Greet students every day in hallway as they enter class
Do ice-breakers several times throughout the year, not just at the beginning
Have PQA (Personal Questions and Answers) frequently done in class
Attend extra-curricular events whenever possible
Smile and say hello
Give candy or food
Ensure to be visible around the school
Incorporate student interaction wherever possible
Relate learning to real life
Give High Fives/fist pumps
Play music
Incorporate group activities
Set up class so that up to 8 kids are sitting and working together
Alliterative names
Current Things Teachers are Doing to Build Relationships
Ask students about their day-show an interest in their lives by asking about their interests and commenting on their activities
Active listening with students
Show that I am human
Put kids in teams and work with them to bond into a functioning team
Share personal stories/ experiences/interests
Use sense of humor—self deprecating
Up front about my nerdy tendencies and flaunt them
Joke around with students/humor
Use of humor without sarcasm
Treat students like an adult until they can’t handle it
Create a relaxed atmosphere with high expectations
Constantly at school and have no life
Focus on building a classroom rapport within the first few days
Take an interest in students as individuals
Communicate if I’m having a bad day
Include a variety of activities within a period to address student needs
Have “Movie Review Monday” where student review movies currently in the theaters
Display my frog collection, which gives students an easy way to approach me in conversation
Talk about my monster-size son
Acknowledge students by name when I see them outside of class
Take survey—use class data in examples
Ask about what they are doing on the weekend and try to remember on Monday about their weekend plans
Share events/personal info from my life
Tell stories related to content
Be available to help
Letter exchange
Collaboration/group work
I always wanted my boss to like me so I am sort of like their boss and I demonstrate I like them
Get to know names early on
Move around class during the period and always visit when I give help
Make eye contact
Focus on each student and don’t take interruptions
Open my room for extra help during lunch, before, and after school
Ask students questions
Ask students to create norms
Activity: students share 3 things about themselves
Line up by: age, birthday or other type of order
Relate to students by coming to their level
Solicit student input on curriculum and class activities
Use of student leadership helpers
Talk to students individually while they are in groups
Second day of school, I assign students to give a short welcoming Spanish presentation to the class, talking about their likes, family, activities, etc.
Students complete 3x5 card on first day to write their Spanish name and 3 things they would like me to know about them Have students fill out personal questionnaires and try to use info from every student throughout the year either in lessons or on assessments (ex. favorite food, TV shows, etc.)
Before I cover the syllabus, I prove I can address each student by name
Talk about anything besides the subject I teach
Always engaged with class and not sitting at my desk
Force teamwork by assigning study teams
Class survey on skills: language spoken, places traveled, sports played, musical instruments performed
Mindfully amiable and relentlessly positive with my student interactions
Last 3 minutes talk about what I am doing outside of school and what they are doing outside of school
Sing in hallway at passing time
Tangents are okay in class
Talk about common interests
Mathography
Share current personal events
Birthday pencils
Send message that no one is perfect
Comment on T-shirt messages/logos
Ask about their family by name or pet
Discuss music/movies you know they like
Set up peer mentoring in various groupings
Participate in the activities with students
Retreat activities: 3-day retreat interspersed throughout the year in classes
Provide social events
Use students as facilitators whenever possible
Create class social contract
Establish trust in the class
Classroom charter with student buy-in
Use of learning styles in class
Break big concepts down and empathize with student questions
Each student comes before the curriculum
Understand individual strengths/weaknesses
Involve students in lesson planning
First couple of days spent on fun activities
Frequent check-ins with students
Recognize with students when they are having a good or bad day
Validating and respecting every question asked
Encourage students to give feedback and ask questions
Have students create a Vision Board about themselves
Name quiz activity
Student birthdays on my calendar and announce each day
Shout-outs on sports and other activity days
Comments on back of formative checks---they share, I share
Point out when I mess up or make mistakes
Take pauses during class to ask students how they feel and what they are thinking
Community building activities the first 3 days of school
Student biography power points
Students teach the class about their favorite things
Rotate groups
Ask students to email me intro over the summer and then individually reply to each one
Use of non-content brainteasers/warm-up puzzles