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In what ways do you make your students feel valued?
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I try to make my students feel valued by listening to them, getting to know them as individuals, learning about their interests , beliefs, and goals. I also hold them accountable for their work and actions, I celebrate their achievements, and try to be there to help and guide them when things do not go well. I tell them that they are valued and loved and that they matter. Additionally, I work hard to prepare myself emotionally, spiritually, and academically to teach them to the best of my ability and present material in a way that they can best learn. Perhaps, the most important thing I do to show my students that I value you them is that I pray with and for them.
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You must earn the right to be heard. That takes time, it takes being interested in the person. A student may “push you away” just to see if you care or not.
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I make my students feel valued by praying over them and with them each day. We have a book that they are encouraged to write their prayer requests in and it helps me keep up with what they may be going through so I can ask them lovingly about it. I try to encourage them and see the characteristics God has given them each uniquely and highlight their gifts that the Lord can use them for (Ex: leadership, athletic skills, encouragement, etc.)
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I make my students feel valued by not just treating them as just another student, but getting to know them personally and reminding them that God has a purpose for their lives. I let them know that their personality was given to them by God who is preparing them for something He will use them for in the future. I remind them that their talents are also given to them by God who divinely appointed that talent for them, and they must use it for His glory.
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I listen and try to see them in action outside the classroom. Working with older students, they know if you truly care or not. I try to take small moments one-on-one to converse and allow them to share their interests, successes and worries and following through with verbal responses or providing opportunities to interweave their stories into the classroom activities. Without doing these things, I would just be another stoic person in their world trying to get them to master content for 40 minutes a day.
