As teachers, it often feels like there just isn’t enough time in the school year to do everything we want to do. Our goal is to engage our students in meaningful learning activities and create a safe, inclusive classroom environment where they can explore new concepts. Sounds simple, right? But a classroom is a wonderfully diverse place, with 20 to 25 students, each with unique needs and strengths. That’s what makes teaching both exciting and challenging.
We all want our students to succeed, and we work hard to support them. However, our eagerness to help can sometimes get in the way of their true growth. Let’s think about a common scenario: you have a student who seems reluctant to engage. You sit with them, offer some encouragement, and hope they’ll get started. But the more you encourage, the more they seem to sit and wait. You might find yourself giving little hints, hoping to nudge them along. Before you know it, you’ve provided several hints, and the student hasn’t had the chance to do the thinking themselves.
Imagine what could happen if you simply let them be. Maybe they wouldn’t complete the work right away, but they’d have the opportunity to think and learn on their own. We can’t see inside their minds; perhaps they’re processing the information, and our hints interrupt their train of thought. How might this affect them? How does it make you feel as a teacher? It’s important to remember that we can only answer how it feels for us.
A key part of teaching is helping students understand how they arrived at an answer and encouraging them to communicate their thought processes. This can sometimes be overshadowed by the pressure to produce work. It’s okay to let students pause if they’re not disrupting the class. Their choices are their own, and it’s not a reflection on your abilities as a teacher. Give them time and space. If they’re safe and not disrupting, allow them that time. Don’t work harder than your students at their learning. It's a journey for them, and stepping back can prevent missed learning opportunities and reduce frustration for both of you.
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