Just like everyone, your students will have unique qualities that make up their individuality. These qualities are developed from the environment in which the student is raised as well as inheritance through the family.
Each student has something unique to be offered to the classroom and to the world. In the midst of growing up, sometimes these special qualities often get clouded by the need to be accepted and to follow the crowd. The student succumbs to the pressure from peers and squelches all of the things that make him/her unique in order to fit in. This is where the teacher can step in and encourage students to be themselves by incorporating activities in the classroom that foster self esteem.
1. Recognize the Student’s Strengths in the Classroom
Find something the student excels at and emphasize this strength. For instance if the student is good at one aspect of a classroom lesson, recognize the student for this strength by having him/her assist other students who are struggling with this aspect of the lesson. Many times you will find that if students are recognized for strength, they will strive to achieve in other areas.
2. Be Specific with Compliments
Telling the class that you are proud of them does not convey to the students exactly why you are proud of them. Praise students individually and let them know exactly what it was that they did that made you proud of them. They are more likely to repeat the achievement and be more attentive in the classroom environment.
3. Display Your Student’s Work
Students look for approval and recognition from adults and displaying their work is a great way to communicate praise, as well as provide the student with the advantage of receiving praise from others. The student will also be more likely to turn out their best work if they know that others will be viewing their achievement.
4. Show Respect for the Student
Your students will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and in some cases; the student’s trust in adults has been breached. This can occur through abuse or neglect in the home environment, belittling from another teacher, a crime committed against the student, and many other unfortunate related incidents.
Establishing a trusting relationship with some students takes time and patience and is not an easy task. Consistently show your respect for these students, persevere, and most likely the student will eventually begin to trust you.
Remember if your students trust you, they will be more relaxed in the classroom environment and more receptive to learning.
5. Attend Your Student’s Extracurricular Activities
Get to know what your students do when they are not in your classroom. Attending their extracurricular activities shows your support for them as a whole person and not just what they do in your classroom. It shows that your concern extends beyond how they achieve in your classroom. In addition, some of your students do not have any support in the home environment, which means most likely no one is attending their extracurricular activities. Seeing a teacher there will mean the world to your students, boost their self-esteem as well as their academic achievement in the classroom.
By: J.C. Sprenger
Posts Tagged ‘Respect’
Five Ways to Build Student’s Self-Esteem
March 12th, 2010Tips on Communicating With Difficult Parents
March 10th, 2010
Communication with parents is one of the most difficult challenges a new teacher will face. The student teaching experience doe not adequately prepare new teachers for parental interaction and certainly does not prepare new teachers for the difficult parents.
Difficult parents are everywhere in every school district in every location of this country. Of course, you will run across the supportive parents, but the difficult ones will require some extra effort on mastering communications. Mastering the art of interacting with difficult parents means your first year of teaching will be a lot less stressful.
Here are a few survival tips on communication with difficult parents:
Listen Attentively
Event the most unreasonable parent wants to be heard. If a parent is berating you, respond in a manner that indicates you heard what they said. Calmly use comments like, “so, you are angry” or, “I understand why you feel that way, but….” Do this in a calm tone of voice and then listen to what happens to the parent’s tone of voice. In most cases, you will find the parent backing down.
Do Not Argue
Do not argue with an angry parent because this will send the message that the parent can push your buttons and that you are easy to control. As frustrated as you may be, maintain a calm tone of voice and you will find this will neutralize the situation rather quickly.
Do Not Accuse
Whatever you do, never accuse a parent of anything. You may be tempted to do this when dealing with the enabling parent who expects you to do everything for their child to the point where the child is no longer making an effort. State your case in a calm tone of voice and set specific boundaries that indicate where the teaching accommodation ends and the child must take responsibility.
Expect Respect
As much as you may not want to, respect the difficult parent and insist that they respect you in return. If the parent continues to be verbally abusive, remain silent and walk away, or suggest they return at another time when they can talk to you in a civil manner.
Maintain Eye Contact
Make sure you are eye level with the parent and do not hide behind any structural object during the interaction. This will send the message to the parent that you are not intimidated by the situation and you are confident in who you are and what you do.
Be Silent
A difficult parent is usually one who thrives on exerting power over others. If you react in the same manner, you are fueling the fire and further aggravating the situation. Remaining silent to their attacks is like denying a fire the air it needs to thrive; it will weaken the flame as well as deny the parent the attention they seek.
Remember that as a first year teacher you still have rights not to be treated as the rookie. In addition, your well being is essential to the success of what will be the most stressful year of your career.
By: J.C. Sprenger
