Teacher Behaviors That Encourage Student Persistence

Below are checklists that for (1) measuring your strengths in encouraging students' persistence in learning and (2) marking areas for self-improvement. Check the appropriate column on the right.

A = Always
S = Sometimes
R = Rarely
N = Never

Does the teacher:	A	S	R	N
Ask open-ended questions?
Communicate positive expectations?
State requirements for successful completion of assignments clearly and definitively?
Avoid ambiguous statements and directions?
Encourage students to explore new ideas and approaches to problem-solving?
Encourage student self-assessment and evaluation to identify strengths and weaknesses?
Analyze the impact of teaching styles on students learning and make appropriate adjustments in style?
Encourage students to set realistic timetables for completing assignments?
Help students identify milestones in reaching their goals?
Assist students in celebrating milestones and utilizing failure as constructive learning for planning?
Provide opportunities for students to use hands-on materials?

Curriculum Interventions

Does the teacher:	A	S	R	N
Provide opportunities for students to relate their interests to required curriculum?
Provide as many choices in curriculum content and activities as possible?
Identify a wide range of knowledge and skills which students could acquire if they stayed with the task?
Provide opportunities for students to use hands-on materials?
Provide challenging work that is neither too easy nor too difficult?
Use multicultural curriculum supplements?

Classroom Management Interventions

Does the teacher:	A	S	R	N
Model cooperative and collaborative behavior by encouraging students participation in classroom management decisions?
Demonstrate flexibility and fairness in situations which evoke conflict and potential classroom disruption?
Rotate classroom management responsibilities to give all students an opportunity to be leaders and problem solvers?
Reward and praise students' work equitably and consistently?

Interpersonal Interventions

Does the teacher:	A	S	R	N
Find opportunities to improve interpersonal skills?
Share problems and persistence techniques?
Provide appropriate verbal and concrete rewards for students efforts?
Encourage cooperation between students?
Call on students by name?
Admit own learning role by acknowledging information provided by students?
Empathize with students' thoughts, feelings, sense of insecurity, and age-related concerns?
Establish a warm personal relationship that helps students know they are liked and expected to succeed?
Send positive messages home as well as concerns?

-- excerpted from Bessie C. Howard's Learning to Persist, Persisting to Learn, published by the Mid-Atlantic Center

Return to MAEC Homepage