I have been a member of ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) for most of my educational career. I have found many of their publications to be of use to me, not only when I actively taught in the classroom, but also as I have continued my own education. They publish books, newsletters, and are a wonderful online resource. ASCD was founded in 1943, so they have been assisting educators for a long time. In the latest edition of Education Update, dated December 2011, Brad Kuntz discusses how important it is to build personal relationships with students. Even though this isn't necessarily a technology article, I could see how technology could be used to do some of the things he mentioned, so this week I'm going to paraphrase some of what he has said and include how technology could be used.
Kuntz says he has seen students who are failing all other classes receive the highest test score in his class. Why? Because the student felt a connection to Kuntz and wanted to do his best for him. The relationship between a teacher and a student can have as much to do with a student's success as anything else. The teacher who has earned the respect of the student is much more likely to keep that student engaged during instruction.
Kuntz notes teachers can engage students by carefully sharing a more personal side of who they are and by getting to know the individuals in a classroom. Giving students a glimpse of your personal life (without revealing anything private or controversial) can show them you are willing to open yourself up, invite them in, and trust them with a part of who you are. Share humorous, exciting, meaningful, or even humbling or embarrassing stories that, at least, loosely relate to your content area.
For example, a math teacher could tell a story about screwing up a currency conversion while traveling overseas and grossly overpaying for a souvenir. What if students entered the classroom seeing a picture of all sorts of currencies/monies on a screen projected from the teacher's computer? You could even ask students if they could identify the money (which country) before sharing the personal story.
A history teacher could explain how they felt overcome emotionally while visiting the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Again, using a projected image of the Wall or other symbolism could be the "hook" to get students interested. Sharing the personal story could then lead into the lesson or discussion on the Vietnam Conflict.
A foreign language teacher could share a humorous story about a mistranslation with embarrassing consequences. There are several examples of these types of misses to find online, especially in the area of advertising. Many common phrases used in the United States do not translate well into other languages and result in hilarious sayings! After hearing the teacher's personal story, students could research the issue of translation from one language to another online and then share what they find. This easily could lead to a discussion about advertising and how careful a company must be when designing an ad, especially when it involves language.
Students appreciate the opportunity to relax and be entertained, but in the meantime, they can see examples of your subject area in a real-world context. Don't forget to share personal experiences which might also interest students who have similar experiences. For example, on Monday tell your students about your weekend fishing trip or attendance at a sporting event or a concert. There are bound to be students in your classroom who fish, like sports, or share an interest in music. Make an effort to notice and comment to individual students about details specific to them. This is difficult with as many as 40 students in a class, but that's also why it's much more important to students to be noticed. Comment about the band on a student's t-shirt; compliment a student on the impressive doodle on their math notebook; or commend a student on their performance in a game or in a concert. Show students you pay attention and you see value in what they are doing.
No matter the method, developing personal relationships with students is a win-win! Be a good role model and personally influence the young people in your classes in a positive manner. Perhaps at the same time you'll increase their motivation to succeed and improve their academic habits.
