The Power of Using Collective Pronouns in Our Instruction

Building a Sense of Community in Our PE Classes

This is another follow up from the Feedback for Effective Thinking Conference held at Nanjing International School a few weeks ago. I believe that some of the most powerful tidbits of advice that we receive as teachers are so very simple in nature yet often times overlooked in regards to the importance that they play within our teaching practice. 

One such example that I would like to share is from Dylan William, one of the keynote presenters at the conference and has to do with the importance of building a sense of community in our classes. According to William, there is so much evidence that supports the fact that when students feel a sense of community in the environment around them, they learn better. As educators, one of the ways that we can help to establish a better sense of community is simply through increased use of collective pronouns such as 'we' and 'us' during the important discussions that we have in our classes. So very easy to do and an important reminder to consider when trying to create a better environment for learning in the classes that we teach. 


I will continue to blog about these important reminders over the next several weeks as it helps me to reflect on my own practice. I am hoping that any teachers reading these blog posts will find use in them as well. As always, thanks for reading!

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