by Wendy Turner and Kristin Souers
The third component of a Culture of Safety and building that nest is Consistency. In order for our students to thrive, they must be surrounded by daily procedures and routines that are logical, consistent, and fair. This is particularly true for students impacted by trauma and toxic stress. When life outside of school is chaotic, unpredictable, and inconsistent, it is more important than ever to create a consistent environment in our classrooms. Said another way, this means the systems and supports in classrooms stay the same – there’s a regularity to the application of the way we do business. Expectations and routines are clearly communicated, and problems are handled in a consistent and fair manner that makes sense.
How can we create a Consistent environment?
One of the ingredients of a consistent environment is consent across the board. From a staff perspective, this means we all commit to common expectations, procedures, and practices. Since there’s immense value to our students when we are consistent, then we’ll agree to certain approaches and structures even if we might not want to. After all, it’s not about us – it’s about what our kids need.
Another way to increase consistency is to clarify the purpose and intent of our actions. When we have identified the rationale behind our aims, our students (and colleagues) are more willing to adhere to the expectations. Knowing why we’re doing it is one thing – sharing that info is another. Intentionally reinforcing the why provides reassurance of the importance of consistent practices – and also helps to align our intent with our strategies.
Committing to a common language and using it regularly also supports the sense of consistency that will enhance both safety and predictability. As a building, using common terms, embracing a mantra, and reinforcing character traits helps reinforce to families that you are committed to the language and to the learning. For example, if you have taught your students about their brains and the need to be regulated, then you are using that language throughout the day. It becomes a regular part of the way we talk.
Consistent expectations also tend to breed success. In the garden of learning in any subject, when students know what they are supposed to do and can do it, they feel successful – and confidence and self-efficacy grow. What does partner work look like? How can students ask questions when they are unsure of something? What should students do when others are speaking? What happens in math? Think about it: How do we feel when we know what is expected of us and we can make it happen? We want to do more and we want to make that feeling last. When expectations are unclear, we feel nervous and unsure of ourselves and we’re more likely to land in our “downstairs brain” because of it. Avoid this by communicating clear and high expectations and revisiting them often – and then reinforcing them…Every. Single. Time.
The fifth key component of consistency is follow-through. When you say you are going to do it—then be sure to do it. It is critical not to over promise and over commit. So many of our students have been let down by this. When they are taught an expectation or given a message, they want to know there is a reason and a purpose and that they are worth it. When we follow through and commit to our promises, they are more apt to trust us and follow us along the journey.
Wendy Turner is a model of consistency with her second-grade class in Delaware. Learn more here.