The Growing Teacher

Why would you think that connection is important? What drives people to engage and connect with each other?

Humans are driven to connect, engage and communicate with each other. Connection is an important part of life, as well as being an educator. Connecting with your students creates a safe, engaging and happy learning environment. If your learners do not feel connected to you, this can or could cause a decrease in progress, interest during lessons and slow the learning process. This then leads to your students being unhappy or not enjoying your class where they won’t learn effectively.

Do you feel appreciated in your work place? Are you driven to grow within your organisation? If so, then that meant that you feel valued, connected to your peers or colleagues. Being part of a team means building connections and bridges that drives or helps you to succeed. This is the same for your students.

Engage with your students on a daily basis, connecting with them is one of the most important tools you can use in your classroom. Connection builds neurons and pathways in the brain which tells you that you are accepted and appreciated in your learning environment.

This could be as easy as: saying hello to each of your students, with a smile on your face, when they walk into your classroom; giving them a high-five, baby five or even a fist bump. Asking them, “How do you feel today?” I have even seen videos of teachers doing a dance, special handshake, a routine with each student that is special and unique to them. In my school in South Africa, we used to let the children rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 4 after your hand shack (4 = ecstatic, 3 = good, 2 = sad, 1 = really low). This could then help me gage what my students were feeling and support them to feel safe, happy, accepted and even connected so that they can learn. If a students was feeling low, I had to make sure that they felt safe, accepted and appreciated before they would learn anything. We don’t know what students go through before they start their school day with us, and this is so vitally important. My ex-principal, from South Africa, has a business called Keller Education, where they focus on these type of skills to enhance your learning classroom, (this is not sponsored), AND I still use these skills today in my own teaching. Every classroom evaluation that I receive rates highly with student engagement and connection, that is only because I have been taught the importance of connection and the value it contains.

Remember, we can change only one life at a time. Let’s start with connecting with our students to make them feel safe, appreciate and accepted. Connection is… KEY.