With each new school year, the anxiety and excitement builds as we get closer to learning who our new students will be and meeting them for the first time. This year things are so different for teachers across our nation; virtual, brick and mortar, or whatever other ways your district decides is best for each teacher and her students. However, building relationships is still extremely important, especially if you are teaching your students virtually.
Here are just some quick ideas to get you started on those first days:
- Introduce yourself to your students and their families through a letter, an email, a slideshow, or whatever format works for you. When you introduce yourself, make sure you show the personal side as well as the professional side – include pictures, talk about your family and your pets, include things you like to do.
- Whether virtual or in the classroom, take time to get to know your students on the very first day. In the classroom, you can do this through Consensograms or Getting to Know you Activities. If virtual, you could use Padlet, Survey Monkey, Google Forms, Micropoll, or others. Make sure either virtual or in the classroom, you respond to the questions too. Students love to see their teacher’s responses.
- Building class community the first day is imperative for building relationships. Morning messages are a great way to build community, and I started those the very first day. Reading the book, The Important Thing, and then having students work in small groups to write their own The Important Thing about ____ Grade is . . . is a great way to begin building classroom community.
Reflections from a Teacher 