Seven Way to Be the Teacher They'll Remember

I'll bet you have a teacher you remember from your own education. If you're anything like me, you want to be that teacher for your own students. Here are some suggestions!

Get to know them individually!

Each child has a special personality, special interests, and special families that love them. Getting to know all those parts to each child is no easy task. I find having a Morning Meeting sharing time helps getting to know them. I also have an end-of-the-day "High-Low" meeting (See THIS post and THIS post.) I also find that having private conversations, when possible, is also a great way to know them as individuals.
 

Let them get to know you!

Tell stories about yourself and your loved ones when you can fit it in. I always share at Morning Meeting as well as High-Low. I also share connections that I have with books we read and things we are learning. They particularly love when I tell about my cat!

Let them know you care!

I never miss an opportunity to let them know that I care. If someone is absent, that's my low of the day. If someone arrives late for class, I'll stop everything and let them know how glad I am to have them there. If someone is upset or hurt, I make it clear that it upsets and hurts me as well.

You may have heard it said before: they won't learn anything from you unless they know you care!
 

Be their biggest cheerleader!

Feedback is always important in the classroom. Most of the time, it should be positive. For some struggling students, that's not always easy, but I've found there's always something the child is doing well. Find that thing, and celebrate it! It doesn't even have to be academically related, but I'm sure there are plenty of those! Just a warning: not everyone wants to be singled out. Know these students, and be a private cheerleader for them. (Most students love getting notes celebrating their accomplishments!) This all reflects back to #1: Get to Know Each Child Individually!
 

Do fun things!

I'm sure you're already doing this one, along with most of the others! (Teachers who read educational blogs are always trying to make themselves better, agreed?) You probably already have a lot of tricks up your sleeve, but here are a few suggestions. 

• Do STEM/ STEAM projects!
• Play educational games!
• Bring "Team Building" games into Morning Meeting. (Some ideas HERE!)
  
• Include art projects and crafts!
• Find a super fun way to present research projects!
• Have them create puppets and put on shows!
  
• Have an "Author's Night!"
  
• Record and videotape educational activities! (Be careful who has access to this, of course!)
  
• Do a class play!

This last suggestion is near and dear to my heart. Why? Well, not only because I enjoy performing in regional theatre myself, but also because of the excitement! Brain research tells us that memories are very much connected to emotions! (See THIS post for more information!) Whenever students come back to visit, they always mention the plays and performances we shared. Such a shared experience is also great for building teamwork and community! (Want some scripts? Try THESE, or if you want something curriculum related, try THIS!)

Keep a safe classroom!

We've all heard "Maslow's Before Blooms," and I truly believe this matters.

 

 

As classroom teachers, we probably won't be able to reach all these levels, but the very basic needs are essential before any learning is going to happen! If they don't feel healthy and safe (Physiological Needs and Safety Needs), we might as well just toss the curriculum out the window. That third level, Love and Belonging, is one we can work on as well! Again, Morning Meetings are great for building community and making each child feel like an important member of the classroom!

Be a role model

This is more of a responsibility as much as a suggestion. If the children remember you, you want that memory to be inspiring. Some suggestions:

• Let them see you getting emotional when you read books.
• Let them see you making mistakes, and responding appropriately.
• Talk about something that bothered you, and what you did about it.
• Let them see you showing kindness and respect to the other students as well as other adults in the school.
• Write thank you cards for gifts they give.
• Let them see you taking care of your health. Talk about the exercising you do and the healthy food you prepare.
• Be a good listener.
• Talk about how you stay organized.
• Let them see you doing things you don't necessarily want to do... with a smile.
• Be positive, even when times are tough.
• Always say please, thank you, and all those other magic words!
• Think out loud. Let them know the reasons for your actions.
• Show extra respect to all the extra helpers in the building: secretaries, custodians, kitchen workers, and assistants. Let the children see that you appreciate what they do for your students.