One of the biggest struggles for a teacher is to make sure they make time for each and every learner each and every day. But if we are successful in making a little time for each learner every single day, the impact on their lives is simply immeasurable. The impact on your life is even greater. This is the best teaching trick I ever learned about in college.
Make Time For Each Learner
Why is it important to make time for each learner? The reasons are endless but so important. The first reason is that the relationship between a student and teacher is the backbone of the classroom. Students will behave better, work harder, and perform better for a teacher who shows their students that THEY matter. And yes, many times the teacher needs to tell their students that THEY MATTER.
Another great reason to take time for each student is to see problems before they happen. When you know your class, you see the problems before they start and you praiseworthy events as they begin. A teacher who is invested in each learner can tell if a smile is off which could indicate a student is having a rough morning. A teacher can also see a smug grin telling you something fantastic occurred last night.
How can we make time for every learner?
My first tip is to greet each student daily.
Tell them good morning and state their name. “Good Morning, Billy. Tell me about the shirt you have on.” This lets your students see the correct way to greet others, especially adults. It also makes a mental note of their attendance that day. Additionally, but not surprisingly for all teachers, some students do not know their actual names! They may go by a shortened name or nickname for years. Can you refer to them by their shortened name or nickname? Absolutely. But you may find that some students enjoy learning and hearing their actual names too.
Notice how I threw in an additional statement to their greeting?! This is a great way to get them talking to you. I can’t always do it, especially if a group walks in together but asking questions is important. Ask them what their favorite color is that morning, what they did over the weekend, or what happened in that book they have been reading.
What about telling each student goodbye? YES. I look at each child as they leave my classroom and tell them goodbye and give them an additional closing remark such as “I can’t see you again tomorrow.” or “I hope you show your mommy how great you tied your shoes today!”
Next, make sure you compliment each student every day.
I aim to compliment my students verbally. Most of my students enjoy verbal praise in front of other students, but I have to make note of those who prefer a quieter way of praising students. If you have a large class or just a rambunctious group, some of those quieter students tend to “hide” but they need our praise and attention too. If you find yourself struggling to make sure you complement each and every student, keep a class list in your pocket. Put a quick dot by each student’s name as you compliment them. This will ensure each student gets at least one little piece of praise. You can also aim for more compliments per day too!
Once my class gets used to my verbal praises I find that they start praising each other and often. It isn’t uncommon for another student to see the good actions of another student and tell them so before I can get there. Awesome.
Give Them a Special Job
Another step in making time for each learner includes giving them a special job. I give each and every student a “special job” for me to do in the classroom for the entire year. For example, I choose a student to monitor the light switch as needed. Another student gets to be the pencil sharpener. I make sure I find a job for each and every student. It helps the classroom run smoother and it gives each student a special purpose. Need more ideas to cover each student? Someone can grab my sunglasses for me before recess since I always forget. Another can wipe down Daily 5 Necklaces. You always need a chair pusher, a library straightener, a classroom shoe tier, a table cleaner, and a headset winder just to name a few more ideas.
Still, an additional way to make time for each student is to make a calendar or use your daily planner to write down information about each student. You should keep a list of who has siblings and how many. Who plays what sport and what days of the week do you think they play? I try my very best to visit each student at their activity at least once a school year. I go to soccer fields, baseball diamonds, ballet recitals, and concerts. If their events cost money or are too hard to get to, I try to attend a practice or send them a postcard on the day of their event so they know I am thinking about them.
Understand Their Love Language
My last school had a school-wide initiative to use the 5 Love Languages with our students. Each student in the school was given the quiz and their love languages were tracked. A copy was sent home with their parents and we kept a copy. I made a list and kept it posted so I could easily see each student’s love language. This was a huge help to save me time and also make time for each learner. I knew who valued time with me verse who needed positive praise. {Here is a link to The Five Love Languages for Children and The Five Love Languages for Teenagers.}
Sit Down with Students Regularly and Listen
My last tip is to make time to sit down with students regularly and listen. You will be pleased to discover new tidbits of information when you sit at a table with those using building blocks to construct cars or putting together a puzzle. It can also be while students are completing a worksheet or art project. It just requires your time and ears. If you don’t feel like you have time to spare, I ask you to rethink how you are spending your time. You simply do not have time to NOT invest in the relationships in your classroom. If you listen to the things they deem as important, they will listen to the things you deem as important.
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