Emotional Empowerment Strategies
In order to build a classroom environment full of emotional engagement, teachers should consider a few of the following methods: autonomy and provision of choice, culturally relevant materials, and sincere praise and reinforcement (Skinner & Belmont, 1993). Let’s dive deeper into each of these terms.
​
Autonomy- Providing autonomy in the classroom means leaving room for students to make decisions, determine answers, and think through processes before providing an answer. While the teacher acts as a facilitator to student learning, guiding students to the correct answer through problem-solving and questioning, the student is doing the background work in a self-motivated manner. Here are some strategies for supporting student autonomy in the classroom: 6 Strategies for Promoting Student Autonomy
​
Provision of Choice- By providing students with an active choice over the material they are learning, teachers can improve classroom engagement. Students are more engaged with material that they are interested in. “Allowing students to participate in decisions about their own learning will not only make learning more relevant but also help student responsibility and autonomy” (Glickman, et al., 2018, p. 44). Here are some tips for providing choice in your classroom: What Giving Students Choice Looks Like in the Classroom
​
Culturally Relevant Materials- Representation in the classroom is important to students from all areas of life. By utilizing culturally responsive teaching methods, students are represented in their classrooms. Glickman, Gordon and Ross-Gordon (2018) stated that culturally responsive teaching “ incorporates the values, customs, and languages of diverse students and their families” (p. 48). By providing students with a variety of materials that are representative of their culture, students are more engaged and interested in the materials that are relatable to their story. Here are some tips for selecting culturally responsive materials in your classroom: Ten Tips for Selecting Multicultural Books for Reading Instruction
Sincere Praise- Sincere and effective praise is genuine. These comments focus on a student’s efforts, and not the actual accomplishments of the student. Please follow the link to a resource on engaging in sincere praise in the classroom: Effective Praise
​
Reinforcement- Classroom reinforcement comes in the ways of praise and nonverbal communication. Interactions with students build emotional connections. A smile, nod, or thumbs up serve to encourage students and reinforce appropriate behaviors in the classroom. Here’s a great resource to guide you in implementing positive classroom reinforcement in your classroom: Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom
Reflection and Review
Answer the following reflection questions on your PLM Worksheet:
​
1. What are the five methods of providing emotional empowerment skills to students in the classroom?
​
2. Do you think it is true that the provision of choice can intrinsically motivate students? Why? Provide an example from your own classroom.
​
3. Explain the reasoning behind sincere praise in the classroom. Provide evidence from your own work.