Watching great teachers reminds me of watching the synergy of experienced surfers.
Great teachers don’t waste energy fighting the conditions. They read what’s in front of them, notice where the energy is building or waning, and where things might come undone. Then they make small adjustments. Change up the pace, ask a question, use a quieter tone, or bring excitement and energy to their voice.
From the outside, it may look effortless, but it is expertise in action. These teachers are constantly reading the room, responding to what they notice, and priming the young people with the energy they bring into the space.
We often talk about priming in terms of expectations and routines. We remind students what successful learning looks like, establish norms and prepare them for what’s coming next. But some of the most effective priming I’ve seen recently had very little to do with instructions and everything to do with atmosphere.
A few weeks ago, I was at Merrylands Public School watching Natalie, their teacher librarian, teach a lesson comparing ancient Mayan sun stones with modern clocks. It was the sort of topic that could easily have remained a collection of facts and definitions. Instead, she invited students into a story. They imagined travelling back in time and discovering a mysterious stone. They stretched their arms wide to estimate its size, debated their theories with one another and tapped out a drum roll on their laps before the next slide appeared.
When the image finally came up, revealing a massive sundial towering over the people beside it, the room erupted with excitement. What struck me wasn’t the resource itself, but the energy Natalie had brought to the lesson. Her enthusiasm created a sense of anticipation and wonder that drew students in before any formal teaching had begun.
The following week, I visited Tahnee’s Prep classroom at Clover Hill State School during the final session of the day. The atmosphere couldn’t have been more different. It was late, students were tired and that familiar end-of-day restlessness was beginning to surface. Rather than trying to compete with the energy in the room, Tahnee gently lowered it. Her voice softened and her pace slowed. She calmly directed students to move safely to the floor and, almost without noticing it happen, the class settled around her.
Watching both lessons, it struck me that these teachers were doing the same thing in completely different ways. Natalie was raising the energy because the learning needed excitement and curiosity. Tahnee was lowering the energy because the learning needed calm and focus. Neither left the atmosphere of the room to chance, they read the conditions and adapted their approach.
These teachers understood that learning doesn’t happen separately from the emotional climate of a room. It happens within it.
Like experienced surfers, great teachers read the conditions before they decide what to do next. They recognise when a lesson needs a hook to get the students leaning in, when it needs calm, and when it’s time to bail because it just isn’t working.
And while every classroom is different, the core idea remains the same.
Before you can lead the learning, you need to be in synergy with your classroom conditions, for your work to truly flow.
