Curing a Toxic Class Culture

Is student behavior driving you nuts this year? Are toxic classroom cultures preventing student learning? You're not alone! Many teachers are feeling frustrated with the lack of impact traditional management is having on these post-pandemic kids.  I was having the same problem with one of my classes until I realized we all needed a true academic reset. 

During COVID, it took schools so long to adapt to the new online normal that many kids lost trust in the system and simply checked out. Then we brought them back and tried to teach and manage like we had before the pandemic, and for some kids, it just didn't work anymore. We all needed to reset not to the way it was before, but to the way it is now. For this reason, I dedicated two days to problem-solving and collaboration - not with my colleagues, but with my students.

Present the Problem

After looking at the unusually high amount of failing grades, missing assignments, and low assessment scores in one of my classes, I decided to share the problem with my students with a class problem solving lesson. I showed them the data and how it compared to other classes and other years. I told them I was not happy because I expected more of myself as a teacher. This took my students by surprise. They thought I would blame it on them!

Survey Your Students

Next, I asked my students for their opinion. We first did this through an open class discussion. For my shy students, I included a Pear Deck text response slide and shared those anonymously. I then assigned students a class evaluation form using Google forms. I did not require their name or email and assured them I would not know who said what. I asked them to rate the class so far, the teacher, each of the major units, and teaching styles. I also gave them space to write their ideas on how to make the class better.

Implement Changes

The next day, I shared the survey data with my students. I also told them the changes I was going to implement. Then I asked them to share changes they would make as well. With that, we agreed to collaborate on making the class better for all of us.

Since then, I've had a lot more buy-in and grades have been steadily improving. I'll admit, there have still been some rough days, but I simply remind them of what we agreed on and why, and they get back on task. After all, the task was inspired by their own recommendations!