improving the professional practices of teachers and school leaders:
Few things can brighten everyone鈥檚 day as swiftly as actively seeking out and acknowledging students鈥� individual efforts or willingness to try something new. This simple yet impactful strategy involves taking a few moments to provide individualized feedback to students, acknowledging their efforts and progress in a specific area.
The beauty of this strategy lies in its simplicity. You don鈥檛 need to spend hours crafting elaborate feedback. A brief, personalized note or message is all it takes.
As you go about your teaching, make a mindful effort to observe and identify students who are putting in extra effort or who are making progress, even if it鈥檚 small. This could include improved participation, completion of challenging tasks, asking insightful questions, or showing perseverance in difficult assignments. Try to recognize different students each time to guarantee equality and to motivate all students to strive for excellence. Rotate among different criteria for recognition, such as effort, improvement, collaboration, creativity, etc.
Keep the message concise and meaningful. When providing feedback, be specific about what you noticed and why it鈥檚 worthy. For example, instead of saying, 鈥淕ood job,鈥� you could say, 鈥淚 noticed how you continued through that challenging problem, even when it got tough. Your determination paid off, and you made progress.鈥� Then encourage students to reflect on their efforts and set goals for further improvement. This promotes self-directed learning and empowers students to take ownership of their progress.
Timeliness is key to the success of feedback. Try to provide feedback as soon as possible after observing the student鈥檚 effort or progress. This demonstrates to students that you are attentive and value their hard work in real time. Later, follow up on your feedback during other interactions to reinforce the message that their hard work is noticed and valued. While handwritten notes are a classic option, don鈥檛 limit yourself. You can be creative鈥攍eave sticky notes on desks or use digital platforms such as email or messaging apps. Choose the method that works best for you.
By incorporating personalized feedback notes or messages into your teaching routine, you create an environment of appreciation for students鈥� hard work. This not only boosts their motivation and engagement but also fosters a positive learning environment where students feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential. This small action requires minimal prep and can easily become a habit, making it an effective strategy for recognizing and celebrating student effort.
鈥榃ait Time鈥�
Ylaiza Perez is a math educator who looks forward to engaging with lifelong learners:
Imagine being asked a question and not having the time to think. This pivotal pause, known as 鈥渨ait time,鈥� allows for more thought and conducive responses. Wait time allows students to think critically and enables teachers to observe students鈥� self-awareness. It also helps students work independently, promotes stamina, and demonstrates their social and emotional awareness. Ensuring students have appropriate thinking and problem-solving skills creates an inclusive classroom.
In my first year of teaching, I asked, 鈥淲hat is a function?鈥� expecting immediate responses. When I started to cold-call (another great teacher move), many students responded, 鈥淚 do not know.鈥� I realized I needed to pause and give them time to consolidate their thoughts. I posed the question again, this time with more explicit instructions, 鈥淟et鈥檚 take some time to think independently and silently for five seconds; what is a function?鈥� I stood in the corner of the room and observed students鈥� faces light up as more ideas were constructed, increasing engagement.
Teachers often worry that wait time might be too long or take time away from the lesson, but addressing these concerns is critical for transforming student engagement. Adopting wait time creates an inclusive environment that promotes equity and excellence.
and provides the necessary time to think , enhancing deeper cognitive processing. It is crucial to incorporate wait time into the lesson; by pausing for about five seconds between asking questions and expecting responses, 糖心动漫vlog can significantly improve the quality and participation of students鈥� answers. A technique that 糖心动漫vlog can incorporate during wait time is counting silently to 10 or reciting the alphabet, creating an opportunity for students to think.
We have all experienced the pressure of being asked questions without having time to respond. We all need time to think. is a simple technique that fundamentally impacts a classroom鈥檚 reasoning, roles, and norms. Learning is challenging, and while there is beauty in learning, thinking is complex. Lifelong learners appreciate the opportunity to ruminate and share one another鈥檚 thoughts.
Thinking classrooms are created when students can debug their thinking processes and share knowledge. In Teaching With Love and Logic, Fay emphasizes that our role is not to solve the problem but to help the student see a method for solving it.
Teachers meticulously plan lessons to reach the day鈥檚 objectives. Considering what can increase student engagement and create a discussion-based classroom requires self-awareness and an understanding of students鈥� needs. This approach also challenges students鈥� emotional awareness and focus on the task. gradually influences teacher expectations as more students engage in task-related discussions, allowing teachers to listen more deeply to students鈥� responses.
The most beautiful part of wait time is seeing students excited to share their thoughts, raising their hands, and engaging in group discussions. How we ask questions, the directions we provide, and the space for debriefing are essential for the growth of all students.
Incorporating wait time into your teaching practice is a small yet impactful move. When students trust the space to articulate their thoughts, we foster deeper learning and engagement. Embrace the power of wait time in your classroom and watch your students鈥� confidence and participation increase.
路
Thanks to Doug, Nancy, Irina, Cheryl, and Ylaiza for contributing their thoughts!
Today鈥檚 post answered this question:
What is a 鈥渟mall teaching move鈥� that you think is not as common as it should be? A 鈥渟mall teaching move鈥� in this context is an action that would require very little prep, can easily be made into a routine or habit, and is likely to result in increased student engagement and learning.
In Part One, published last fall, Maegan Giroux, Amanda Muffler, Cindy Garcia, and PJ Caposey shared their ideas.
In Part Two, Laleh Ghotbi, Sarah Nichols, Valerie Bolling, and Angela M. Ward contributed their responses.
In Part Three, Melanie Battles, Isabel Becerra , Courtney Rose, and Kristopher J. Childs offered their recommendations.
Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it鈥檚 selected or if you鈥檇 prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
You can also contact me on Twitter at or on Bluesky at .
