Develop Meaningful and Respectful Relationships With Your Students
Develop Meaningful and Respectful Relationships With Your Students
Develop Meaningful and Respectful Relationships With Your Students
If we are going to truly inspire and motivate all of our students, we should know each of them
on a personal level. We need to know their interests and hobbies, who they hang out with,
their family situations, and what gets them excited.
We all learn differently. In each classroom several types of learners exist: visual, tactile,
verbal and more reserved. We can see it as our responsibility to discover this by knowing
them and endeavor to teach them accordingly.
Students need a classroom environment that is safe, where they are willing to take risks and
struggle. To achieve this goal, the students and teacher must work together towards
common collective goals.
Using the words “we” and “our” rather than “I” and “you” has a significant impact on
classroom culture, and how students function as interdependent learners.
Setting high expectations and supporting students as they struggle allows learners to rise to
meet those expectations. When expectations are transparent, students know where their
learning is headed and are motivated to get there because it seems possible: the path is
visible. Working towards daily, weekly, and yearly goals gives students a purpose and a
meaning for the hard work that they do.
Daily learning goals (learning targets, or “I can” statements) should be posted, visible and
referenced on a daily basis.
5. Be inspirational
Most adults can recall a specific teacher from their childhood who had a lasting impact.
These are the teachers that have inspired, challenged, and motivated students enough to be
memorable years later. These behaviors include hard work, willingness to struggle, and
ability to learn from our mistakes. Students internalize our behaviors and strategies as a way
to accomplish their own goals.
We give them an opportunity to do so in our everyday routines, assignments and encounters
with them.