Building Character and

Trust
Sarah Bondy
November 16, 2014
MAE 5060: Strategies for the 21st Century Classroom
Cumberland University

The Importance of Building Character and

Trust
To help develop positive and supportive relationships with students, teachers must create a warm, caring
and encouraging environment. Teachers must build trust and character with their students if they want
them to be successful and for their classroom to run smoothly. All students deserve to feel safe when
they are in their classroom. Every student deserves to feel that they can express themselves without
feeling embarrassed or scared to voice their opinions or concerns. If a student feels comfortable in the
environment, they are more inclined to participate in class and ask for help if they need it.
Doug Lemov discusses 7 techniques to help build trust and character with students
The three techniques I found the most valuable are:
Positive Framing
Precise Praise
The J-Factor

Positive Framing
Key Idea: Make corrections consistently and positively to students behavior.
Keep positive by avoiding two things:
Rhetorical Questions
Dont ask questions you dont want the answer to.
Example: Would you like to join us on the carpet?
Contingencies
Dont say something unless you will
Example: Ill wait Youre giving your students the power.

There are six rules to follow when correcting and guiding students behavior using Positive Framing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Live in the Now

Assume the Best

Allow Plausible Anonymity

Build Momentum and Narrate the Positive
Challenge
Talk Expectations and Aspirations

Positive Framing Continued.

1. Live In The Now:
Avoid focusing on what students can no longer fix, instead talk about what should happen next
Firmly and forcefully focus on things students should do right now to succeed later on
Example: Jack I need your eyes forward!
2. Assume the best:
Assume your students have tried and will continue to try to do what you have asked
Do not assume a students cannot do something just because they were distracted, have not practiced,
or have a misunderstanding of what you have asked.

3. Allow Plausible Anonymity:

Allow students the opportunity to strive and reach your expectations as long as they are making a
good-faith effort.

Give students time to check and correct behaviors themselves

Example: Check yourself to make sure you have done what I have asked. I see a lot of students
not sitting correctly on the carpet, make sure you are sitting correctly.

Positive Framing Continued

4. Build Momentum and Narrate the Positive
When directing students, do it in a positive way
Focus on the students who are doing something correctly, rather than students off task or completing a task incorrectly.
Examples: I love how Lisa is sitting on the carpet ready for math. Ive almost got everybody now

5. Challenge!

Kids love to be challenged, to prove they can do anything by competing and winning
Students can be challenged individually or in groups.
Challenge students in all aspects of the classroom: academically, mentally, and behaviorally.
Example: You guys have done a great job this week! Lets see if you can take it up a notch. Lets see if we can clean up
are desks and come to the carpet in 20 seconds!

6. Talk Expectations and Aspirations

Talk about who your students are becoming and where they are going.
Make students aware of the actions their behaviors may have
Example: If you finish early, check your work. College material work.

Precise Praise
Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tool to use in a classroom
It should happen 3 times as often as criticism and correction
When using positive reinforcement follow these rules of thumb:
Differentiate Acknowledgment and Praise
Acknowledge when expectations have been met
When expectations have been met provide a description of the expectation or a thank you
Example: Thanks Johnny for bringing a pencil to class.

Praise when the exceptional has been achieved, when students have gone above and beyond
Praising usually carries judgment in addition to a mere description
Example: Shaynas really dont something amazing!

Praising students for doing what is expected is ineffective and destructive

Precise Praise Continued..

Praise and Acknowledgement Loud; Fix Soft

Assume the best about students
Whisper, nonverbal criticism or reminders and allow students to self-correct
A student who exceeds expectations should be praised loudly and specifically so that they know
what they have done well
Example: Fantastic Job on your math test Karen!
Acknowledge when expectations have been met

When expectations have been met, provide a description of the expectation or a thank you
Example: Thanks Johnny for bringing a pencil to class.

Praise Must be Genuine

The most common form of insincere praise are praise that is designed to falsely boost self-esteem
and is designed in interaction with a student to fix a logical problem in the teachers control
Example: Nice job getting ready, Bill.

The J-Factor
Incorporating fun, enthusiasm, and humor into the classroom
People work harder when their work is intertwined happiness and joy
Finding joy in the work of learning is a key driver of a happy classroom and a highachieving classroom

There are five categories of J-Factor activities that teachers use in their classroom
Fun and Games
These activities draw on students love for challenges, competition, and play
Examples: spelling or geography bees, relay races, jeopardy, competitions against teachers

Us and Them
Kids love feeling like the belong
Examples: develop secrete signals and special words

The J-Factor Continued.

Drama, Song, and Dance

Music, dramatic play, and movement help raise spirits and help establish identity.
Drama, songs, and dance also power-up memory!
Examples: songs to memorize information such as the alphabet and states, acting out different scenes
in a book, or creating a dance to learn parts of a plant

Humor
Laughter is one of the best ways to instill happiness and fulfillment in a person, which makes it a
powerful tool when building an environment of happy and fulfilled students and teachers.

Examples: inside jokes, coming up with a song, making fun of themselves, creating jokes
Suspense and Surprise
Helps students to get out of daily routines
The unexpected can be powerful
Example: mystery boxes, changing the daily schedule, doing hands on instruction

References
Lemov, Doug. (2010). "Chapter Seven: Building Character and Trust." Teach
Like a Champion 49 Techniques That Put Students on the Patch to College. 1st Ed.
Joey-Bass. Pg. 203-223. Print