There are four levels of invitational education: intentionally disinviting teachers who deliberately discourage students and never smile; unintentionally disinviting teachers who are oblivious to their negative behaviors; unintentionally inviting "natural teachers" who are liked but may not maximize learning; and intentionally inviting teachers who have an invitational philosophy and work to invite students through verbal comments, behaviors, environment and self-talk. The basis of being inviting is building relationships, and effective teachers are deliberately inviting across four areas.

1. The basis of being inviting is
building relationships.
The effective teacher is deliberately inviting.

2. Four Areas of Invitation
verbal comments
personal behaviors
physical environment
self-talk

3. Sort the following strips
into two categories:
INVITATIONAL
DISINVITATIONAL

4. Students can refuse words,
but they cannot refuse an
invitational attitude.

5. Four Levels of
Invitational Education
Intentionally Disinviting: These teachers
deliberately demean, discourage, defeat, and
dissuade students. And they never smile.

6. Unintentionally Disinviting: These teachers
are oblivious to the fact that they are negative
people. They feel that they are well-meaning
but are seen by others as chauvinistic,
condescending, racist, sexist, patronizing, or
thoughtless. And they keep their arms folded
when interacting with students.

7. Unintentionally Inviting: These are the
“natural-born teachers.” Such teachers are
generally well-liked and effective but are
unaware of why they are effective. They are
usually affable, and this characteristic often
hides the fact that their students may not be
learning to their fullest potential. These
teachers are sincere, they try very hard, and
we like to have them as friends. And they
bubble with excitement.

8. Intentionally Inviting: These teachers have a
professional attitude, work diligently and
consistently, and strive to be more effective.
They have a sound philosophy of education
and can analyze the process of student
learning. They know what it means to be
invitational, and they work at it. They also use
the proper emotion at the appropriate time.

9. With your table, look at the charts we’ve
created.
Which of these actions are intentional?
Which are unintentional?

10. Effective teachers know how
to open the door and invite
their students to learn.