Teacher talk, restorative practice, and tricky kids.

Source: (2009) Presentation at Restorative Practices in Schools: The Way Forward. 20 October 2009, Melbourne, Australia.

This PowerPoint presentation was from a workshop exploring the topic of teacher language. The workshop description was “A practical and theoretical session on the affect of teacher language on the mood of the classroom. The use of circles at the start of the year, semester or topic will set the tone for the class. When teachers and their classes have shared expectations and a clear understanding of how the class will operate it becomes the reference point for when things don’t go well. The primary factor in influencing student achievement is the teacher. When teachers focus on relationships, are concise and consistent with their language, the learning community becomes cohesive and strong. A strong learning community is the greatest gift a teacher/school can provide for kids who struggle and take up so much of student manager’s time.”