Building Relationships and Making Connections
Welcome back to a new school year, filled with endless possibilities! The hardest part of starting a new year is the unknown (or known) of who your students will be and how we, as teachers, will connect with them. Too often, negative student behaviors often force teachers and school staff to have interactions with students. When things are going well and students are positively working at teacher expectation levels, interactions between students and teachers are minimal in some environments. Students are successful in the classrooms where they feel cared for and trusted. I always make it my priority to build relationships with the students from the first day of school and find connections with them that can help me better see the individual needs of each student. Making Connections Improve Classroom Environment
Take a moment to think about your first day as a student in one of your college classes. What did you what the most from the class? For me, it was a connection with the professor and/or other students in the class. I wanted to tell and divulge my life experiences just to see if anyone had similar experiences and connections. When I made connections with the professor and other students in the class I felt motivated to being successful in the class. When I see my students the first day of school I see they are nervous and looking for ways to connect to their new environment and the people around them.
Building relationships and making connections with students can be a remarkably effective way to improve the classroom environment. As teachers we don’t usually know where the students are coming from, what they have been exposed to, or what their experiences in life have been. Students who get attention from negative situations (out bursting, physical, verbal, etc.) often long for attention of any kind due to lack of attention in a different environment. It is essential that teachers begin to make connections and build relationships from the first day of school. Some teachers are more natural at connecting and building relationships with their students than others. Teachers can make connections and build relationships with students by implementing a few simple strategies into their classroom on a daily basis.
“Teachers who put relationships first don’t just have students for one year. They have students who view them as “their” teacher for life. - Educator Justin Tarte
Ways to Build Relationships and Make Connections in the Classroom
In the article "Relating to Students: It’s What You Do That Counts," Marzano notes, “Positive relationships between teachers and students are among the most commonly cited variables associated with effective instruction. If the relationship is strong, instructional strategies seem to be more effective.” (Marzano, Pickering, and Hefelbower, 2010) A teacher’s goal is to promote student learning, build bonds and make positive relationships. This month I want to share with you a few three of the things I do to help build relationships and connections with my students that take a small investment of time, but has a big pay off in the classroom environment.
1)Say hello and good-bye to every student every day.
I like to use different greetings each week and when students have learned a handful of them they can pick how they want to be greeted each morning. Check out Kindergarden Smorgusboard for morning greeting ideas here: https://thekindergartensmorgasboard.com/2015/08/kindergarten-smorgasboard-of-13-morning.html
2)Speak to students with respect.
I firmly believe in the saying “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” When teachers model respectful behavior then students are more likely to use the same respectful behaviors back to them as well as with their peers.
3)Let students in your world and pay attention to their interest.
In my classroom I have pictures of my family and places I have been on vacation. I get very excited when students ask about the picture. I let them know who is in the pictures and why I care about them so much. I tell them about the place I have been to and why I enjoyed going. During conversations like these, teachers can ask students questions about their interest or extracurricular activities. When students feel that teachers are interested in things they like the bonding and relationship building comes at an ease. These small gestures help show students you care about things that they care about.
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