Being calm is something that I consciously and continuously build upon myself. My journey toward becoming calm involves patience, self-awareness, and becoming intentional with my actions. I especially strived to become a calm person when I saw how, as a parent, my state of uncalm negatively impacted my daughter.
Read about my journey toward calmness in my blog How to be a Non-Yelling Parent.
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Calm Parent = Calm Teacher?
I am very happy to know that becoming calm as a parent has transcended to becoming a calm teacher, as well.
Just a few weeks back, I got valuable feedback from some colleagues about how calm and composed I am in the classroom, even with occasional fidgeting and chattiness in class.
Importance of a Calm Learning Environment
Calmness, in my personal opinion, is a crucial quality for a teacher for several reasons, as it directly impacts the classroom environment, student behavior, and the overall learning experience.
Here’s why calmness as a teacher is so important:
1. Modeling Calmness to Students
Teachers set the tone for the classroom. When a teacher remains calm in the face of challenges or disruptions, it sends a powerful message to students about how to manage their own emotions.
I remember studies showing that children who are constantly yelled at by their parents learn to become aggressive towards their peers. I believe this is also true at school.
According to Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, people learn new behaviors by observing and interacting with others. By modeling calmness, a teacher teaches students valuable emotional regulation skills, helping them handle stressful or frustrating situations in a constructive way. It demonstrates that it’s possible to approach problems with patience, thoughtfulness, and resilience.
2. A Calm Atmosphere Fosters Learning
Learning is most effective in an environment where students feel emotionally and psychologically safe. A calm classroom minimizes distractions, reduces anxiety, and allows students to focus on the material at hand.
When the teacher is calm, students are more likely to remain calm and centered as well. A calm environment fosters concentration, which is critical for deep learning, problem-solving, and creativity.
3. Students Feel Safe in a Calm Environment
Emotional safety is just as important as physical safety for students. When students see their teacher maintaining composure, it creates a sense of security and reassurance. It communicates that the teacher is in control, and students can trust that their needs—academic and emotional—will be met with care and consistency.
This is especially crucial for students who may experience anxiety, trauma, or other emotional challenges. A calm environment can help them feel supported and safe, which encourages them to engage more fully in learning.
4. A Calm Atmosphere Promotes Respectful Behavior
As a parent, it is a tried and tested phenomenon that children mirror their parents’ temperament. When parents are calm, children are calm. When parents are anxious, children become disrespectful, too.
Same in the classroom.
When a teacher maintains calmness, it sets the expectation for students to follow suit. In a respectful, calm space, students are less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors because the atmosphere encourages consideration for others’ feelings and needs.
Calmness also helps defuse potential conflicts before they escalate. When tensions rise, a calm teacher can de-escalate a situation, guiding students back toward respectful behavior through their tone, body language, and words.
5. Enhances Positive Relationships
A teacher who remains calm in all situations builds stronger, more positive relationships with students. This is because students feel valued and respected in a calm environment. They are more likely to seek help, ask questions, and express themselves without fear of judgment.
When students trust that their teacher will respond thoughtfully and calmly, it strengthens the student-teacher bond and fosters an environment of mutual respect.
6. Promotes Self-Regulation in Students
Observing a calm teacher helps students learn how to regulate their own emotions. In situations where a student might feel upset or frustrated, seeing the teacher remain composed and approachable shows how to manage those feelings.
Teachers can provide guidance and teach strategies such as deep breathing, taking breaks, or using positive self-talk, all of which help students develop emotional intelligence and resilience.
What Next?
I personally believe that calmness is vital for teachers because it creates a supportive, respectful, and emotionally safe learning environment.
I love being calm as a parent, as a teacher, and as a person in general, and I intend to stay this way for keeps!
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Try reading: 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey: Summary and Application
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