Communication in the Classroom – An Examination
Teacher Intent vs. Student Understanding
I have often wondered about the disconnect between what I say to students and what they glean from my words.
How is it that I can say, “Acceleration is a measure of how quickly velocity changes,” and they recall, “Acceleration is how fast an object moves”? I used to believe that they were not studying, not trying, or engaging in some other form of laziness. Yet now I wonder: is learning just a game of “telephone”?
While I have made radical changes in my personal approach, including one-on-one conferencing, nonjudgmental feedback, and reflective practice, I still recognize limitations in my mindset and practice. In this blog post, I want to examine the nature of communication in the teacher-student relationship.
The Game of "Telephone"
The game of “telephone” illustrates how information can become distorted as it is passed from person to person.
Participants whisper a phrase down a line, and the final person shares what they heard, often revealing a message that has changed significantly from the original. The game highlights the challenges of maintaining accuracy in communication.
The Role of Language in Communication
Chet Bowers, in his work on ecological intelligence and educational reform, draws on an analogy originally from a Buddhist monk that questions the nature of a flower. The monk asks, “Where does the nature of a flower actually exist?” This question leads to an exploration of the interrelatedness of all things. The flower, in this analogy, cannot be understood in isolation.
The flower, therefore, represents a system of relationships rather than a singular, isolated object. Knowledge, education, and culture as interconnected systems rather than discrete pieces of information. In “Educational Reforms for Survival,” Bowers emphasizes that words carry cultural baggage and that their meanings are influenced by cultural and historical contexts (Bowers, 2017/2022).
Our interpretation of words shapes how we understand and interact with the world, highlighting the importance of being mindful of language in educational practices.
Misunderstandings in Educational Settings
There are myriad ways in which we misunderstand each other, particularly in educational settings. When I learn something, I make meaning based on my particular experience, interest, and context. Then, I have to find words to communicate what I have learned. My 16-year-old students then have to make meaning from my words based on their particular experiences, interests, and contexts.
How do I know if I get the message across to them? I ask them to put their understanding into words (verbal or written). But then, I have to make meaning of their words based on my particular experience, interest, and context.
How many different places are there for misunderstandings to occur? Each word. Not each fact or each sentence—each and every word. It’s a miracle that students learn anything at all that we intend.
Mindful Communication
The meditative practice of pausing between action and reaction and emphasizing the relational nature of understanding relates to the game of “telephone” by highlighting the importance of mindful communication. In “telephone,” messages often become distorted because participants quickly pass along what they think they heard without fully processing or understanding it.
Similarly, in everyday interactions, when we don’t take the time to pause and consider the meaning and implications of what we’re about to say or do, misunderstandings can arise.
By practicing a pause between action and reaction, we can better ensure that our responses are thoughtful and accurately convey our intentions. This mindfulness can reduce the likelihood of miscommunication, similar to how careful listening and deliberate speech could help preserve the original message in the game of “telephone.” Both concepts emphasize the value of being present and relational in our understanding to communicate more effectively.
Strategies for Enhancing Communication in Teaching
There are many possible approaches to wise and thoughtful communication. I am going to start with these five.
Mindfully Communicate
I can take time to pause and think before delivering important concepts or instructions. This pause allows me to consider the clarity of my message and anticipate potential areas of confusion. By ensuring that my language is precise and accessible, I can avoid jargon or complex phrasing that might be misunderstood.
Actively Listen
I can try to imitate good interviewers like Dan Harris, who always paraphrase what they’ve heard to check for understanding. Reflections involve repeating or rephrasing information back to the interviewee to ensure that the message is conveyed clearly. The OARS framework—comprising open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries—enhances an interviewer’s ability to establish rapport and gather information.
- Open-ended questions encourage detailed responses.
- Affirmations positively acknowledge a subject’s statements or experiences.
- Reflections involve echoing parts of the subject’s discourse to show empathy and active listening.
- Summaries provide a concise recap of the subject’s words, demonstrating attentiveness, allowing for corrections, and subtly guiding the conversation or highlighting inconsistencies in a non-confrontational way (Brimbal, 2021).
Good coaching embeds these practices as well. Dana and Yendol-Hoppey’s approach to coaching in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) emphasizes fostering open, reflective dialogue and supporting meaningful inquiry to enhance teaching and learning (2008).
- Inquiry-based questions create a space for teachers to articulate their thoughts and ideas, promoting deeper learning and problem-solving.
- Critical friendships build a positive, trusting environment where participants feel comfortable sharing their challenges and insights.
- Reflect back on what participants express during discussions to clarify understanding and encourage deeper reflection.
- Synthesize the group’s reflections and data findings, helping to frame next steps and guide the inquiry cycle.
Check in with Students
I can foster an environment where students are encouraged to ask questions and seek clarification. By asking students to paraphrase what they’ve heard me say, I can check to see if they are truly grasping the intended meaning of my words.
Provide Frequent Feedback
Regularly checking in through written reflections or formative assessments, I can catch misunderstandings early and address them before they become ingrained.
Emphasize Relational Understanding
I can explicitly encourage students to see learning as a relational process where meaning is constructed through interaction and dialogue. Promoting collaborative learning activities allows students to discuss and refine their understanding together, which can help mitigate individual misinterpretations.
Asking students to create analogies that relate to their own context can be a powerful tool. Analogies are a creative act that requires meaning-construction.
When students engage with material deeply, they can see it reflected at them from so many places. Especially in a field like physics! While most people think that physics is only for a select few “geniuses”, nothing can be further from the truth. Students DO physics every moment… they just have to be made aware of where to look.
Conclusion
By implementing these strategies, I can minimize misunderstandings and enhance the effectiveness of my communication, making it more likely that my students will accurately grasp the concepts I intend to convey. I already incorporate some of these strategies, but without the emphasis on communication in and of itself. Keeping this goal at the forefront of my mind will help me be more intentional. Because it is a valuable skill in all contexts, I’d love to see some growth in this area, for myself and my students.
What methods do you use to ensure your students understand the material you are teaching? How do you ensure clear communication? I’m interested in suggestions, ideas, and thoughts about this. Please share in the comments below!
Please consider buying or recommending my latest book, The Learning Progression Model, available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, ebook, or (coming soon) audiobook.
References
Bowers, C. (2022). Educational reforms for survival. In D. J. Flinders & S. J. Thornton (Eds.), The curriculum studies reader (6th ed., pp. 8-17). Routledge. (Reprinted from Tikkun Magazine, 2017.)
Fichtman Dana, N., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2008). The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Professional Development: Coaching Inquiry-Oriented Learning Communities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Laure Brimbal, S. K. (2021). The Méndez Principles: Building Rapport and Trust in Interrogations to Elicit Reliable Information. Retrieved from https://www.justsecurity.org/76920/the-mendez-principles-building-rapport-and-trust-in-interrogations-to-elicit-reliable-information/
