Speaker:
February 13,2023
- a close and harmonious relationship in
which the people or groups concerned
understand each other's feelings or ideas
and communicate well.
I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
- Confucius
Teaching is the art of imparting
knowledge and making students
learn by experience.
When giving students feedback, we have to
be gentle, but also honest, if we want them
to stop making the same mistakes again.
So, what is the best way to deliver it?
The sandwich method of constructive criticism.
You start with a very positive remark, go on to the
honest comment, and end with a positive remark.
 The pieces of bread represent the good
remarks, while the ham or cheese (if
vegetarian) represents the critique.
The key to successful teaching is staying true to who
you are and living by your values. The best teacher
does not fake smiles or gets tired of teaching. The best
teacher enjoys interacting with her students and loves
strong connections, which she develops constantly.
The best teacher is a person who is not afraid
of putting herself in an uncomfortable
situation. She is so proud of her willingness
to share everything with her students that she
won’t stop being herself.
If you are interested in connecting with students, you should
probably get to know them better. Create activities that help
you understand their hobbies and passions and use them to
bring students closer to you. For instance, take them out for
a film and talk about it after. Analyse what they liked and
what they didn’t and listen to their opinions on the action.
Sometimes, our students invite us to different activities
outside of class. This is a big step towards a great studentteacher rapport, and also a great way to make
learning more meaningful to them. If you have the
necessary time, don’t hesitate to go. It’s not ‘weird’, ‘odd’,
or ‘unusual’.
Respectful teacher-student relationships are just as
important to middle and high school students as they
are to elementary students. Positive relationships
encourage students’ motivation and engagement in
learning.
An important form of respect in the
classroom could be saying ‘hi’ or ‘bye’
every time someone leaves the class. If
you’re leaving first, you have to say
‘goodbye’ first. If it’s them, they have to.
It makes students feel like their presence is
in class.
This detail, although small, will establish a
better connection with your dear students.
Having intelligent discussions and teaching them
students is great but do not forget about life. Teaching
your students’ life lessons through different activities
is extremely valuable. It develops their emotional
intelligence, which is extremely important.
Students can be playful, so if we want them to learn
something, we have to play their games. I am not saying
play hide and seek in the playground – I am talking
about asking random facts or telling funny stories to
them. Even making up a fun game can be a good idea.
When you don’t understand a certain student’s
behaviour, ask – never assume. This is a very
common mistake teachers make, and it is wrong.
Assuming your students ‘slam their books on
their desks because they are angry at you’, or
‘didn’t do their homework because they played
video games’ is very harmful to your relationship
with them.
Always ask them why they react a certain way and
keep an open mind to understand their problems.
If they have serious issues (maybe family-related),
make sure you take action.
Families play a crucial role in how students react at
school. So, include them in your teaching strategy. Ask
them to bring their families so that you can meet them.
This is a great way to bond with the people ‘behind the
curtains’ and understand where certain behaviours in
your students came from.
Creating rapport inside the classroom is essential
in being a teacher. It is not enough to master your
subject – You have to master your emotions and
open yourself in front of your students. You have to
keep an open mind and never be afraid of losing.
Your students’ confidence in themselves and
yourself comes from acceptance, broadmindedness, and interest. These feelings might be
one-sided at first, but as time goes by, your
students will start getting more involved.