The Power Of Connection

Connect with Kids First 

I read a great article about enjoying teaching and connecting with kids. The excerpt below is from teachingwithsimplicity.com. The ideas come from the book Unshakable written by Angela Watson

Make a connection with five kids every day.  In order to keep myself focused, I’m a list maker. So, I really liked this idea. Divide your class into fifths. You will “assign” each of your students a day of the week.  Make a list of those names for each day.  Of course, they don’t know that the list exists.  On “their” day, pay special attention to those students on the list. Give them a little more feedback, provide praise, or simply give them a smile. Look for the good in those students. If you follow your list, by the end of the week you will have connected with each student on a personal level. Great idea!
The other idea that stuck out to me was to surprise kids with compliment slips and appreciation notes.  Tuck these positive notes away and when students are least expecting it, slip them a note.  Before long, you may see those unruly students begin to make changes in hopes that you will notice them, and they will receive a special note.  It’s a win-win for everyone!


After reading the article, it reminded me of the power of connection. Engaging and connecting with our students is the start of our success with them.

The fact is, we know that our students won't learn from us if they think we don't like them or care for them. As we move into our 4th full week of school, it is important for us to remember that the work we did at the beginning of school to build relationships with our students doesn't end as we shift our focus to content and data. Words are powerful, but even more powerful are the non-verbal clues that we give our students everyday. Frustration can show on our face and in the way we hold our body. Please know that children are experts at reading the non-verbal cues of adults. Every interaction, even when redirecting and refocusing must be delivered with respect and kindness. Kids deserve it!

As we move into the new week, please remember that teaching a child, in all it's fullness, includes modeling respect, empathy, cooperation, and numerous other social skills that we each maneuver through every day. It starts with each of us. If our students are not mastering the teach-to's that we expect, it is really not their fault. They need more practice and we need to provide that for them. Remember, showing anger and frustration is not the way to build trust and relationships. Smile.... let them know you are happy to continue to model for them and give them opportunities to "get it right".

Please let me know ASAP if you have any school-wide teach-to's that your class does really well. I would like to arrange to get several video's done for any new students that come to Holiday Park. It could be fun and I am sure that your students would love to participate.

Thank you to each of you for all of the hard work you are doing to ensure our students are thriving. You matter and what you do each day impacts our students lives beyond measure.