The best way for learning to take place in the
classroom is to establish relationships.
Creating rules is important early on in the process, but teachers
quickly learn that relationships matter much more. To do this, teachers need to lead by
example. This is done by sharing a bit
about ourselves and allow times for them to share with teachers and students.
Once rules are shared, teachers should move to
sharing information about themselves.
This can be basic information that tells about your years as a student
at their same age (if you can remember back that far!) If you think the students could handle it, you
could be a little vulnerable and share some of the things that you love and
value to struggles as a students and how you dealt with trials.
Why share yourself in this way? When teachers show that they are “human” and it creates an amount of respect among the
students in the class. Teachers are
always asking students to share things about themselves in papers and poems, so
why shouldn’t teachers do the same for
the students?
There are some good activities to do that can
help this progress easier in the class:
1.
Student surveys
2.
Round robin response of something that they
are looking forward to in the week.
3.
Ask questions to students
for them to respond and see who shares the same thoughts.
4.
Have them bring something
to class that is meaningful.
Establishing great relationships matter. Teachers
are well aware that rules and policies need to be given, but having community
in the classroom can only bring the successful year that everyone is looking
for!
Matthew (Matt) Key, Georgia
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