We are back with part of our series on Humanizing Pedagogy. Today, we’ll be talking with Kristin Speck about how to create a classroom environment that fosters deeper engagement and concrete strategies to get us there.

Kristin shares about how her degree in nutrition and dietetics and teaching at a San Diego cycling studio led to her career as a high school biology teacher.

Noting that teachers need to “build slow to go fast” when it comes to classroom engagement, Kristin lists several concrete strategies to help students feel welcomed and comfortable in a classroom, which helps build an environment for deeper engagement. She shares standards and norms for setting that foundation for a variety of age groups.

She also gives her advice for first year teachers and speaks to what more she’ll be doing with new teachers at this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute. Learn more and register for this three-day event at azk12.org/BTI23.

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.