Recently, I had the pleasure of working with EtonHouse Nanjing, looking at how they could begin their school year so that students feel a part of the community and to foster strong relationships. Below are some of the ideas we collaborated on.
As we begin the school year, either face to face with students, in distance learning, or in blended learning, we need to consider what is important for learning. Our goal to set up a community of learners for success should be to create a community of trust, collaboration and respect. How can we do this?
One of the most important factors is to develop relationships with students.
“A Review of Educational Research analysis of 46 studies found that strong teacher-student relationships were associated in both the short- and long-term with improvements on practically every measure schools care about: higher student academic engagement, attendance, grades, fewer disruptive behaviors and suspensions, and lower school dropout rates” (Sparks, 2019)
How can we develop relationships?
It is important that we take to get to know our students and show that we value them and all they bring to the learning community.
Find out what students are interested in:
Ask students what their interests are and what they like to do outside of school. The important thing is not only finding this out but ensuring that you incorporate these interests into the learning environment.
Ways to incorporate interests:
Provide access to books/videos and/or articles connected to their interests
Find time for learning to connect to interests
Communicate to them about their interests
Have them share their interest with others and teach others about their interest
Show interest in their interests so connections are not only focussed on what is taking place at school.
Survey Students:
The following are suggested questions you might like to ask in order to get to know your students.
Possible Questions
How do you think you will contribute to the class?
What sort of learning are you hoping to achieve this year?
How can I as your teacher help you?
What do you feel about school?
What do you like/don’t like about school?
What are your strengths when it comes to…?
What are you hoping to achieve this year?
Consider the questions you might ask as a way to get to know your students.
Identity Charts/Kits:
Provide time for students to consider ‘who they are’ and what their identity is. This can be done through them creating identity charts/posters/blogs and/or putting together an identity kit using artefacts as a way to share their identity. This can be built on throughout the year.
Development of Community
“By empowering students to exercise a degree of autonomous decision making, student choice makes students active participants in their educations, thereby increasing levels of engagement. Notably, researchers highlight the fact that such autonomy is generally associated with greater personal well‐being and satisfaction in educational environments, as well as in terms of academic performance.” (Hanover Research 2014)
The other area we discussed was making students feel that are a part of the development of the community. That they get a say in what and how that community functions.
Some ways to make students feel that they are contributing the community is to give them the opportunity to set up the environment.
Setting up the Environment (if at school face to face):
Have students involved in the organization of learning spaces that include:
Placement of furniture
Choice of furniture
Resources/Materials (where/what/how)
Allow students to bring in things that are special to them/or matter to them into the environment.
Co construct the space.
Decision Making
When do students get to make decisions in their learning? How can we promote this?
It is important that students see themselves as partners in the learning, that they get a choice and say in decisions at school.
Policy Development
Where do students have input in policy?
Have students involved in policy making in the school and/or review policies with them.
We develop policies for students but rarely have them involved in any decision making around them. Students can research the area connected to the policy to better understand it and be informed enough to make decisions.
Norms and Agreements
Have students create the norms/agreements for the class/year level in terms of expectations. Providing for them an idea of what they see important in terms of expectations.
In an effective learning community people share, grow, collaborate and learn together.
The important thing is to focus on what makes an effective learning community NOT what doesn’t and that students are the ones that are making those decisions. These can be adapted and changed throughout the year as students learn more about being a part of a community.
We want to change the idea of classroom management to classroom community.
Other Ideas for Decision Making
Introduce the topics to be covered for the term and ask students what order they would like to learn them in.
Have students create their own timetable.
Have students create collaborative agreements if working in groups.
Provide space in learning for students to follow their own interests.
Give them choice within their learning.
Systems and Processes
Have students consider the systems and processes that might be required for a community of learners to function effectively.
Questions to consider:
What can we put into place if we finish early?
How can we most effectively transition from place to place?
What routines do we think we need to establish? Why? How?
What can we do if we do not know something?
What resources do we need access to? Where can those be put?
The systems and processes can be changed and developed as the year progresses.
References:
Sparks, 2019 ‘Why Teacher-Student Relationships Matter: New findings shed light on best approaches’ Education Week (Edweek.org)
Hanover Research, 2014 ‘Impact of Student Choice and Personalized Learning’
Tania Lattanzio
Director
Innovative Global Education
Copyright: Innovative Global Education
