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What are one or two practices you’d like to implement that would allow you to demonstrate your care for and commitment to your students? If you already have practices in place, what are they?
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I would like to have more individual email contact with each student. I often have these conversations but only with students who initiate it with questions. Also, I want them to answer a survey on important people in their lives (family, close friends) so I can ask about them during the year and even pray with the students for their loved ones.
Often, when talking about an issue, I will put my hand on the student’s shoulder or arm to reassure him/her of my care. Those that are missing assignments I meet with privately to work on completing them. Then I add the grades while they are watching to boost their morale when they see their GPA rise from 70 to 85. Their faces light up so brightly! -
Because I teach courses online, every student can answer every question via private chat. I encourage course participation. I praise students who answer correctly, but do not embarrass a student who answers incorrectly. I will say something like “The student who answered 4 should check that you distributed the negative sign.” I use lots of visuals to help students remember the concepts. I use songs to help in memorization. Along with teaching, I am also the tutor for our online mathematics program. So I will often tutor students that I taught a few years ago. My tutoring sessions are one-on-one sessions, so I get to know these students very well.
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As a logic/philosophy teacher we will have many opportunities to discuss passions and what is happening in their homelives.
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I feel like they are less practices, per se, but just extensions of my calling. I love knowing who my students are and inquiring about their passions, dislikes, likes, and finding out what gifts and talents God has given them.
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I do a lot of hands on learning, but I often forget to close the circle. We need time to breath in our learning, discuss what we learned and share ways to increase our understanding. I want to take more time to connect…not just worrying about getting it all done.