It’s that time of year again… August…Back to school!
Back to school for students means new classes, new friends, new teachers, new bus stops, new schedules, new locker codes, new lunch times, and new snack times… And maybe even a new school! There is SO much new, and so much information coming at kids all at once. Since there is so much newness coming in hot… It can definitely be overwhelming for kids (and parents, too!)
It is so important for teachers and tutors to take intentional time out of the first week of school to just focus on building relationships with their kids. When you take the time to allow students to share their interests, strengths, and passions… It shows that you genuinely care about them and what they love to do when they are not in your classroom and/ or tutoring session. Also, it is key to know how to integrate their individual strengths and interests when times at school get tough. Having an opportunity to incorporate student passions with any academic subject increases engagement… Automatically!
Not only does building relationships help you out when you are working with kids who are starting to struggle in an academic area, but.. Genuinely knowing students increases trust and allows students to feel comfortable failing. In order to learn… Students need to fail. Remember when your child was learning how to ride a bike? I bet that they fell off of their bike… Not only once… but probably a few times! Aaaand… They were comfortable falling in front of you.. and with you. It’s totally wonderful to make mistakes… And students need to feel comfortable with who they are working with in order to grow.
Confidence… confidence… Confidence! Having someone who you trust says, “You absolutely just crushed the way that you read through that difficult multi-syllable word,” increases student confidence. When students trust who they are with, and that person is continually pumping them up… Being their personal cheerleader… They believe them… And.. in turn… They genuinely believe in themselves and all of the amazing things they can do!
This. Is. Why. We. Intentionally. Build. Relationships. With. Kids. Right. From. The. Start.
It helps to build and gain confidence in subject areas that may seem difficult for your kids. It helps students feel comfortable making mistakes during our sessions together. It helps students feel comfortable just to be themselves. Everyone has quirks. We embrace them… And celebrate them. We like to laugh with students… And I know this sounds craaaaazyyyyy… Buuuut… We also like to have fun with students WHILE they are learning! Building relationships is huge… And makes the biggest difference… In the most positive way ever.
How do we build relationships with students?
- We ask them questions about anything and everything that they are interested in such as:
- What was your favorite part of summer break?
- If you could do anything that you wanted to do… You’re in charge… What would you do? Where would you go?
- What is your favorite sport, hobby, or activity when you are not in school?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
- If you traveled to a deserted island, what would you bring with you?
- If you were a principal in charge of the school, what classes would be taught at your school? What would the school day look like?
- We play games with them! I mean. Who doesn’t love an old-school game of Tic-Tac-Toe, Pictionary, Guess the word, Charades… Etc?! And YES.. we are able to do all of this through the virtual model!
It is so fun to get creative with ways in which you build relationships with kids. These are just sample strategies that you can use to connect with students… However… There are bottomless silly and fun ways to connect! Regardless of age, it is so vital to get to know the kids you are working with… And vice versa… The kids need to have an opportunity to get to know who we are as well!
Happy August… Happy 2022-2023 school year to all… It’s going to be an EPIC year! We are so looking forward to being your child’s cheerleader.