Professional Documents
Culture Documents
STUDENTS
Allen N. Mendler
The student who feels isolated or lonely
invests more of his energy in seeking friends
than in learning theorems.
Maslow, 1971
Social withdrawal
Graphic scenes of violence in drawings and writing
Intolerance
Being picked on
Bullying others
Gang involvement
Drug and alcohol use
Threats of violence
Some kids that are at risk don't show any signs
Strategies For Working With Disconnected Students
Encouraging
Find ways to success in Convert
content barriers that
create an
areas. often divide us
atmosphere
Students into bridges
of trust so
won’t connect that link
that students with school students with
want to learn unless they each other and
what we have believe that with the adults
to share they can in their lives.
succeed.
Strategies For Developing Personal Connections
Personal index cards:
•Give each student a 3x5 card and have them list such things as their favorite sport, hobby, food,
class, etc.
•Use the cards to get to know them students.
•Add notes to the cards as the year goes by
•SMILE
2 x 10
• Think of a student you find difficult to work with and commit to investing 2
uninterrupted, undivided minutes a day for 10 consecutive days with that student.
• During the 2 minutes you CANNOT do or say anything related to correcting the
student’s behavior.
4H
• Think about which student you know the least and greet these students every single day
with one of the following:
• "hello"
• hand shake
• high five
• "how are you"
Strategies For Developing Personal Connections
Continued
Think aloud
• share ideas and conflicts aloud with the class...for example: “Whoa, when I hear words
that sound disrespectful, part of me wants to argue, part of me wants to understand why
the disrespect..." or "I sense that some are bored with this unit..."
Notes of appreciation
• A simple thank-you on a sticky note or index card
• Give occasional "positive paradoxical" notes
• With a more difficult student give them a positive note shortly after they've done
something inappropriate.
• For example, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, and while I occasionally need to
remind you to settle down, you add a spark to our class"
Notice writings/drawings
• Comments and questions can build relationships.
Make up fun and positive nick names for as many students as possible
Call or send a personal note to students that are absent too much telling them you missed
them and here's what you missed in class
Be protective
• Be more concerned with the student than with the policies/rules/procedures
• Do NOT criticize students or other teachers publicly
Take photos of students as they are working on projects and post them in your classroom
Consult with other teachers if you continue to have trouble connecting with a particular
student
Differentiate instruction
Have a question box where students can submit questions or ask for advice anonymously
Have a thank-you bulletin board where student can post notes of appreciation for each other
Use “think-pair-share”
Ask a student for a summary of the discussion, then have another student add their view,
and so on.
Have student help make the rules for classroom behavioral expectations in general, and for
each activity
• Agree to change any rule as long as students provide an acceptable alternative
Have a “wouldn’t it be great if…” discussion when energy in the class is low.
Each week take a few minutes to discuss topics relevant to your students