Relationships

This exercise’s primary purpose is to make sure all students feel seen and acknowledged for their existence and the importance of them coming to school. Also, to start the day with a big smile and a sincere welcome.

When students feel securely-attached to the teacher, they know they can count on them for emotional and physical support. And this may encourage them to take more emotional risks and to connect better with classmates.

 

(No materials needed).

 

Depending on how the procedure is at your school, you can either chose to say “Hello” and look your students in their eyes when they enter the class (suitable for the older students) or line them up in the hall outside the classroom door, saying good morning to each student by name.

 

 Basically, there are many options. You can let them choose from either a hug, hand shake, a dance move or high-fve greeting – to just looking them in their eyes and greeting them good morning as what feel most natural.

 

• What do you do to make each of your students feel seen daily?

• Can eye contact make a diference?

• How would you implement more eye contact in your class?

 

Students are feeling a part of – and essential to the teacher and the class as a whole.

 

Implementing this tool as a routine; otherwise, it has no efect. This is the simplest, and the most important, personal connection to practice every day that makes a big diference. In all my years as a teacher, I did this with my students as an instinct.