Earlier this week during our district-wide inservice, I spoke to the staff about the need to focus our attention on those variables (that we can control) that affect student learning. Specifically, I mentioned the need to support and provide effective instruction. Later that day, a teacher mentioned that while effective instruction is important, it is equally important for educators to focus on building relationships with students. To gloss over the personal or human side of education was my mistake; I appreciate him bringing this to my attention.
An easy way to identify the traits of a good instructor is to ask someone to remember their best teacher. When asked why they chose this person, one of the common responses is that the teacher connected with me. Clearly, a teacher’s assignment is much broader than teaching content. It includes maintaining a social awareness, understanding child or adolescent psychology and then applying the two to make a tie with students. A teacher can’t be a buddy to a student, but he or she should make a personal connection. This personal connection is important for some of our more reticent students and may be the needed difference to help them have success at school.
Teachers making a personal connection
Earlier this week during our district-wide inservice, I spoke to the staff about the need to focus our attention on those variables (that we can control) that affect student learning. Specifically, I mentioned the need to support and provide effective instruction. Later that day, a teacher mentioned that while effective instruction is important, it is equally important for educators to focus on building relationships with students. To gloss over the personal or human side of education was my mistake; I appreciate him bringing this to my attention.
An easy way to identify the traits of a good instructor is to ask someone to remember their best teacher. When asked why they chose this person, one of the common responses is that the teacher connected with me. Clearly, a teacher’s assignment is much broader than teaching content. It includes maintaining a social awareness, understanding child or adolescent psychology and then applying the two to make a tie with students. A teacher can’t be a buddy to a student, but he or she should make a personal connection. This personal connection is important for some of our more reticent students and may be the needed difference to help them have success at school.