Making Effective Choices in the Classroom

Working with children is a complex practice. As educators, we make choices every day that shape our learning community. There are many perspectives on how to work with children. All educators want to provide an excellent framework for children to thrive and grow. 

There are four essential practices that can help educators be more confident and secure in making choices in the classroom that support their learning community.

To make good choices, educate yourself on the topic of interest.

The more familiar educators are with the challenges in our practice, the quicker we make choices. Ongoing professional development helps educators become familiar with topics that affect our practice. As we observe events in the classroom and connect them to our professional knowledge base, we gain the confidence to act.

Observation is an excellent tool for making effective choices.

Educators need to make choices that are not part of the daily routine. Observation is an excellent tool to understand a situation that requires careful thought and understanding. Learning through observation helps educators see hidden insights we miss as we move through our busy day.

To make beneficial choices focus on the present, embrace a growth mindset.

When we choose a course of action and evaluate our selection, often the changes we hoped for do not happen fast enough or as expected. As a result, we may start to second-guess our choice. Effective choices develop through a combination of knowledge, observation, and instinct. Embracing our intuition and sticking with our selection is the most effective way to see long-term results. Overthinking choices takes us out of the present moment, clouds our instinct, and makes us less effective decision-makers. 

The ultimate factor in making a successful choice is the effort that follows.

After making a choice, educators must work hard to make our selection a reality. It may be tempting to return to our old method in the initial stages of working on a new practice. For new choices to be effective, the work needs to be equal to or greater than the effort of making a choice itself.

Making choices that impact other people is emotional labor. All educators experience the effects of emotional labor in their practice. Emotional labor is the work that makes us tired at night and drains our energy. Making choices is a large part of our work that constantly evolves through each new challenge in the classroom. As educators, we can embrace this challenge and continue making choices that benefit our practice. Through our work and good intentions, we can enhance the well-being of the learning community we serve.

What is your process for making choices in your program?