Say what?
Someone asked me a few days ago if I knew what the 3Rs meant? Quickly, I began thinking of 3 different, education-related words that began with R. Obviously, relationships would be one, but I couldn't think of any other ones. About 30 seconds went by, and then I heard, "relationships, relationships, relationships." These are the 3Rs, and relationships should be at the forefront of every educators' minds as we move closer to the start of the school year.
Teachers have a unique job, where they get to establish brand-new relationships every year. This unique job presents challenges, but a challenge that all teachers must take on in order to have a successful school year. We all know that a strong student-teacher relationship will go a long way to having a successful school year with each child. Therefore, we need to make sure that we focus on building those relationships.
Teachers also need to build relationships with their colleagues too. We have all heard 'PLCs' over the years, but the single most important fact about a strong PLC is healthy, strong relationships. We need to be able to trust the people that we work with, so that we can have those challenging conversations with each other to make us better.
We cannot forget about our families. I LOVE to build relationships with the families of students in my classroom. It is important that we get to know the children in our classroom, but also learn about their lives outside of school. Finding times to invite families into the classroom is a good thing, it provides you with a chance to make the home-school connection even stronger. A healthy relationship with families can only help make the school year even better.
Below are a few quick tips that you can try to get a jump start on relationships this next school year. These are different things that I have tried, and it definitely created stronger bonds with my students, colleagues and families.
Students
Someone asked me a few days ago if I knew what the 3Rs meant? Quickly, I began thinking of 3 different, education-related words that began with R. Obviously, relationships would be one, but I couldn't think of any other ones. About 30 seconds went by, and then I heard, "relationships, relationships, relationships." These are the 3Rs, and relationships should be at the forefront of every educators' minds as we move closer to the start of the school year.
Teachers have a unique job, where they get to establish brand-new relationships every year. This unique job presents challenges, but a challenge that all teachers must take on in order to have a successful school year. We all know that a strong student-teacher relationship will go a long way to having a successful school year with each child. Therefore, we need to make sure that we focus on building those relationships.
Teachers also need to build relationships with their colleagues too. We have all heard 'PLCs' over the years, but the single most important fact about a strong PLC is healthy, strong relationships. We need to be able to trust the people that we work with, so that we can have those challenging conversations with each other to make us better.
We cannot forget about our families. I LOVE to build relationships with the families of students in my classroom. It is important that we get to know the children in our classroom, but also learn about their lives outside of school. Finding times to invite families into the classroom is a good thing, it provides you with a chance to make the home-school connection even stronger. A healthy relationship with families can only help make the school year even better.
Below are a few quick tips that you can try to get a jump start on relationships this next school year. These are different things that I have tried, and it definitely created stronger bonds with my students, colleagues and families.
Students
- Send postcards prior to open house, welcoming students to your classroom and getting them excited about school.
- Send video messages to your students via QR readers.
- Invite your class to complete surveys about their interest. Use this information to learn about each student.
- Eat lunch with the class and individual students throughout the first month of school and beyond.
- Play games with your students... a lot of get to know you games.
- Share information about yourself, A LOT! Let them know that you are a real person too
- Maintain positive interactions with students and let them know that you really do care...Handshake, high fives, smiles can go a long way.
- ALWAYS greet your students at the door. Stop what you are doing, stop copying and be there to welcome each student as they walk in the door. Trust me, they notice!
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| The relationships from this class were beyond AMAZING and I will always remember them! |
Colleagues
- Get in touch with colleagues over the summer.
- Plan fun events with each other.
- Always celebrate! Celebrate birthdays, family events, success.
- Set clear expectations and hold each other accountable.
- Don't be afraid to ask why. It never hurts to clarify.
- Play games with your colleagues. It is okay to have a little fun.
- Don't forget the treats... Every teacher loves treats and it allows people to relax.
Families
- Communicate always... email, phone call, positive notes home!
- Host a optional meet the teacher. I know this might seem like a lot, but it just gives the family, time to get to know you better AND you can get to know them better too.
- Call every parent during the first month of school, let them know that you care and your excitement about being their child's teacher.
- Host 3 events a year outside of school. I have done bowling with my class, sporting events, beach parties and reading parties. Being in an environment outside of school allows you to build your relationships even more with your students.
- Set expectations and be consistent. Families appreciate consistency and transparency. This will build trust and develop the strong relationship.
- Have families complete surveys. Use this information to help you get to know the family.
I am challenging myself to work harder to build positive, strong relationships this school year. With my new role, I definitely want to get to know all the students at our school. I want to learn what makes them truly, who they are. I want to greet them by name and let them know that I care, and that our school is better because them!
What do you do to build relationships with students, colleagues and families? Let's share some ideas and get the year started the right way. Post your comments below. I am still pondering my next blog post title, but a few ideas include top ten things to do to start the year, open house tips, or fun with data. We will see in a few weeks what I decide to do. Until then, keep on being AWESOME and thanks for reading!
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