Tone as cause and effect of learning
by Terrell Heick
In 20 words that can affect the way students think,we said, “Tone affects how students see themselves and their role in the learning process.” In fact, a student’s ongoing internal dialogue and reflections about themselves and their identity as a learner are not just a “factor” of learning, but one of the most important factors.
This is at the heart of the principle and practice of social-emotional learning (and social-emotional learning strategies). It might be helpful to take a quick look at some key ideas and underlying assumptions about the tone of learning.
Tone as cause and effect of learning
I. Tone matters. It affects human beings and students are human beings.
II. Tone can be notable for its “content” and value as well as its abundance or absence. In other words, the tone can be “good” or “bad” and there can be “a lot” or “a little”.
III. The tone can be both a cause and a effect. That is, tone can cause “something” or be caused by something. For example, a lack of confidence can create an uncertain tone while another tone could create a distinct lack of confidence.
IV. As a “climate” factor, tone is closely related to mood, and together they contribute greatly to mood.
VI. Any climate created is or is not intentionally conducive to creativity, collaboration, and learning.
VII. Students sense some kind of tone in every interaction (even if that tone seems more or less mundane – it’s a “clinical” tone). That is, almost everything a student experiences in the learning process has a “tone.”
VIII. Having established that tone affects students and that it is (through our choice of words, among other factors) adjustable, this means that as teachers we can adjust something that affects students.
IX. To make these adjustments we need to know what tone is and how it is adjustable.
X. Tone is complex and is explicitly and implicitly created by countless sources beyond our words, but because our words are so easily adjustable, it makes sense to make this simple adjustment while we sort out the other factors that affect the tone in the learning process. .
