We have a clear purpose for every lesson, and we make that purpose clear to students.

It is no surprise that when people understand why they are doing something, they are more likely to do it well. At JJSE, we welcome the classic student question, “Why do we have to do this?” In many cases, what we teach has a direct connection with students’ lives. In other cases, when the answer is not as readily apparent, teachers must make extra efforts to explain the rationale. And just to be clear, when we say “purpose,” we do not mean “entertainment”: For example, when students say, “This is boring,” we sometimes respond, “Good – you need to learn how to stick with tasks you find boring! That’s an important life skill.”

Binder-Making Extravaganza, Katrina Traylor
At the beginning of the school year, Humanities teacher Katrina Traylor introduces her class to their binder, which includes 14 sections designed to ensure that students never lose anything. As she explains each section, Ms. Traylor is clear about its purpose, and how it will help students do well in the course. When introducing section A, where students write their goals, she also takes the opportunity to reinforce her own goals for the course. (Note: This piece is also a good example of Control the Mood.)