Begin
To Earn Their Trust on Day One!
Trust:
Too often
teachers feel it’s only their job to show up to work, teach their subject and
go home. Sorry, it’s way more than
that. Students are scared on the first
day. Teachers should not ignore this
fact. Students, like most human beings,
just want to be in the presence of someone who cares. Sit with them and discuss how their day is
going. Don’t stand in front of the room
but sit with them. This shows them that
you get it, you understand, and you, like them, want tomorrow to be better than
today. Share with them your “first day”
experiences, as long as they are stories of nervousness and uncertainty. This allows them to connect to you. Now, building trust has just begun.
Ensuring Safety:
The student’s
safety is your number one priority.
Notice I did not say telling them about the “upcoming tests” they will
have to do, or that “major project” that is due in 4 weeks that they have no
idea about. That instruction has its
time and place and it’s not on the first day of school. They need to feel safe physically, socially
and mentally/emotionally. Be sure to let
them know that you are someone that they can come to for any question or
concern. If you scare them on the first
day with instruction, introduction games, intimidation or any other confusion,
then you’ve lost them forever. Keep it
simple and assure them everything will be o.k.
Saying that one sentence really makes all the difference.
Reliability:
If the above
two points have been reached, then they will rely on you for emotional
support. This is a great quality to have
as a teacher and it comes with time. The
more they rely on you for safety, trust and a caring person, the better. Your face should bring peace to their hearts
and they should smile when they see you.
Showing up to work and being there as often as possible always
helps. Stay away from meetings and
committees that force you to be out of the classroom. You will have more trust in your students if
you’re there than if your not. This will
reduce all other classroom conflicts. If
they rely on you, then you need to rely on them.
Consistency:
Continuing to
do these things will make you a better person and teacher to all students. Keep it up.
If you let these above points slide - even for a second - the students will begin to lose your trust
little by little. Consistency is the key
for classroom teachers. In this day,
many students lack consistency in their own lives. Home is chaotic and unpredictable. School is a getaway for many youth, so make
it rich with consistency of good practice and a caring environment that is
always there to help, correct, and care.
Remember, your job is the learner and their development as good citizens.
Equality
in the Classroom: Diverse Environments.
Equality:
Classrooms
are the most diverse environments in today’s work place. Students should be taught the importance of
treating everyone as an equal. This is
not easy work, but it can be done.
Making sure to correct student behavior that is prejudiced, sexist, and
racist as soon as it’s recognized will set the tone that your classroom is a
zone of fairness and safety for all people, all of the time. Never fail to listen or correct comments that
do not display equality. The second it’s
ignored, the more conflict will arise.
Unity:
Your
classroom and your students are a team.
Students have more in common than they know. Students all think they are very different
from one another, but in reality they are very much the same. Unmasking these commonalities, such as their
classes, grades, relationships, goals and their teacher’s expectations will
show them that they are indeed all in the same boat. Learning to work as a team is a life long skill
that will benefit any student who it is taught to. Lack of unity only leads to laziness,
destruction, resentment and hatred. School is no place for this and never
should be. Never be afraid to quote the
“golden rule”. The more they hear it the
more it becomes a part of their lives.
Fairness:
The only way
to teach fairness is to first display it and back it up. Students do what they see. Too often, we as teachers are outnumbered by
outside elements of unfairness that the students encounter. This can be corrected if we try. Teachers have a responsibility to be fair to
all students all of the time. Students
are quick to recognize an unfair situation, so limiting these situations will
allow for equality and unity to flourish.
Expect respect from everyone and hold everyone accountable for their
actions, whether it’s positive or negative.
Rewarding fairness on the student’s part will only breed more fairness.
The Future:
Teachers need to be comfortable with teaching these qualities. The above qualities will benefit every student in the future if they make them part of who they are and who they want to be. This takes years to accomplish, but teaching it has to start with us, the teacher. It’s our job, it’s our mission and remember, it’s their future. Help make it a bright one.