Getting to know your students is so important for a number of reasons. The better you know your students, the better you can help reach them and adjust your teaching style to cater to their individual needs as learners. It can also help with classroom management, assessment, and a variety of other things.
But, you're wondering, how exactly can I get to know my students? Keep reading to find out!
1. Personal Interviews/Conferencing: You can conduct personal interviews with your students in order to get to know a little bit about each student. How will I have time for this? You could do this in a few ways:
- Complete this activity as a "Get to Know You" activity on the first day
- Conferencing with the student asking them the interview questions in learning stations (You can find a learning stations template here)
- Sending the questions home with your students and having them record their answers audibly
Personal interviews are a little like surveys and inventories, but different because you can read the student's facial expressions or gauge their answers by the tone of their voice rather than just a written response. Sometimes knowing what topics are sensitive or excite them can really make a difference when writing your curriculum for that particular class or semester. It can also help establish a connection with them that you would have otherwise not had.
2. Student Surveys/Inventories: Students really appreciate it when you take an interest in their lives and what they are actually interested in. On the first day of class, I have my students take an interest survey so that I can anticipate what they would like to see during the semester with me. This allows for me to see what their interests are, their dislikes, etc. I use this survey on the first day in my stations. It even comes with a Spanish version too!
3. Myers Briggs Personality Test: There are 16 different personality types and each has its own unique qualities that it brings to the table. I am an ENFJ - "The Protagonist"
Knowing what type of personality your students have can shed some light on to some of their behaviors. For example, last semester I had a first block class that just did not want to share their responses during lessons and I thought that it was because they were really sleepy in the mornings or something that I had done to upset them (I know, internalizing haha). However, it was neither! After they took the personality test, I found that more than three fourths of my students were introverts!
You can take the personality test here. I also have the students fill out a Google Form that just asks them about the strengths and weaknesses of their personality type, some famous people who share the same type, and what they learned about themselves from taking the test. You could do this electronically in a form like me, or use a paper worksheet as well.
4. Learning Type Surveys: Figuring out as much as you can about your student's learning style will help you provide engaging lessons that students can retain and enjoy! There are three basic types of learners:
- Auditory
- Visual
- Kinesthetic
I have my students take a learning type survey on the first day as a part of our First Day Stations. There are so many surveys out there! Google "Learning Type Survey" and find one that best suits your classroom. Some are longer than others but at the end of the survey, you can figure out which type your learners are to better meet their needs in the classroom.
And finally...
5. Spending time with your students outside of class: Being with your students all class long can be a window into who they are, but spending even more time with them outside of class can really go a long way in the process of getting to know each other. This could be done by:
- Attending games, club meetings, or practices
- Eating lunch with your students
- Attending birthday parties
- Being present before/after school
I teach high school so even when students are not in my class anymore (or before they become my students; I teach 10th and 11th grade), I am sure to say hello and try to establish or maintain my relationship with that student. It really can go a long way.
I hope that these tips were helpful for you and that you are able to develop deep, meaningful relationships with your students. I truly believe they are the key to success in the classroom!
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