Getting To Know Your Students

No matter if you are an English teacher who’s an expert on the Gothic genre, or a math teacher with a tried and true method of explaining fractions, your lessons run the risk of minimal to no student-engagement for several reasons.  The reason we’ll focus on here is the teacher-learner connection.  When a student sees that the teacher knows and cares about him/her as an individual, this learner is likely to put attention and effort into the class. 

 

On my first day of class (which, as a leave replacement teacher, has been on various dates during the school year), I always distribute a “Getting To Know You” questionnaire.  It’s a simple activity that provides students with the opportunity to reveal information and fun facts about themselves.  The questions range from asking what the student would like to learn in this class, to favorite subject, to favorite movie, and a variety of topics in between.

 

Filling out this survey provides students with the opportunity to write about what they know best – themselves!  They are often eager to share this information as it creates a sense of self-importance. 

 

Be sure to review your students’ responses not only on that first day but at various points throughout the year, as a refresher.  The information in the survey will become a valuable resource.  The more you know about your students’ personalities and interests, the better your chances are of connecting with them on both an academic level and a personal level. 

For example, let’s say you are an English Language Arts teacher.  The current unit is about fictional texts, so the class is reading a novel.  One of your students, we’ll call him Mason, isn’t fond of reading novels, but he has a love of social studies.  You can assign a research project involving the author and the real-life events that inspired the author to write this book.  Although Mason may not be too interested in the novel itself, he’ll get excited about this assignment because it has social studies-esque elements to it. 

 

In this next example, you have a student who is doing well in your class, but she is shy.  We’ll call her Susie.  You remember that Susie mentioned on her survey that she’s on the school’s soccer team.  Take a moment, perhaps at the beginning of class when students are getting settled, to ask her how the soccer season is going.  You can even attend the next game. When Susie sees that you remember an activity that is important to her, she may become comfortable participating in your class. 

 

Connections with students will not only enhance engagement and participation but will play a role in teacher-issued detentions.  Knowing about your students has benefits both for you and for the detention-attendee.  When you assign detention, I recommend reviewing that student’s “Getting To Know You” questionnaire.

 

During detention, of course, you want to discuss the behavior that landed the student there.  After the behavior and a plan for moving forward is addressed, use the remaining time to talk about the student simply as a person.  If she’s a student who enjoys science, ask what project she’s entering in the science fair.  If he likes super hero movies, ask his thoughts about a recent blockbuster.

 

By showing a genuine intrigue in the topics of interest to your challenging students, they may demonstrate a positive change in behavior.  When the learners realize that you care about them, there’s a possibility that both their behavior and their effort in your class will improve. 

 

My first time using this approach for detention was with two students.  When I began asking about them, topics such as their hobbies and their plans for break, an expression of pleasant surprise filled each student’s face.  We were connecting as humans.  The three of us had an enjoyable conversation, and the 15 minutes of detention ended quickly.    

 

In the days following that detention, one student showed positive changes; the other reverted back to inappropriate behavior.  There’s no guarantee that the “showing an interest” approach will eliminate issues 100% of the time, but it will yield success in some students.  

 

Getting to know your students is a necessary objective for you as a teacher.  The sense of community and belonging that will be created simply by knowing one or two facts about each student is well worth the effort.  Your students, though probably not with literal words, will thank you.         

 

Please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store to purchase the affordable Getting To Know You survey, as well as a variety of resources for all grades and subjects!

 

Peace.  Love.  Reading & Writing.

 

💗 Miss M