In-Classroom Engagement Practices: Relational
These practices focus on building relationships, encouraging student belonging, and inclusive communication during in-classroom activities
​
Click on the strategies to explore more resources and information about them.
Be mindful of low-ability cues - using throwaway comments like "I'll be happy to help because I know girls have trouble with math" can impact students' identity with negative perceptions
Do not ask individuals to speak for an entire group
Address tensions in the classroom as close to when they arise as possible – do not delay on addressing them because they could get worst with time
Recognizing effort and set goals with students - Regardless of how big, this helps students to realize that it takes effort and hard work to reach goals rather than just luck or needing to be smart to accomplish things
Employ interactive teaching techniques – Utilizing technology can also help with this such as using different apps and websites for students to respond to questions or participate
When teaching, use straightforward language and avoid unnecessary jargon and complexity
“Whip Around” – Instructor poses a question and each student has less than 30 seconds to respond which could allow more participants, but also can encourage learning through the different types of explanations and responses that people give
Do not judge responses to questions or discussion points – If judgement naturally arises in you, check this bias, and reflect on why this may have happened
Use humor while teaching when appropriate – Definitely be aware and research the best ways to utilize humor without offending students and others whether they are present or not
Perspective Taking - Encourage students to take the perspective in the first person of a member of a stereotyped group. This can help to increase the psychological closeness to the stigmatized group and could help reduce implicit bias in the
Increase opportunities for contact with students - Seek opportunities to encounter and engage in positive interactions with students, particularly those who are underrepresented or within a minoritized group
Utilize pre-class asynchronous activities - Use various resources before classes such as videos, podcasts, and more to both prepare students for class and encourage discussion from multiple students once class has begun