It is important to build healthy and meaningful relationships with your students. The first few weeks of getting to know your students could make or break the semester you are going to have. The better your rapport is with your students the more successful they will potentially be. When students can’t relate to their teachers or feel uncomfortable approaching them with issues, it can cause disciplinary issues and students can withdraw from learning.
My first plan in building a relationship with my students is to have them create a mindfulness journal they will keep in the class with me. The first section of the journal will be an “About Me” section. In this section they will answer a questionnaire about themselves to give me an overview of who they are. Some questions may include: My favorite subjects and biggest challenges are, goals for the year, favorite foods, favorite book, top 5 movies, a dream weekend, and top 5 songs in their playlist. I think asking these questions can really help you get an overview of who your students are and where they want to be at the end of the semester. The second part of the journal will be a daily task for them to fill out. It will be an emotional social wellness check. They will be able to track their mood in their journal without showing the whole class. If a student is having a bad day, I will be able to gather that from their journal and adjust how I interact with them during class. The last part of their journal will be any comments or recommendations for making the classroom better. I think if students have the opportunity to have a say in how their learning environment it will lead to students who want to be in the classroom. By providing an outlet for students to describe who they are and also track their moods it will allow me as a teacher to provide an equal and equitable experience for every student. By ensuring that my behavior is equal and equitable for all students, I can create an atmosphere that all students feel accepted in.[1]
The second way I will engage my students is with a fun ice breaker. I think it is important for students to get to know each other. Some students will not realize they have something in common with another student without talking to them. I will have them perform a little activity called Buzz Around the Room or a Scavenger Hunt. I will create a worksheet that has different statements on them. For example, Has a dog, likes dancing, plays Nintendo, likes to cook, has lived in another state. This will give the students an opportunity to find similarities or differences with their classmates and get to know them better. I think this will help open the students up to doing better in group work situations.
I think it is important to relate to my students. I try to stay up to date with pop culture. By showing interest in their lives and what is going on in the world around them, I think it will help build a good rapport with them. Robert Marzano states in his book Classroom Management That Works, that “for some students the need for the teacher to show some personal interest in them is paramount to their learning.” [2] By taking the time to learn about what students are interested in and having conversations with them that are more than just school work it can make them feel seen. I will acknowledge their success in their extracurricular activities. I think it is also important to greet the students as they come in. I will make it a top priority to learn student’s names quickly and use eye contact when talking with them. Sometimes the little things you do can really go a long way.
The most important thing for me as a teacher is that my students feel seen, understood, and respected. By giving them opportunities to have a say in their learning goals and allowing them to express their feelings I think I will be able to have a more productive learning environment for my students. I know that time is limited with your students when trying to teach a curriculum, but to set up students for success we need to be able to form a positive student-teacher relationship.
[1] Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, D. J. (2003). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD. (48)
[2] Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, D. J. (2003). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD. (53)
