How To Create A More Engaging Classroom Community

In their popular book, La culpa es de la vaca, Colombian authors Jaime Lopez Gutierrez and Martha Ines Bernal Trujillo retell the results of an investigation surrounding the lack of quality in Colombian leather products. The novel begins with a researcher questioning sellers on why their products were deficient and of low quality. The sellers replied that the distributors were at fault, and the distributors went on to blame the manufacturers. In turn, the manufacturers blamed the leather tanners, leaving the leather tanners to blame the cattle farmers. Unsurprisingly, the domino effect of blame didn’t end there. The last of the blame was pushed all the way down to the cows themselves. 

The moral of this story is everyone found an excuse for the reason why the products were of low quality, but no one paused to reflect on the root of the issue or what anyone could personally do about it. 

There is a parallel issue in the United States educational system, particularly in disproportionally non-white communities. Blame can be found up and down the chain of command of the U.S. Department of Education and several of its affiliates who view education more as a business than a system. There is also fault in political figures like state-level commissioners of education. Blame trickles down to our local school district superintendents, administrators, and building administrators who often serve fleeting terms. This chain of blame and finger-pointing is unfair and misplaced. Like the cows, our students are defenseless, innocent, and undeserving of blame.   

Just like the moral of La culpa es de la vaca teaches, the real issue is not who is to blame, but how each manufacturing step can ensure the final product's high quality. With the public education system, we can all help educators create the conditions and actions that will lead to better educational experiences for our students.

Our work is the sincere work of preparing the future stewards of our country. It is not hyperbole to say we must prepare our students to face the issues they will inherit. Sadly, our students will inherit a hotter planet, an overpopulated world, a politically unstable democracy, and the social oppression of people and communities–these are real problems requiring solutions that our students can provide if we help them develop essential skills.  

As educators, our sphere of influence can extend outside the four walls of our classrooms. In my experience, when students are empowered, valued, and respected, their elevation can also elevate our communities. The best way I know how to do this is to “humanize” our students. This is the reason why I’ve chosen to foster a classroom culture where questions are encouraged, and voices are respected. 

I’m genuinely curious and invested in my students and who they are. Their likes and dislikes, cultures, thoughts, and habits. I learn from them, and we are both humanized in our classroom community. 

My students teach me about the music they like, the food they eat, and the things that inspire and motivate them. When difficult situations arise, we discuss them, and in some situations, I shed tears with my students. Alternately, when funny situations happen, we laugh together, and when it's time to celebrate, we celebrate together.   

I’ve utilized a virtual webinar series to educate myself on how to improve my influence and better understand my classroom and students. In this hour-long webinar, a part of PBS LearningMedia Social & Emotional Learning Week, you learn how to validate and support the emotions of young children, a skill that can be transferred into the classroom with a little patience, learning, and understanding.   

This webinar focuses on the importance of social-emotional learning through a trauma-informed lens, and is equipped with tips and advice on how to validate young children's emotions. The webinar also features three daily 20-minute challenges to practice using the emotional support strategies.  

As educators, we must each find ways to encourage and nurture the future problem-solvers of the world. Through academic challenges, our students depend on us to see their own potential and greatness. 

Indian American philosopher Khrisnamurti wrote:  

“That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems and suffer and understand, for all that is life.”  

In this vein, we can humanize our students and relish our shared experiences through the communities we curate in our classrooms. We can celebrate each other's similarities, differences, wins, and losses in these communities and forget who’s to blame for the suffering and failing of the education system. The future of humanity depends on our students, and we can nourish their learning by creating a culture that values them.