Getting to Know Students
Getting to know my students is central to teaching them. Throughout my professional career and education I have learned that getting to know students is the best way to engage them, to ensure that they feel seen, and to tailor instruction to generate student engagement and buy-in. Students learn best when they are interested in the content, when they see themselves reflected in the learning.
In my student teaching experience I have worked to get to know students by:
1. A project I completed with students where they mapped their heritage
2. A picture of a survey I created to collect personal and demographic data
3. An infographic I created using information about where my students’ families are from
In my student teaching experience I have worked to get to know students by:
- Conducting surveys that ask about their interests, home lives, and preferences
- Communicating daily with students through journal prompts
- Conversing with each student about non-academic topics as much as possible
- Remembering and recalling details that students share with me during conversations
- Presenting myself as a trusted adult for students to use as a resource
1. A project I completed with students where they mapped their heritage
2. A picture of a survey I created to collect personal and demographic data
3. An infographic I created using information about where my students’ families are from
