18 | Using Bias for Good

Published by

Ruth Ayres

on

April 20, 2025

Listen on…

We’re talking about positive ways to leverage attentional bias. Inspired by the kindness momentum from Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s book, The Sound of Kindness, we discuss ways to foster a positive classroom identity and uplift student voices.

Show Notes

Choice Literacy sponsored this episode.

Timeline

00:00 The Power of Kindness in Education
03:10 Building a Positive Classroom Identity
06:11 The Importance of Student Voice
09:13 Creating Meaningful Messages on Classroom Doors
11:29 Core Values and Classroom Identity
14:44 Innovative Ideas for Classroom Engagement

Key Takeaways

The kindness momentum created a positive bias in students.
Paying attention to what we focus on can influence student behavior.
Student handwriting and observations empower their identity.
Creating a classroom door reflects the community’s values.
Students recognized the importance of their classroom identity.
Conversations about classroom decor can enhance student ownership.
Core values guide the messages we send in our classrooms.
Engaging students in decision-making fosters a sense of belonging.
Classroom doors can communicate important messages to the community.
Teachers can learn from each other’s creative classroom ideas.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

The Sound of Kindness by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Brené Brown | Dare to Lead | List of Values
Episode 6: Unconscious Thoughts (AKA Bias)

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