T-CHEER: Teaching with Content, Humor, Empathy, Engagement, and Relevance

Presenters

• Michelle Rasheed, University of South Carolina AikenFollow
• Kayla S. Cox, University of South Carolina AikenFollow
• Sarah R. Dearman, University of South Carolina AikenFollow
• Zach Evans, University of South Carolina - AikenFollow

First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

PhD

Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2021

First Presenter's Field of Study

Curriculum & Instruction - Literacy

Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree

Virginia Tech

First Presenter's Institution

University of South Carolina Aiken

First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Michelle Rasheed is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her research interests include literacy, teacher preparation, place-based pedagogy, and rural education. She enjoys spending time with her husband, poodles, and books.

Second Presenter's Institution

University of South Carolina Aiken

Second Presenter’s Email Address

ksandy@usca.edu

Second Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

B.A.

Year Second Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2026

Second Presenter's Field of Study

Secondary English Education

Institution Where Second Presenter Received Highest Degree

University of South Carolina Aiken

Second Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Kayla S. Cox is a senior undergraduate student in Secondary English Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her research interests include motivating readers and addressing the overrepresentation of students with learning disabilities in the juvenile justice system through trauma-informed teaching and restorative justice principles. She enjoys spending her free time with her four children, three cats, two dogs, turtle and corn snake.

Third Presenter's Institution

University of South Carolina Aiken

Third Presenter’s Email Address

sdearman@usca.edu

Third Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

B.A.

Year Third Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2026

Third Presenter's Field of Study

Secondary English Education

Institution Where Third Presenter Received Highest Degree

University of South Carolina Aiken

Third Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Sarah R. Dearman is a senior undergraduate major at the University of South Carolina Aiken. She is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. Her research areas include mental health and the impact that it has on adolescents and improving reading skills in adolescents. She enjoys spending her free time doing competitive dance.

Fourth Presenter's Institution

University of South Carolina Aiken

Fourth Presenter’s Email Address

ze1@usca.edu

Fourth Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

B.A.

Year Fourth Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2026

Fourth Presenter's Field of Study

Secondary English Education

Institution Where Fourth Presenter Received Highest Degree

University of South Carolina Aiken

Fourth Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Zach Evans is an undergraduate Education student at USC Aiken specializing in Secondary English. His research interests include gifted education, creative writing instruction, and neurodivergent student success. He enjoys making webcomics, developing video games, and spending time with his three mischievous cats.

Location

Verelst

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

Youth Resiliency

Relevance to Primary Strand

This session connects to the social and emotional skills students need to thrive in today's classrooms. By demonstrating or modeling how the classroom can be an authentically engaging and productive environment, this session will provide practical applications that support academic success and resiliency.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

Student Learning and Development

Brief Program Description

This session explores how educators can create vibrant, student-centered classrooms by integrating T-CHEER principles—Teaching with Content Knowledge, Humor, Empathy, Engagement, and Relevance. Grounded in theory yet centered on practice, this presentation examines how these interconnected elements enhance motivation, deepen understanding, and foster positive classroom climates in middle and secondary settings. Through examples of effective pedagogy, participants will reflect on their own practices and consider strategies to sustain meaningful, inclusive learning environments where students thrive both academically and personally.

Summary

This interactive session, T-CHEER: Teaching with Content, Humor, Empathy, Engagement, and Relevance, invites educators to explore evidence-based strategies for cultivating dynamic, inclusive, and student-centered classrooms in middle and secondary education. Drawing on current research in educational psychology and pedagogy, this presentation demonstrates how the integration of content expertise with relational and affective dimensions of teaching strengthens academic outcomes and classroom climate.

Grounded in the work of Hattie (2023) on visible learning and teacher credibility, Hammond’s (2015) research on culturally responsive teaching, and Fredrickson’s (2004) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, the T-CHEER model emphasizes the power of humor and empathy to increase engagement and cognitive flexibility. Participants will examine how relevant content connections—linked to students’ experiences and contemporary topics—foster deeper understanding and motivation in learning.

Practical applications include:

• Content Knowledge Integration: Techniques for scaffolding complex ideas through inquiry-based learning and formative feedback.

• Humor in Pedagogy: Approaches for using humor to reduce anxiety, encourage participation, and build classroom rapport.

• Empathetic Instruction: Strategies for perspective-taking, active listening, and restorative communication to strengthen relationships.

• Student Engagement Models: Methods to promote active participation and shared learning.

• Relevance and Connection: Frameworks for designing lessons that link curriculum to students’ cultural, social, and personal contexts for contemporary connections.

Participants will leave with adaptable activities and resources aligned with T-CHEER principles. By combining theory with practice, this session empowers educators to cultivate joyful, intellectually rigorous, and emotionally supportive classrooms where all learners are seen, valued, and inspired to achieve.

Evidence

The research for this session is undergirded by theoretical frameworks from:

Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 59(3), 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.3.136

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin Press. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/book/culturally-responsive-teaching-and-brain

Hattie, J. (2023). Visible learning: The sequel: A synthesis of over 2,100 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003324471

Presenters will share ideas based on theory and practice in the classroom with relevant, applicable strategies and activities.

Learning Objective 1

Use and adapt the T-CHEER model for instruction and learning

Learning Objective 2

Examine evidence-based strategies to support student learning

Learning Objective 3

Engage in reflective practices for diversifying pedagogical skillsets

Start Date

6-1-2026 3:45 PM

End Date

6-1-2026 4:45 PM

Recommended Citation

Rasheed, Michelle; Cox, Kayla S.; Dearman, Sarah R.; and Evans, Zach, "T-CHEER: Teaching with Content, Humor, Empathy, Engagement, and Relevance" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 31.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/31

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.