Have you ever heard someone say, “Let me give you a little context.” Setting context is something we do on a daily basis as we engage in conversations with others. You tell a little of the background or at least express where you are headed in the conversation. It gives us mental pegs to understand where a conversation is coming from or where it is headed. How do you “set context” to prime students in your classroom? Here are a few tips for setting context effectively:

Setting context in a learning environment means that we put a “frame” around the learning event at hand. Just like a frame around a painting helps to focus our attention on the picture, setting context is a way of focusing student attention on what you want them to notice and/or do during the learning event without giving away the “punch line.” As you set context let students know what they should be thinking, feeling, and/or doing with their body to achieve the desired result. Remember this, if you don’t set context – they will! When they set the context, they may not focus their attention on the same things you hoped they would. The end result? You have to go back and re-explain what they “should have noticed.” Here are some examples of what “setting context” might sound like:
 

• In this short video you’ll see the photosynthesis process come to life. We’ve studied the process, now let’s see how the process works in the real-world. Grab a pen and your notes on the process. Follow-along in the video and when you notice a step in the process is complete, check if off in your notebook. After we finish the video you will use the examples to answer a few questions on a quick quiz – sit up, lean in and let’s get started.
• As you complete the scenario provided pay close attention to what it takes to be successful.
• Think about a time when you struggled to bring a group of people together to accomplish a goal. Jot that experience down on a sticky-note and keep it nearby. The next few moments will reveal two fail-proof strategies for rallying people around a common goal. As you listen to the strategies think about how you could have employed them in your own situation. Be prepared to respond with your example.

As I was driving home from the airport the other day, a very cool billboard caught my eye. The image was simple – members of a little league team sitting in the dugout cheering on their team with the phrase, “Unity: Pass It On” written in the bottom corner. By now, you have likely seen these billboards near your community too. They are the work of a group called The Foundation for a Better Life.

The nationwide billboard campaign launched in 2001 and has grown ever since. Today, there are “Pass It On” messages on the Internet, Television, in Theaters and now available through Podcasts. The Foundation’s mission is simple – “to encourage adherence to a set of quality values through personal accountability and by raising the level of expectations of performance for all individuals.” (The Foundation for a Better Life Web site).

Strong values and leadership go hand-in-hand. Here are some simple ways you can “pass it on” in your classroom:

• Choose a value per week or month. During that period introduce the value, what it means and identify real-world examples of people who embody that particular value.
• Send students on a mission to notice a certain value in themselves, their classmates, the school and the surrounding community. During bell-work, have students share where they’ve noticed the value displayed. Encourage students to identify ways they can embody the value too.
• Reward individual students when you notice them demonstrating a particular value. Make sure you label the value for them and highlight the example publicly to providing a learning opportunity for all students.
• Have students listen to a Podcast on one of the values highlighted at http://www.forbetterlife.org/be-inspired/podcasts.asp Then ask students to choose a value and create their own pod- or vod-cast about the value. There are a number of free resources available to help them begin on The Foundation for a Better Life Web site.