Increasing Achievement Through Relationships

Increasing Achievement Through Relationships

The month of December is exhausting! There is sugar in the air and so much to do in such a short time. I am beyond overwhelmed with being faced continuously with classroom projects, decorations, and adorable bulletin boards on social media. I start to wonder... Am I a fun-enough teacher? Do I do enough? How do all of these teachers do it? But then I stop.. and listen. My students are so happy. They tell me that they love school and that I am the best teacher in the world. We have built a mutual relationship because I just adore them. We have this relationship not because I have the best-themed room or best bulletin boards it is because we have a connection. My students know that I believe in them. My students know I respect them and want them to grow socially, emotionally and academically. We must believe as teachers that each student has the ability to grow and be successful no matter where they begin. They have the power to do so with our guidance and support.

The thing I know for sure is that if you want to build a growth-minded classroom, it's imperative that we spend time building relationships with our students. Students with a fixed-mindset are anxious and fearful about making mistakes in front of their teacher and classmates. They are afraid to fail so they avoid challenges and give up quickly. Stepping away from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset takes vulnerability. As their teacher, you need to be that person they feel safe enough around to show that vulnerability. A teacher who trusts and respects them, wants the best for them and won't judge them when they make a mistake. With all of this faith, your students might be willing to take the leap. Here is a great TED Talk that inspires me to be a champion for my students...

Every Kid Needs a Champion (7:48) Rita Pierson

So how do we do it? How do we get every child to know we believe in them, value them and want them to be successful in all that they do?

Make eye contact

Be intentional and engage with students who you’re speaking with. The two-minute check-in. Before school, after school, and during breaks make it your goal to engage students in non-school-related topics of conversation. This strategy will help you learn more about your students’ interests, build trusting relationships, improve classroom management, and curb attention-seeking behaviors.

Students feel safe with their teacher

Students should feel completely safe in your classroom and in your presence. Students should know that you want what’s best for them, you’ll protect them, and you’ll unconditionally care for them no matter what mistakes they make. 

Students must know that their teacher has faith in their ability to achieve

If we expect our students to have faith in themselves to grow, they must sense that we genuinely, and enthusiastically believe in them too. They need reminders DAILY that you believe in their ability.

Students seek and embrace their teacher’s feedback  

When students believe that you have their best interests at heart they’ll respond to feedback in more productive ways. Make it clear to students that their growth is your main priority, and let them know that the purpose of constructive feedback is to help them improve. 

Students know that grades are less important than growth 

Help students set goals for themselves. Let them know that grading is part of the process and a source of data about their overall performance, but the most important thing to you is their progression toward the goals that you’ve set together. Keep an open dialogue about overcoming challenges and obstacles, and while grades should matter to you, the letter grade, in itself, should never hold more value than the progress it indicates. 

Students respect and like their teacher as a person

Build deeper relationships with your students and take a personal interest in their lives and well-being. Take time to get to know your students’ out-of-school interests. The more information you have about each of your students, the deeper you can build your relationships and better tailor a learning experience most beneficial to them. Likewise, share appropriate personal information with your students to forge a deeper mutual relationship.

Positively Teaching,  

Randi Muehlen