Thresholding to Build Positive Classroom Community
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In the thresholding strategy, teachers stand by their classroom doorway to greet students as they enter class. This helps build positive relationships by setting the tone for the student’s day and fostering other social-emotional learning skills such as communicating effectively, listening actively, and establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Teachers of all grades and subjects can use this strategy during in-person or distance learning to create a positive classroom culture.
When greeting students:
Greet each student by their name
Make eye contact
Use friendly nonverbal greetings, such as a thumb’s up or an air high-five
Consider asking academic and non-academic questions
Give a few words of encouragement
Ask how their day is going
Show genuine interest in their responses
Maintain a consistent positive tone
Follow this link to learn more about thresholding, including examples of interacting during unstructured school times and ideas for distance learning.
Larkin, H. (2021, September 3). Thresholding to GREET students at the door. BetterLesson. https://betterlesson.com/strategy/152.