How do you know if your students are truly learning? In a world of packed classrooms, tight schedules, and curriculum demands, teacher noticing may seem like an elusive skill. But it’s the secret weapon that separates good teaching from great teaching. Teacher noticing isn’t just about seeing your students–it’s about deeply understanding their academic and emotional assets and needs, and responding with intentional actions that drive learning forward.
In Does My Teacher Notice Me?, I dive into the concept of teacher noticing as a critical skill for educators. It’s more than observing students; it’s about actively attending to their cues, objectively interpreting what those cues mean, and making instructional decisions that impact their success. But with everything teachers juggle, how can we sharpen this skill to ensure every student feels noticed, understood, and supported?
What is Teacher Noticing?
Teacher noticing is the art of identifying key moments in the classroom that reveal a student’s perspective of thinking, understanding, confusion, or emotional state.
It’s what allows us to intervene at just the right time. However, it’s not just about observation–expert noticers understand the nuances behind these observations and use them to inform instructional decisions.
For instance, a novice teacher might observe a student with their head on the desk and assume disengagement. In contrast, an expert noticer would interpret the same behavior through a broader lens, considering possible confusion, frustration, or external factors. This difference in noticing can determine whether that student is supported or continues to struggle unnoticed.
The Three Phases of Teacher Noticing
Effective noticing involves three critical interrelated phases:
- Attending: This is the act of observing–what are your students doing, saying, and not saying? Effective attending goes beyond the surface, focusing on both verbal and non-verbal cues. It’s noticing that a usually confident student has been unusually quiet or that another student is stuck on a task they usually excel at. It’s about being curious and compassionate rather than judgmental.
- Interpreting: Once you’ve observed, the next phase is objectively making sense of what you’ve noticed. If a student is consistently distracted or disengaged, an expert noticer doesn’t just label them as uninterested. Instead, they dig deeper, considering potential misunderstandings, emotional needs, or environmental factors. Expert interpretation comes from knowing your students and the context behind their actions.
- Deciding: Arguably, the most important part of noticing is acting on it. After observing and interpreting, you must decide how to respond. Will you pause the lesson to address the student’s needs? Will you provide a new example or scaffold the learning differently? Will you enrich because the student already shows proficiency? The decisions made at this moment can profoundly affect students’ academic and emotional progress.
Navigating the Challenges of Noticing
Let’s be honest–classrooms are a whirlwind of demands. Between managing behavior, meeting district and site expectations, grading, and preparing for standardized testing, finding time to deeply notice individual student needs can feel overwhelming or impossible. However, teacher noticing is not an additional task; it’s the core of what makes teaching effective. When we prioritize noticing, everything else falls into place–our lesson plans, classroom management, and even student engagement.
But the reality is, many teachers struggle with this in practice. How do you notice a student struggling with a concept while another is causing disruption and yet another is breezing ahead, waiting for more challenging work? This is where noticing becomes critical. It’s not about having all the answers, but about being intentional in how we pay attention.
In one classroom, a teacher might be focused on delivering a lesson on fractions, and fail to notice that Sarah, who usually excels, has her head down. A deeper look might reveal that Sarah is confused about dividing shapes into equal parts. If this is overlooked, she could fall behind, despite her usual success. But when the teacher takes a moment to pause and ask, “Sarah, what’s confusing you?”, they have the opportunity to intervene and adjust the lesson, ensuring Sarah stays on track.
Why Teacher Noticing Matters
Beyond academics, teacher noticing is a lifeline for students’ engagement and emotional well-being. When students feel seen, they are more likely to participate, take risks in learning, and seek help when needed. They trust that their teacher understands them not just as learners but as people.
Yet, we’ve all heard from countless educators about students who “slip through the cracks” – those who, for various reasons, struggle without making a fuss. These students might not raise their hands when confused, ask for help when overwhelmed, or ask for more challenging work when they are bored. They quietly disengage, and before we know it, they’re either far behind or not reaching their full potential. Teacher noticing is how we prevent this from happening.
Noticing creates connection, and connection creates the conditions for deeper learning. It builds trust and tells students, “I see you, I understand you, and I’m here to support you and to see you succeed.” That’s when students thrive–not just academically, but emotionally and socially, too.
Practical Strategies for Enhancing Teacher Noticing Skills
Becoming an expert noticer is something every teacher can develop and sustain. Here are practical strategies to sharpen this skill in your classroom:
- Start with Reflection: After each lesson, set aside a few minutes to reflect. Were there students who appeared disengaged, frustrated, or overly confident? What did you notice about their body language, facial expressions, or verbal cues? Reflecting on these details will increase your awareness over time and help you refine your noticing.
- Ask Open-ended Questions: Instead of simply asking “Do you understand?”, try “Can you explain how you solved this problem?” or “What part of this lesson feels tricky for you?” These questions reveal a student’s thinking process, providing critical insights into their understanding and how they arrived there.
- Check for Thinking, Not Just Understanding: Traditional checks for understanding often stop at where a student got the right answer. But checking for thinking goes further. Ask students to walk you through their thought process: How did they solve the problem? Did they make any assumptions along the way? Did they consider alternative approaches? This gives you a window into their thinking, allowing you to intervene more effectively.
- Observe Nonverbal Cues: Not all students will verbally communicate their struggles. Pay attention to body language, eye contact, and even a student’s choice to sit at the back fo the room or disengage during group work. These subtle signs often speak volumes about a student’s emotional or cognitive state.
- Create Spaces for Student Voice: Regularly offer students opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings about the learning process. Simple strategies like reflective journal prompts, peer discussions, or one-on-one check-ins allow students to articulate their needs and help you fine-tune your noticing.
Conclusion: The Power of Noticing
In an era of increasing demands on educators, it can be easy to overlook the subtle yet powerful impact of teacher noticing. But when we take time to notice our students–truly see and understand them–we create classrooms that are responsive, compassionate, and transformative.
Teacher noticing is not just a pedagogical tool; it’s a human one. It helps us create an environment where students feel valued, understood, and empowered to learn. So as you head into your classroom tomorrow, ask yourself: What am I noticing today? and How can I turn what I notice into action?
Call to Action
The next time you plan a lesson, build in a moment for intentional noticing. Take the time to ask open-ended questions, scan your students’ nonverbal cues, and reflect on what they reveal about their learning and emotional states. When we make noticing a habit, we transform our classrooms into places where every student feels truly seen and where every teacher feels empowered to make a real difference.
Reference
Gilbert, T. (2025). Does my teacher notice me? Transformative practices that affirm and accelerate all learners.Corwin Press.
