-
In what ways do you make your students feel valued?
-
Relationship. Relationship. Relationship. I want to know each student well–their likes, their dislikes, their love language, their hobbies, what they did over the weekend or break, their dreams, their struggles. Taking time to ask questions, listening to them, supporting them outside of the classroom. It makes a huge difference!
-
I like to ask them for help on small tasks I know I can easily do. I have ones as small as 5 year old, but when I ask a boy to give me a hand setting up a game or holding a door, they feel so special just to be asked. I always express my gratitude and say, “I couldn’t have done it without you.” They just light up. To feel needed and valued is necessary at all ages even in the smallest of tasks.
-
Every student in my classroom is valuable in God’s eyes, so they should be equally valuable in my own. Their feelings, relationships, academics, successes, failures, families, etc. are important to them and therefore should also be important to me. Each year one of my goals is to make sure they feel that to the best of my abilities! At the beginning of the year during “meet the teacher” night, I intentionally get on their level and ask them their name when they come into the classroom. I ask them questions to get to know them and introduce myself. I make sure to tell them how excited I am to have them in my course. I also have a little gift for them to take home as well. On the first day we make “Jitter Juice” together to talk about and recognize those nervous feelings we get in a new environment with new people. I want them to know that I care about them and their feelings from the get go. To show them that I value them each day after, I make sure to be purposeful in listening to their stories, problem solve with them in their relationships or academics, encourage them in challenging times, celebrate their wins with them, and tell them how much I believe in their abilities. I try to always greet them with a hug, fist bump, or high five and a smile. It is also very important to me to attend their special events if possible, such as sporting events and baptisms.
-
I show my students that I value them by sincerely being interested in their lives. While it can “cut into” valuable instruction time, making a connection with my students is so much more important. So I will ask them about their weekends, hobbies, interests, and families. I also let them know that if they need help or want to talk, I will stop what I am doing to help them or to listen. I also open my room for students to have lunch or to hang out in during breaks. By taking an interest in their lives, students feel valued in a safe learning environment.
-
I make my students feel valued by addressing them each individually. Being able to address them by name and ask them a question relating specifically to them shows that I care and I am invested in them.
