Connecting With Students

Fast-paced, high-stress, and overcrowded schools can make students feel depersonalized and disconnected from teachers and peers. But you can stay engaged with even the most disaffected student by using the strategies from this book. Learn how to use simple gestures, daily routines, and easy classroom activities to maintain a caring and supportive learning environment, without taking away from valuable class time. Dozens of practical strategies help you create an atmosphere of trust, encourage academic success, and turn social barriers into bridges. - Publisher How many teachers take the time to connect with students on a personal level? How do you find the time, anyway? Teachers who manage to transcend the normal student-teacher relationships can benefit everyone in school--particularly the ''challenging'' students--and, along the way, prevent school violence, support school safety, improve school climate, and promote learning. In a time of an increasingly rigid ''zero tolerance'' of the slightest hint of violence, which results in automatic suspension or expulsion, Allen N. Mendler calls for a more caring, flexible approach to school safety. Connecting with Students outlines dozens of positive strategies for bridging the gap between teacher and student through personal, academic, and social connections. Easily tailored to any learning environment, the activities and guidelines provide you with the tools you need in the classroom, from the ''H & H'' greeting to the ''2 x 10'' method, as well as the ''4H,'' ''think-aloud,'' and ''paradoxical'' strategies. As both teachers and administrators alter their own attitudes and behavior, they learn to listen to students and accommodate their needs. The end result will be lasting relationships that can foster deeper understanding and growth for educators and students alike. In this book, you will discover ways to stay optimistic and persistent and see your students as having something to teach you. Allen N. Mendler coauthored, with Richard L. Curwin, two ASCD books: Discipline with Dignity (rev. ed., 1999) and As Tough as Necessary: Countering Violence , Aggression, and Hostility in Our Schools (1997). How many teachers take the time to connect with students on a personal level? How do you find the time, anyway? Teachers who manage to transcend the normal student-teacher relationships can benefit everyone in school--particularly the'challenging'students--and, along the way, prevent school violence, support school safety, improve school climate, and promote learning. In a time of an increasingly rigid'zero tolerance'of the slightest hint of violence, which results in automatic suspension or expulsion, Allen N. Mendler calls for a more caring, flexible approach to school safety.Connecting with Students outlines dozens of positive strategies for bridging the gap between teacher and student through personal, academic, and social connections. Easily tailored to any learning environment, the activities and guidelines provide you with the tools you need in the classroom, from the'H & H'greeting to the'2 x 10'method and the'4H,''think-aloud,'and'paradoxical'strategies.As both teachers and administrators alter their own attitudes and behavior, they learn to listen to students and accommodate their needs. The end result will be lasting relationships that can foster deeper understanding and growth for educators and students alike. In this book, you will discover ways to stay optimistic and persistent and see your students as having something to teach you.Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book. How many teachers take the time to connect with students on a personal level? How do you find the time, anyway? Teachers who manage to transcend the normal student-teacher relationships can benefit everyone in school--particularly the "challenging" students--and, along the way, prevent school violence, support school safety, improve school climate, and promote learning. In a time of an increasingly rigid "zero tolerance" of the slightest hint of violence, which results in automatic suspension or expulsion, Allen N. Mendler calls for a more caring, flexible approach to school safety. Connecting with Students outlines dozens of positive strategies for bridging the gap between teacher and student through personal, academic, and social connections. Easily tailored to any learning environment, the activities and guidelines provide you with the tools you need in the classroom, from the "H & H" greeting to the "2 x 10" method and the "4H," "think-aloud," and "paradoxical" strategies. As both teachers and administrators alter their own attitudes and behavior, they learn to listen to students and accommodate their needs. The end result will be lasting relationships that can foster deeper understanding and growth for educators and students alike. In this book, you will discover ways to stay optimistic and persistent and see your students as having something to teach you This book outlines positive strategies for bridging the gap between teachers and students through personal, academic, and social connections, offering a guide to help teachers create a personalized refuge of safety and risk-taking for all students. After explaining why and how to use the book, information is presented on: "Identifying Disconnected Students"; "Necessary Attitudes and Feelings" (e.g., view challenging students as having something to teach, get past zero tolerance, build on strengths, and make the classroom safe from physical danger and embarrassment); "Strategies for Developing Personal Connection" (e.g., collect personal index cards, smile, think aloud, offer notes of appreciation, play students' music occasionally, create acronym nicknames, be protective, and have fun together); "Strategies for Developing Academic Connection" (e.g., take photos of students as they work on projects, show students they can overcome obstacles, specify daily learning objectives, limit pop quizzes, and be curious together); and "Strategies for Developing Social Connection" (e.g., have a problems and solutions center, let students make some of the rules, hold occasional class meetings, and break bread together). The final section, "For the Administrator," explains the administrator's role in this effort. (Contains 25 references.) (SM) Acknowledgments......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 Why This Book?......Page 14 How to Use This Book......Page 15 Identifying Disconnected Students......Page 17 Necessary Attitudes and Feelings......Page 18 Strategies for Developing Personal Connection......Page 28 Strategies for Developing Academic Connection......Page 52 Strategies for Developing Social Connection......Page 70 For the Administrator......Page 91 Conclusion......Page 97 References and Bibliography......Page 100 About the Author......Page 103