This paper draws on the concept of affective atmospheres to theorize how democracy and democratic education take hold and circulate in classrooms and schools. The paper asks under which circumstances affective atmospheres are experienced or even 'engineered', encompassing affective and material features that (de)legitimate democracy, democratic…

The purpose of this article is to show that health and physical education (HPE) teachers who implement humor in the classroom intentionally create a more relaxed classroom environment, build stronger relationships with students, and engage students in the learning process. Humor used as an instructional strategy eases teacher stress and engages…

The focus of this teaching note is on the use of graphic novels in social work classrooms. The article first discusses the unique learning needs of today's digital native learners. It then provides justification for why these books are effective in reaching students who are well versed in image data because of heavy reliance on and use of the…

Drawing upon the foundational principles of Imagination Creativity Education (ICE), our article examines the relational dimension in the context of classroom environments, as observed within the Canadian schooling system. We explore the landscape of a community of learnership -- the lived and "living practices" of both students and…

This article will provide a guide for physical educators to implementing play-based learning within their curriculum, including how play-based learning can be implemented, how to create a conducive environment that allows for play-based learning, and examples of activities that involve play-based learning.

Despite over 30 years of educational research to the contrary, some educators continue to hold to classroom management theories along the lines of "don't smile until December," which pits consistency and control in the classroom against the kindness and caring that should also characterize the learning environment. We address the source…

In higher education, educators establish complex learning outcomes for students to achieve during their collegiate studies. These outcomes, given their complexity, necessitate an advanced approach to studying the teaching and learning process as it unfolds in real time. We brought together extant literature and our own research experience studying…

Michael Young's concept of "powerful knowledge" has received widespread attention from many in geographical education. I use the claims Young has made about powerful knowledge as a starting point for considering how pedagogic practices could contribute to making geographical education powerful. I present three sets of pedagogic…

A teacher remembers her classroom as it used to be before the pandemic as she prepares for a new year of unknowns. Brieanne R. Lucy reflects how before COVID-19 and schools were closed, students in her English class would stand in a circle and read their first thoughts aloud. Students would showcase their command of repetition for effect, sensory…

This article discusses classroom conditions that support the co-creation of dialogic space--where our different ideas and perspectives are in conversation with others such that we might take in what other people are saying and be open to it affecting our thinking. Drawing on ethnographic case study data, we provide context to illustrate ways this…

With the ever-expanding role of technology in schools, many teachers have participated in one-time, stand-alone workshops to learn how to use a new program, app, or other tool. While that may provide a helpful introduction to the basics and highlight inspirational examples of what the tool can do, it doesn't often translate into teachers applying…

This article shares a paper presented as the keynote for the Terry L. Wood Memorial Conference that was held virtually on May 20, 2022. This paper starts with a reference to the project, The Coordination of a Psychological and Sociological Perspective, that was funded by the Spencer Foundation. The results of the research in this project are…

In this manuscript, we introduce four philosophical camps and provide bulletin board and classroom decoration examples of how music teachers can visually communicate their teaching philosophies to their students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. The categories emerged from our review of bulletin board examples created by our music teacher…

Of the more than 6 million students with disabilities ages 6 through 21 receiving services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 37.1% (more than 2 million) of students have specific learning disabilities. Given the large number of students with specific learning disabilities, it is likely that these students are attending…

Culturally responsive teaching uses the racial and/or ethnic backgrounds and the lived experiences of students from marginalized communities as educational bridges to new instructional content. One of the goals of culturally responsive teaching is to develop, strengthen, and expand students' cultural competence skills. As researchers explore…