Getting to know your students as individuals

What is this practice?

Getting to know students as individuals in and outside your classroom is more than just knowing what grades they usually get in class and anecdotes you may have heard about them. Knowing your students as whole people means getting to know their interests, backgrounds, experiences, challenges, passions, and more. After all, the time they spend in your classroom is only a fraction of their daily life.

Why is it important?

The most effective first step you can take in the clinical experience is to find out who your students are. This means taking time to talk with them and building relationships, but it also means understanding the community they live in (see TC Practice: Getting to Know Your School and the Communities It Serves). Learning about your students right from the beginning is crucial for creating rapport and the safe environment that is so important for their learning, and has been shown to positively affect academic outcomes[1]. Getting to know students is also a matter of equity—of understanding what all students have to offer (beyond what they first put forth) and growing in your capacity to support students within and beyond the classroom community.

Tips for doing this practice effectively

Consider getting to know your students with a three-pronged approach: observation, communication, and information.

More…

[1] Gehlbach, H., Brinkworth, M. E., & Harris, A. D. (2012). Changes in teacher-student relationships. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(4), 690-704.

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