I’ve learned so much this year while working with colleagues in the early learning department. They always leave me with some new learning to ponder in relation to my practice. Recently, we’ve had a conversation about Dr Jean Clinton and her work around something called the C:D:C ratio. For many Designated Early Childhood Educators this is the basis of their work; however, for me, this was a different framing of the student and educator relationship.
The C:D:C ratio is short form for Correct:Direct:Connect. Dr. Clinton’s work emphasizes the importance of relationship building between educators and students. Connection, she says, is key. The relationships educators build with students can positively transform learning and how students see themselves in the classroom environment. Dr. Clinton encourages educators to think about the ratio of time we spend correcting students, directing students, and connecting with students.
Correcting might sound like verbal cues “Stop speaking out” or “You’ve made a mistake here”. It might even appear in non-verbal ways, such as eye contact or moving closer to stop certain behaviour. I stopped to reflect on what this looked like in my teaching; how many times do I correct students? Are there any students that I correct more often than others? What reasons do I ‘correct’ (e.g., academic errors, classroom rules, or something else).
Directing students involves directing accepted actions or behaviour. Perhaps this manifests instructionally, for example, telling students “It’s time to do some math now”. It might also indicate acceptable behaviour, such as “Thank you for raising your hand before speaking out.” I wondered how many times I directed students in the classroom. How do my own expectations and biases about a ‘good’ classroom affect our relationship in ways I haven’t noticed before?
Connecting with students is really where the educator intentionally builds meaningful exchanges with students. How does this happen authentically in the classroom space? Dr Clinton offers some guidance by modifying suggestions from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning.
A few of those suggestions are as follows:
- Be at the child’s level for face-to-face interactions
- Use a pleasant, calm voice and simple language while making eye contact
- Help children understand your expectations by providing simple but clear explanations (not by directing)
- Take the time to engage children in the process of resolving problems and conflicts, rather than reiterating classroom rules
- Be genuine in acknowledging children for their accomplishments and effort by clearly saying what it is they have done well
It feels to me like the connecting part is about building relationships with students. It’s partly how we interact with them (eye level, eye contact, face to face) and it’s partly how educators are intentional about engaging with students (resolving problems, genuinely acknowledging efforts, trying to understand behaviour). Directing and correcting seem to be more about student compliance. We know that students thrive when they feel seen and heard and valued – all of which is expressed through connection. Dr. Clinton’s research tells educators that if we spend more time on connecting with children, there is less need for correction and directing.
Dr. Clinton’s work is based in early learning, but her appeal for educators to reflect on their C:D:C ratio speaks to educators at all levels in schools. Of course there are times throughout the day when correcting and directing are necessary; however, it’s valuable to reflect on which interaction is most prominent and why that is.
There’s so much to learn about in Early Childhood Education.Even if you are not a kindergarten teacher I urge you to read and listen to some of these brilliant researchers. I promise you’ll learn a lot.
Learn more about Dr. Jean Clinton’s work by exploring:
https://etfopley.ca/jean-clinton-well-bring-relationships/
The Power of Positive Adult-Child Relationships: Connection is the Key
