My connection toolkit includes providing a safe and structured classroom, respect, forgiveness, trust, and kindness. Students also know they can expect a calm and positive environment. I make connections with students in the hallway as they walk by and greet them as they enter the classroom. I do several project-based activities that allow me to get to know each student on a personal level. Additionally, I connect with our students through supporting their extra-curricular activities.
My connection toolkit begins with letting them tell their story. - even if it means not getting all of the assignment done for that day. Teaching, promoting and modeling kindness at all times is another way I connect. I make a real effort of meeting them where there are and knowing what they are "in to" on any given day. My soccer-crazy boys love when I can discuss Messi's latest game. My girls love it when I can sing the lyrics to the latest K-Pop Demon Hunters' song. They also get a kick of teaching me about the newest thing I haven't heard of yet - and that I take the time out to really learn about it.
My connection toolkit includes having a structured environment with also having high expectations. Each student knows every day what they can expect from me as a teacher and what I expect from them. When dealing with 10-12th grade students, I have high expectations of them, which we discuss the first few days of class. We talk about that each of them are able to meet and exceed those expectations and can be successful in class. I also connect with them by greeting them in the hallway prior to class and during passing time. We discuss how the game/race/match went the night before as well as any activity they are currently involved in.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
My connection toolkit is made up of multiple components. One of the most important tools I am trying to work on a grow with is empathy. I work at trying to know each individual student's strengths and weaknesses, and respect their privacy, but be there to motivate and encourage their best effort. I try to provide a structured classroom with routine, so the students feel safe and know what is expected of them. As a class, we have fun before getting into our subject, and sometimes we incorporate board games into our class to spice things up. I try to blend having fun and excitement, while teaching content areas. The middle school students are very social, so I create opportunities for them to have social interaction. We connect by talking about the things they like and the things they excel in. Connecting with the students in the hallways, lunch room and extracurricular events is also very important. Every year we take a field trip to Sioux Falls, SD which they greatly enjoy. We make it special, and it is usually one of their highlights of eighth grade, before moving on to high school.
I think the most important tool in my toolkit is establishing relationships. When we know our students, we can see when something is not right. I really like to have a brief conversation with each student, each week just to check in. They don't always tell me everything but there are usually signs that things just aren't quite right. We also meet as a team to see if everyone is seeing the same things so we can reach out or speak with admin and find out if everything is ok with our students. I also love to use humor with kids. I have noticed that you can't tease some kids, so you again, really need to know your kids.
there are a few ingredients to my instructional toolkit. It is a good mix between instruction, my story telling, their storytelling and creating a safe space. Health class is a great place to story tell, so I do this often. It helps the students see me as a person just like them- not just as a teacher. Students also love to talk about themselves, so letting them story tell as well is great. Instruction is always necessary to avoid chaos, and some students really grasp onto organization and learning. Lastly , creating a space safe where noone is judged is highly important in order to connect.
My connection toolkit involves time, patience, listening and attention. When growing my connections, I have to make sure I make time to connect and have the patience to listen to what they need. When I'm listening, I have to make sure that I have my attention on the person I am trying to connect with.
My connection toolkit involves having a structured classroom management and building strong relationships with students. A couple years ago I had a group of girls that encountered a tough situation. There were many days the girls asked to stay in from recess and sometimes during specials so they could have someone to listen to them about what they were going through. Like mentioned in the book, I rarely even had to say anything but I was present for the conversation, they knew I was there to listen and when needed, I helped them talk to the appropriate people to assist with what they needed. I always want my students to know my classroom is a safe space, I am always going to be there to talk to and listen. My classroom management allows them to know what to expect in a day, but also to know what I expect as well.
My connection toolkit is a safe, structured & positive attention. With a large class of 27 this year, the connections took me longer to create & sustain. As we are halfway through the school year, I know more about my students, likes, dislikes, homelife, extracurriculars, favorites & friends. I've found that when I provide a safe place for them, they open up more about themselves, sharing more about their families etc. There is one particular student this year, that relies on a connection, sometimes hourly. At first, I was rather confused & quite frankly overwhelmed with the amount of students with just me, no paras, no adult of any sorts to help. I spent time worrying how his needs would weigh on my ability to teach, connect & make sure each student has what they need to become a successful learner. I involved our guidance counselor, so he see's her once a week, which has helped alleviate some of the pressure in constantly maintaining a connection. His home life isn't great, he is starved for attention and he is so, so smart. I've also enlisted our principals help as he always finds him before school starts or in the hallway to give a high five, or hug. One very important lesson I've learned this year is that even though I'm the only adult in a classroom, I can still ask for help in different ways, to help build connections outside of our classroom.
My connection toolkit involves making casual conversation sometime in my classroom each day. I might ask a question and then I let the students take over and converse amongst themselves. I might ask about an activity, plans for the weekend, something they did over the weekend, etc. My toolkit is providing a safe place where they feel comfortable speaking and being heard. They feel comfortable talking in my classroom and they know I will listen and give my opinion or advice if they ask for it. My toolkit also involves snacks. I usually have something around for days that they are feeling sluggish, needing a pick-me-up or just some joy.
For ten years I have directed a week long camp every summer for foster children. I have had repeated trainings on the effect of trauma on children. How this changes the development of the brain. I have done multiple trainings on children having a "flipped lid" and how to be a co-regulator. Part of my tool kit is the information and experiences I have had over the years that I can pull from when helping a child in my classroom. I have social learning cards, simple verbiage to be used, and/or the use of proximity with a child that is unregulated. The structure of the classroom and atmosphere is very important. Making continual connections with the student is important. There are so many things I probably have as a part of my day to day that I don't even realize are a part of my toolbox because they have just become the way it is done in my classroom.
My first tool would be having presence. I try to put distractions aside and give kids my full attention. I try to notice body language and tone. Sometimes it's just a quick check-in at the door. Sometimes I eat lunch with kids and just listen or tell them I understand. I also try to listen without fixing. I try to smile and use manners and send notes home to 2 kids weekly with positive thoughts. I try to lead with patience and compassion. Finally, I keep my classroom consistent with routines and rules. I follow through with promises and I discipline calmly.
My connection toolkit is providing a safe classroom space where every child knows they are cared about, that they can do hard things, and that I "see" them. I think I do a nice job of staying calm and helping my students work through problems and frustrations when they arise. I can truly relate to helping preschoolers through their lid-flipping moments. These are all opportunities to learn from each other.
My classroom is a positive place where we encourage one another, celebrate successes, and treat each other with kindness. I also take the time to get to know my students and their families. I 100% agree that connection is important before they are ready to learn. Sometimes a kiddo just needs a little bit of I see you, I'm here for you, let's work on this together.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
My instructional toolkit is having a structured classroom along with high expectations. Also, students know that they are cared for and that they have a teacher that cares about them. In my classroom, we take time to learn about each other, learn from our mistakes, and treat each other with kindness. In my classroom, I really focus on the connections that I have with my students. If they feel the connection as well, they are going to want to learn and grow as an individual and a learner, which is important.
My connection toolkit being a substitute teacher is building relationships through conversations and interactions during the days. Letting the students know you care and are interested in their learning and lives, builds that connection. Nothing makes me happier than when students walk into the classroom and see me instead of their classroom teacher and they give a big "YES! You're our sub".
In order to build connections, I try to be available during passing time and work time. Students love to share about their dance competition coming up, how their basketball game went the night before or how much they are improving in archery. They share pictures of their new baby brother or sister and even pictures of their new puppy. It's important that they know that I care enough to listen, even if that means we might not get started with class on time.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
My connection toolkit is building relationships from the start. Finding out what they are into, favorite sports teams, activities they participate it and asking them about these things when I am with them. I attend their activities and sporting events when possible. I have a private facebook page for family fitness challenges (I'm a pe teacher) and this has helped build connection for me with all of the families and also for families to connect. My students know that I am a safe person and the gym is a safe place. I love all the hugs and updates they eagerly give me each time they enter the gym. I also share my likes, hobbies, fav sports teams, family milestones, etc with my students and I believe this makes them feel even more of a connection to me that I'm a real person who goes and lives life outside of the school building. My students are why I teach. I love the connections!
My connection toolkit starts with the belief that everyone has a story, and that we need to be kind because we don’t always know what that story is. Each year I begin with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and share with my high schoolers the story of Eric Carle growing up as an American student in Germany during World War II. (See blog #2 for more information on Carle's story). It helps students see that even a simple children’s book can come from a complex life story. I tell them that as their librarian I will have the privilege of knowing them for four years, and I look forward to learning whatever parts of their stories they are willing to share with me.
I also share pieces of my own story—how I made my way to South Dakota from California, my love for my dogs, my husband, and our daughter, and a few memorable moments from my life, like surviving a 6.9-magnitude earthquake as a high schooler and once getting locked in a library overnight during college. I tell them about my love of books and the power of stories.
From there, I work on building relationships through everyday interactions—in the hallways, during research time in the library classroom, or when students come in for study hall. Connections grow through readers’ advisory, casual conversations, and simply asking students about their interests and dreams. I’m fortunate that my schedule allows for some unstructured time where students can stop in to chat. Those organic conversations often teach me the most about who they are and what matters to them.
My connection toolkit involves trying to engage with students as individuals. I try to call each student by name at least once every class period or as they are entering/exiting the classroom. I attend all of the extracurricular activities which gives me a chance to see students outside of school and gives a subject for conversation. I try to have at least one short conversation with each student once a week. These are not necessarily long or deep conversations, but it helps build connection. It is also important to stay calm and professional at all times. I do not yell or raise my voice at students and try to respond calmly to students who may act inappropriately at times. I rarely have discipline issues in the classroom. When I occasionally do, I try to respond calmly and predictably based on our classroom rules and consequences.
My connection toolkit includes strategies and practices I use to build strong, meaningful relationships with students, families, and colleagues. For students, I use active listening, consistent check-ins, personalized greetings, and observation to understand their interests, strengths, and emotions. I incorporate play, shared activities, and positive reinforcement to deepen trust and engagement.
For families, my toolkit includes open communication through notes, photos, and messages, inviting them into the classroom, and providing resources and support tailored to their needs.
For colleagues, I rely on collaboration, empathy, acknowledgment of their contributions, and offering support when needed. Overall, my connection toolkit is about creating a network of trust, respect, and authentic relationships that make learning and working together more meaningful.
These are some of the things I feel are an important part of my connection tool kit for my Junior Kindergarten class. I begin our day by greeting each student as they walk in. I use a kind and calm voice with them. I stick to our schedule and routines as much as possible. I allow for plenty of movement and brain breaks. I allow time for laughter and to just be silly. I remind them that we all make mistakes, and that is an important part of learning. I also allow an opportunity for students to share with me or the class. When a student is upset, I allow them time and a comfortable area to calm down. I allow students an opportunity to talk, while I listen.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
My connection toolkit is to have meaningful conversations with my students, not just surface level. I want my students to know that I am interested in their lives and truly care about them. My goal is to also create a safe and positive place for students to play; to not be judged or yelled at by others. My hope is that this helps students build connections with not only me, but their peers as well.
I think relationships are so important with kids. The saying that kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care is so true. I want kids to see me at games, plays, concerts and anything else that is going on at school. I think taking an interest in kids and their lives outside of the classroom is very important. I like to know what kids are involved in outside of the classroom.
My connection toolkit is based on relationship building, providing a safe and positive environment, and kindness. I believe it's important to build meaningful relationships with my students and get to know them and their interests. I enjoy relating to their likes and dislikes and learning new things through their interests. In the past I even attended events they participated in and you could tell that meant the world to them. I also think it's important to create a safe and positive learning environment so they feel that they can share anything with their classmates and myself. I always promote kindness and being a good person, too.
I try to connect with my students by forming connections through family members who were previous students, trying to understand their family trees, talking to them about their interests or current events, or asking them how their extra-curricular activities are going. One effective connection tool that I have found is to ask a few students their weekend plans and then follow up with them when the return to show interest in their lives outside of school. When possible, our family makes an effort to show up to our students and former students sporting events, it is so fun to see their reaction when they see us in attendance.
My connection toolkit begins at the door. I try to greet every student by name and ask about their lives, whether it is a volleyball game from the night before or a project they are excited about. It shows them that I am paying attention to who they are outside of our lessons. I also focus on creating a classroom environment that feels grounded and natural, a space where the atmosphere is calm enough for them to feel safe taking risks.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
My connection toolkit starts at the door. I greet them with a fist bump. If students show interest in personalizing this interaction I do it! Its fun. At the door, I love to ask specific and sometimes random questions. This can lead to discovery about who they are. This allows me to dig deeper and show them I see them and that I care. At the end of classes, I love ask follow up questions to show them that I care and that I was listening. I love when they light up when I prove I saw them and what was important to them. When I show them that I am connected to them and that I care, we can get more learning done. I ask questions about their activities, families or jobs and do everything I can to recall that information later. These are the basics of my caring toolkit.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
Connection isn’t accidental, it’s built with intention just like instruction. The first tool is being present for my students. Being fully there with eye contact, listening without doing anything else, and not thinking about my next response. My second tool is doing check-ins with my students by greeting them by their name, asking them how they are doing or how is their day going, or following up on something that they have previously shared with me .These kind of things build trust. The third tool is being vulnerability with my students. I can share small pieces of myself such as mistakes, challenges, or uncertainty that I have experienced. These kind of things makes you human, approachable, and relatable. And the fourth tool is making sure that all my students have a voice in my classroom so that they know they are heard and valued. The mindset behind having a connection toolkit is that your students will do better when they feel seen, safe, and valued.
My connection toolkit is the hands-on work that I get to do along and beside my students. I get to guide them along a project to make them feel confident in their work and make them proud that hopefully they would be able to go out and use the knowledge to create their own work. I connect with them on my dad jokes of the day, where usually they just cringe at me and laugh. I get to connect with them and be a male role-model that some of my students don't have.
My connection toolkit starts with conversations. I am one that will sit down wherever I need to to talk to a student. Sometimes, that can be in the middle of a class or the middle of the field. I think you need to know when and where to have those conversations and when a student wants to talk to you about something, you listen even if it’s not the best time. I acknowledge that I make errors in front of my students and I talk about my feelings. I ask about their feelings. If a student needs a break or I can tell they need some one-on-one time, they can eat lunch in the room with a friend. Every day starts with a smile and “I’m glad you are here” even if the day before was a hot mess. Sometimes we need a reset. I reach out to parents for the good and the not so good news and ask for ideas to work together. Instead of instant blame or consequences, I always ask the student, “What’s going on today? Is there something that I can do to help?” Usually, they will tell you something completely outside of school and then we can build from there. Open mind and heart.
My connection toolkit starts with me greeting my students each and every day and checking in on them. Some students I can immediately tell something is "wrong" or "off" so for me, it is important to converse with them and remind them that I am so glad they are here today and they know they can tell me anything if needed. I love to talk with students about things they are interested in. I try to keep up on games that I know my students are watching so I can create an environment that they are excited to come to everyday because they know I care about them and what they are interested. It is especially important for me to find that common interest for some of the boys in my class as it can be harder for me to connect with them as they tend to be more reserved than the girls (I also have three girls of my own and no boys, so it can be harder for me to understand them at times). I love letting my students see my silly side and letting them know it is okay to be uncomfortable sometimes and it is okay to "let loose" and have fun in school! I want my students to enjoy coming into my classroom each day and reminding them that I care! I do have high expectations for my students and I think that is also an important "tool" to have in my toolkit. It lets them know that I do care about them because I know they can succeed. As I look back on students who were my "tough cookies" I see that they are the ones who really needed the extra pushes I provided for them. At times it seemed I wasn't reaching them, but as they are in the next grade this year, my one student in particular who was tough and made me feel like I was failing them, comes to me every single day (usually several times a day) and gives me hugs and has conversations with me. I can see the progress he has made and he continues to think of me as a resource for him which reminds me how important making connections with students can be!
My connection toolkit focuses on building relationships with my students. In my toolkit I would include active listening and taking time to actually hear my students with no interrupting. To really hear what they are excited about or what had happened over the weekend. Showing genuine interest in their lives is something so small but means the world to my students. Another tool I like to keep in my toolkit would be encouragement. I like to recognize effort, growth, and positive behavior. Patience would also be in mine, I like to think I have a lot more patience than others. I would like to think my toolkit is all about being intentional about my day and how I show up each day. I want my students to feel seen, valued and supported because strong relationships come before strong learning.
I see connection as the foundation that everything else is built on. My toolkit includes storytelling to build relationships and make learning more human, patience when students are having an off day, and flexibility to adjust plans when connection matters more than content in the moment. I think presence matters too, showing up and being present are huge barriers to clear that kids can see through if you arent present or showing up for them.
It also includes building strong rapport through a sense of humor and not taking myself or even my subject matter too seriously all the time. I think humility plays a big role in that. School is important, and what we teach matters, but it is easy to become overly focused on our own classroom or subject as if it is the center of a student’s world. The reality is that students are balancing many classes, responsibilities, relationships, and stresses at once, just as teachers are managing multiple students and demands throughout the day. Keeping that perspective helps create more empathy on both sides and reminds us that connection matters more than control or content perfection. Casual conversation is another big piece, especially taking advantage of small moments between bells, at the start or end of class, or during transitions to ask specific, genuine questions about students’ lives and actually listen to their answers.
Connecting with the students in the classroom is so important. My goal is to become that kid's favorite person. The best way that I believe to achieve this is to be genuine. Caring and compassion are two qualities that are essential to achieve this. Along with caring and compassion is giving the students time and attention. However, the attention needs to be positive. Another factor that I feel plays a large role in connecting with students is to give them a sense of security with a routine and giving them the same teacher every day. So, when I was teaching, I tried to be steady in my personality such as happy and upbeat. Spontaneity can also be good to keep the kids on the edge of their seats, but I feel that what the need most is a teacher that provides an emotionally steady and emotionally safe environment. One activity that I would do with my students after each lunch recess to calm everyone down and to get them back on track was to sit in a circle on the floor and sing along to family songs- the songs would change every few weeks, but it was a calming mechanism as well as a connection activity. A few favorites that come to mind are: Proud to be an American, We all Live in a Yellow Submarine and We are Family. Before we started the songs the kids were encouraged to share something good that happened with a friend that day, or if someone in the class had done something nice for them. The kids loved to share. Once we started the songs, we would all be singing along, rocking side to side and eventually by the end of the year, we were locking arms or wrapping our arms around one another in the circle swaying together. It was a sight that was super sweet. I would say it was one of the kids' favorite times of the day.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit? My goal is to form relationships with each of my students in the classrooms by greeting them each day as they come into the classroom. I feel it's important to take time to find out what is important to each of them. Sometimes we just take a much needed break from what we are working on to do some type of "brain break" activity or just visit. I think by doing this we form better relationships with our students and get to know them better. The students in my classroom tend to have better attendance and better grades than some of the other students in the other students in the other classrooms in town.
Building relationships with each student is incredibly important. To build these connections, I seek out each child individually to let them know I am happy to see them at school. I ask about their lives outside of school. I talk to their families regularly about school and also things going on at home. I do my best to create a welcoming environment both physically in the classroom and with my own demeanor. I hope that my students feel that they are loved and valued in my classroom, and that I am a safe place for them.
My connection toolkit includes providing a safe and structured classroom, respect, forgiveness, trust, and kindness. Students also know they can expect a calm and positive environment. I make connections with students in the hallway as they walk by and greet them as they enter the classroom. I do several project-based activities that allow me to get to know each student on a personal level. Additionally, I connect with our students through supporting their extra-curricular activities.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit begins with letting them tell their story. - even if it means not getting all of the assignment done for that day. Teaching, promoting and modeling kindness at all times is another way I connect. I make a real effort of meeting them where there are and knowing what they are "in to" on any given day. My soccer-crazy boys love when I can discuss Messi's latest game. My girls love it when I can sing the lyrics to the latest K-Pop Demon Hunters' song. They also get a kick of teaching me about the newest thing I haven't heard of yet - and that I take the time out to really learn about it.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit includes having a structured environment with also having high expectations. Each student knows every day what they can expect from me as a teacher and what I expect from them. When dealing with 10-12th grade students, I have high expectations of them, which we discuss the first few days of class. We talk about that each of them are able to meet and exceed those expectations and can be successful in class. I also connect with them by greeting them in the hallway prior to class and during passing time. We discuss how the game/race/match went the night before as well as any activity they are currently involved in.
ReplyDeleteWe all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is made up of multiple components. One of the most important tools I am trying to work on a grow with is empathy. I work at trying to know each individual student's strengths and weaknesses, and respect their privacy, but be there to motivate and encourage their best effort. I try to provide a structured classroom with routine, so the students feel safe and know what is expected of them. As a class, we have fun before getting into our subject, and sometimes we incorporate board games into our class to spice things up. I try to blend having fun and excitement, while teaching content areas. The middle school students are very social, so I create opportunities for them to have social interaction. We connect by talking about the things they like and the things they excel in. Connecting with the students in the hallways, lunch room and extracurricular events is also very important. Every year we take a field trip to Sioux Falls, SD which they greatly enjoy. We make it special, and it is usually one of their highlights of eighth grade, before moving on to high school.
I think the most important tool in my toolkit is establishing relationships. When we know our students, we can see when something is not right. I really like to have a brief conversation with each student, each week just to check in. They don't always tell me everything but there are usually signs that things just aren't quite right. We also meet as a team to see if everyone is seeing the same things so we can reach out or speak with admin and find out if everything is ok with our students. I also love to use humor with kids. I have noticed that you can't tease some kids, so you again, really need to know your kids.
ReplyDeletethere are a few ingredients to my instructional toolkit. It is a good mix between instruction, my story telling, their storytelling and creating a safe space. Health class is a great place to story tell, so I do this often. It helps the students see me as a person just like them- not just as a teacher. Students also love to talk about themselves, so letting them story tell as well is great. Instruction is always necessary to avoid chaos, and some students really grasp onto organization and learning. Lastly , creating a space safe where noone is judged is highly important in order to connect.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit involves time, patience, listening and attention. When growing my connections, I have to make sure I make time to connect and have the patience to listen to what they need. When I'm listening, I have to make sure that I have my attention on the person I am trying to connect with.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit involves having a structured classroom management and building strong relationships with students. A couple years ago I had a group of girls that encountered a tough situation. There were many days the girls asked to stay in from recess and sometimes during specials so they could have someone to listen to them about what they were going through. Like mentioned in the book, I rarely even had to say anything but I was present for the conversation, they knew I was there to listen and when needed, I helped them talk to the appropriate people to assist with what they needed. I always want my students to know my classroom is a safe space, I am always going to be there to talk to and listen. My classroom management allows them to know what to expect in a day, but also to know what I expect as well.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is a safe, structured & positive attention. With a large class of 27 this year, the connections took me longer to create & sustain. As we are halfway through the school year, I know more about my students, likes, dislikes, homelife, extracurriculars, favorites & friends. I've found that when I provide a safe place for them, they open up more about themselves, sharing more about their families etc. There is one particular student this year, that relies on a connection, sometimes hourly. At first, I was rather confused & quite frankly overwhelmed with the amount of students with just me, no paras, no adult of any sorts to help. I spent time worrying how his needs would weigh on my ability to teach, connect & make sure each student has what they need to become a successful learner. I involved our guidance counselor, so he see's her once a week, which has helped alleviate some of the pressure in constantly maintaining a connection. His home life isn't great, he is starved for attention and he is so, so smart. I've also enlisted our principals help as he always finds him before school starts or in the hallway to give a high five, or hug. One very important lesson I've learned this year is that even though I'm the only adult in a classroom, I can still ask for help in different ways, to help build connections outside of our classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit involves making casual conversation sometime in my classroom each day. I might ask a question and then I let the students take over and converse amongst themselves. I might ask about an activity, plans for the weekend, something they did over the weekend, etc. My toolkit is providing a safe place where they feel comfortable speaking and being heard. They feel comfortable talking in my classroom and they know I will listen and give my opinion or advice if they ask for it. My toolkit also involves snacks. I usually have something around for days that they are feeling sluggish, needing a pick-me-up or just some joy.
ReplyDeleteFor ten years I have directed a week long camp every summer for foster children. I have had repeated trainings on the effect of trauma on children. How this changes the development of the brain. I have done multiple trainings on children having a "flipped lid" and how to be a co-regulator. Part of my tool kit is the information and experiences I have had over the years that I can pull from when helping a child in my classroom. I have social learning cards, simple verbiage to be used, and/or the use of proximity with a child that is unregulated. The structure of the classroom and atmosphere is very important. Making continual connections with the student is important. There are so many things I probably have as a part of my day to day that I don't even realize are a part of my toolbox because they have just become the way it is done in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy first tool would be having presence. I try to put distractions aside and give kids my full attention. I try to notice body language and tone. Sometimes it's just a quick check-in at the door. Sometimes I eat lunch with kids and just listen or tell them I understand. I also try to listen without fixing. I try to smile and use manners and send notes home to 2 kids weekly with positive thoughts. I try to lead with patience and compassion. Finally, I keep my classroom consistent with routines and rules. I follow through with promises and I discipline calmly.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is providing a safe classroom space where every child knows they are cared about, that they can do hard things, and that I "see" them. I think I do a nice job of staying calm and helping my students work through problems and frustrations when they arise. I can truly relate to helping preschoolers through their lid-flipping moments. These are all opportunities to learn from each other.
ReplyDeleteMy classroom is a positive place where we encourage one another, celebrate successes, and treat each other with kindness. I also take the time to get to know my students and their families. I 100% agree that connection is important before they are ready to learn. Sometimes a kiddo just needs a little bit of I see you, I'm here for you, let's work on this together.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy instructional toolkit is having a structured classroom along with high expectations. Also, students know that they are cared for and that they have a teacher that cares about them. In my classroom, we take time to learn about each other, learn from our mistakes, and treat each other with kindness. In my classroom, I really focus on the connections that I have with my students. If they feel the connection as well, they are going to want to learn and grow as an individual and a learner, which is important.
My connection toolkit being a substitute teacher is building relationships through conversations and interactions during the days. Letting the students know you care and are interested in their learning and lives, builds that connection. Nothing makes me happier than when students walk into the classroom and see me instead of their classroom teacher and they give a big "YES! You're our sub".
ReplyDeleteIn order to build connections, I try to be available during passing time and work time. Students love to share about their dance competition coming up, how their basketball game went the night before or how much they are improving in archery. They share pictures of their new baby brother or sister and even pictures of their new puppy. It's important that they know that I care enough to listen, even if that means we might not get started with class on time.
ReplyDeleteWe all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is building relationships from the start. Finding out what they are into, favorite sports teams, activities they participate it and asking them about these things when I am with them. I attend their activities and sporting events when possible. I have a private facebook page for family fitness challenges (I'm a pe teacher) and this has helped build connection for me with all of the families and also for families to connect. My students know that I am a safe person and the gym is a safe place. I love all the hugs and updates they eagerly give me each time they enter the gym. I also share my likes, hobbies, fav sports teams, family milestones, etc with my students and I believe this makes them feel even more of a connection to me that I'm a real person who goes and lives life outside of the school building. My students are why I teach. I love the connections!
My connection toolkit starts with the belief that everyone has a story, and that we need to be kind because we don’t always know what that story is. Each year I begin with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and share with my high schoolers the story of Eric Carle growing up as an American student in Germany during World War II. (See blog #2 for more information on Carle's story). It helps students see that even a simple children’s book can come from a complex life story. I tell them that as their librarian I will have the privilege of knowing them for four years, and I look forward to learning whatever parts of their stories they are willing to share with me.
ReplyDeleteI also share pieces of my own story—how I made my way to South Dakota from California, my love for my dogs, my husband, and our daughter, and a few memorable moments from my life, like surviving a 6.9-magnitude earthquake as a high schooler and once getting locked in a library overnight during college. I tell them about my love of books and the power of stories.
From there, I work on building relationships through everyday interactions—in the hallways, during research time in the library classroom, or when students come in for study hall. Connections grow through readers’ advisory, casual conversations, and simply asking students about their interests and dreams. I’m fortunate that my schedule allows for some unstructured time where students can stop in to chat. Those organic conversations often teach me the most about who they are and what matters to them.
My connection toolkit involves trying to engage with students as individuals. I try to call each student by name at least once every class period or as they are entering/exiting the classroom. I attend all of the extracurricular activities which gives me a chance to see students outside of school and gives a subject for conversation. I try to have at least one short conversation with each student once a week. These are not necessarily long or deep conversations, but it helps build connection. It is also important to stay calm and professional at all times. I do not yell or raise my voice at students and try to respond calmly to students who may act inappropriately at times. I rarely have discipline issues in the classroom. When I occasionally do, I try to respond calmly and predictably based on our classroom rules and consequences.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit includes strategies and practices I use to build strong, meaningful relationships with students, families, and colleagues. For students, I use active listening, consistent check-ins, personalized greetings, and observation to understand their interests, strengths, and emotions. I incorporate play, shared activities, and positive reinforcement to deepen trust and engagement.
ReplyDeleteFor families, my toolkit includes open communication through notes, photos, and messages, inviting them into the classroom, and providing resources and support tailored to their needs.
For colleagues, I rely on collaboration, empathy, acknowledgment of their contributions, and offering support when needed. Overall, my connection toolkit is about creating a network of trust, respect, and authentic relationships that make learning and working together more meaningful.
These are some of the things I feel are an important part of my connection tool kit for my Junior Kindergarten class. I begin our day by greeting each student as they walk in. I use a kind and calm voice with them. I stick to our schedule and routines as much as possible. I allow for plenty of movement and brain breaks. I allow time for laughter and to just be silly. I remind them that we all make mistakes, and that is an important part of learning. I also allow an opportunity for students to share with me or the class. When a student is upset, I allow them time and a comfortable area to calm down. I allow students an opportunity to talk, while I listen.
ReplyDeleteWe all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is to have meaningful conversations with my students, not just surface level. I want my students to know that I am interested in their lives and truly care about them. My goal is to also create a safe and positive place for students to play; to not be judged or yelled at by others. My hope is that this helps students build connections with not only me, but their peers as well.
I think relationships are so important with kids. The saying that kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care is so true. I want kids to see me at games, plays, concerts and anything else that is going on at school. I think taking an interest in kids and their lives outside of the classroom is very important. I like to know what kids are involved in outside of the classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit is based on relationship building, providing a safe and positive environment, and kindness. I believe it's important to build meaningful relationships with my students and get to know them and their interests. I enjoy relating to their likes and dislikes and learning new things through their interests. In the past I even attended events they participated in and you could tell that meant the world to them. I also think it's important to create a safe and positive learning environment so they feel that they can share anything with their classmates and myself. I always promote kindness and being a good person, too.
ReplyDeleteI try to connect with my students by forming connections through family members who were previous students, trying to understand their family trees, talking to them about their interests or current events, or asking them how their extra-curricular activities are going. One effective connection tool that I have found is to ask a few students their weekend plans and then follow up with them when the return to show interest in their lives outside of school. When possible, our family makes an effort to show up to our students and former students sporting events, it is so fun to see their reaction when they see us in attendance.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit begins at the door. I try to greet every student by name and ask about their lives, whether it is a volleyball game from the night before or a project they are excited about. It shows them that I am paying attention to who they are outside of our lessons. I also focus on creating a classroom environment that feels grounded and natural, a space where the atmosphere is calm enough for them to feel safe taking risks.
ReplyDeleteWe all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit starts at the door. I greet them with a fist bump. If students show interest in personalizing this interaction I do it! Its fun. At the door, I love to ask specific and sometimes random questions. This can lead to discovery about who they are. This allows me to dig deeper and show them I see them and that I care. At the end of classes, I love ask follow up questions to show them that I care and that I was listening. I love when they light up when I prove I saw them and what was important to them. When I show them that I am connected to them and that I care, we can get more learning done. I ask questions about their activities, families or jobs and do everything I can to recall that information later. These are the basics of my caring toolkit.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteConnection isn’t accidental, it’s built with intention just like instruction. The first tool is being present for my students. Being fully there with eye contact, listening without doing anything else, and not thinking about my next response. My second tool is doing check-ins with my students by greeting them by their name, asking them how they are doing or how is their day going, or following up on something that they have previously shared with me .These kind of things build trust. The third tool is being vulnerability with my students. I can share small pieces of myself such as mistakes, challenges, or uncertainty that I have experienced. These kind of things makes you human, approachable, and relatable. And the fourth tool is making sure that all my students have a voice in my classroom so that they know they are heard and valued. The mindset behind having a connection toolkit is that your students will do better when they feel seen, safe, and valued.
My connection toolkit is the hands-on work that I get to do along and beside my students. I get to guide them along a project to make them feel confident in their work and make them proud that hopefully they would be able to go out and use the knowledge to create their own work. I connect with them on my dad jokes of the day, where usually they just cringe at me and laugh. I get to connect with them and be a male role-model that some of my students don't have.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit starts with conversations. I am one that will sit down wherever I need to to talk to a student. Sometimes, that can be in the middle of a class or the middle of the field. I think you need to know when and where to have those conversations and when a student wants to talk to you about something, you listen even if it’s not the best time. I acknowledge that I make errors in front of my students and I talk about my feelings. I ask about their feelings. If a student needs a break or I can tell they need some one-on-one time, they can eat lunch in the room with a friend. Every day starts with a smile and “I’m glad you are here” even if the day before was a hot mess. Sometimes we need a reset. I reach out to parents for the good and the not so good news and ask for ideas to work together. Instead of instant blame or consequences, I always ask the student, “What’s going on today? Is there something that I can do to help?” Usually, they will tell you something completely outside of school and then we can build from there. Open mind and heart.
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit starts with me greeting my students each and every day and checking in on them. Some students I can immediately tell something is "wrong" or "off" so for me, it is important to converse with them and remind them that I am so glad they are here today and they know they can tell me anything if needed. I love to talk with students about things they are interested in. I try to keep up on games that I know my students are watching so I can create an environment that they are excited to come to everyday because they know I care about them and what they are interested. It is especially important for me to find that common interest for some of the boys in my class as it can be harder for me to connect with them as they tend to be more reserved than the girls (I also have three girls of my own and no boys, so it can be harder for me to understand them at times). I love letting my students see my silly side and letting them know it is okay to be uncomfortable sometimes and it is okay to "let loose" and have fun in school! I want my students to enjoy coming into my classroom each day and reminding them that I care! I do have high expectations for my students and I think that is also an important "tool" to have in my toolkit. It lets them know that I do care about them because I know they can succeed. As I look back on students who were my "tough cookies" I see that they are the ones who really needed the extra pushes I provided for them. At times it seemed I wasn't reaching them, but as they are in the next grade this year, my one student in particular who was tough and made me feel like I was failing them, comes to me every single day (usually several times a day) and gives me hugs and has conversations with me. I can see the progress he has made and he continues to think of me as a resource for him which reminds me how important making connections with students can be!
ReplyDeleteMy connection toolkit focuses on building relationships with my students. In my toolkit I would include active listening and taking time to actually hear my students with no interrupting. To really hear what they are excited about or what had happened over the weekend. Showing genuine interest in their lives is something so small but means the world to my students.
ReplyDeleteAnother tool I like to keep in my toolkit would be encouragement. I like to recognize effort, growth, and positive behavior. Patience would also be in mine, I like to think I have a lot more patience than others.
I would like to think my toolkit is all about being intentional about my day and how I show up each day. I want my students to feel seen, valued and supported because strong relationships come before strong learning.
I see connection as the foundation that everything else is built on. My toolkit includes storytelling to build relationships and make learning more human, patience when students are having an off day, and flexibility to adjust plans when connection matters more than content in the moment. I think presence matters too, showing up and being present are huge barriers to clear that kids can see through if you arent present or showing up for them.
ReplyDeleteIt also includes building strong rapport through a sense of humor and not taking myself or even my subject matter too seriously all the time. I think humility plays a big role in that. School is important, and what we teach matters, but it is easy to become overly focused on our own classroom or subject as if it is the center of a student’s world. The reality is that students are balancing many classes, responsibilities, relationships, and stresses at once, just as teachers are managing multiple students and demands throughout the day. Keeping that perspective helps create more empathy on both sides and reminds us that connection matters more than control or content perfection. Casual conversation is another big piece, especially taking advantage of small moments between bells, at the start or end of class, or during transitions to ask specific, genuine questions about students’ lives and actually listen to their answers.
ReplyDeleteConnecting with the students in the classroom is so important. My goal is to become that kid's favorite person. The best way that I believe to achieve this is to be genuine. Caring and compassion are two qualities that are essential to achieve this. Along with caring and compassion is giving the students time and attention. However, the attention needs to be positive. Another factor that I feel plays a large role in connecting with students is to give them a sense of security with a routine and giving them the same teacher every day. So, when I was teaching, I tried to be steady in my personality such as happy and upbeat. Spontaneity can also be good to keep the kids on the edge of their seats, but I feel that what the need most is a teacher that provides an emotionally steady and emotionally safe environment. One activity that I would do with my students after each lunch recess to calm everyone down and to get them back on track was to sit in a circle on the floor and sing along to family songs- the songs would change every few weeks, but it was a calming mechanism as well as a connection activity. A few favorites that come to mind are: Proud to be an American, We all Live in a Yellow Submarine and We are Family. Before we started the songs the kids were encouraged to share something good that happened with a friend that day, or if someone in the class had done something nice for them. The kids loved to share. Once we started the songs, we would all be singing along, rocking side to side and eventually by the end of the year, we were locking arms or wrapping our arms around one another in the circle swaying together. It was a sight that was super sweet. I would say it was one of the kids' favorite times of the day.
We all have an instructional toolkit, but what is in your connection toolkit?
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to form relationships with each of my students in the classrooms by greeting them each day as they come into the classroom. I feel it's important to take time to find out what is important to each of them. Sometimes we just take a much needed break from what we are working on to do some type of "brain break" activity or just visit. I think by doing this we form better relationships with our students and get to know them better. The students in my classroom tend to have better attendance and better grades than some of the other students in the other students in the other classrooms in town.
Building relationships with each student is incredibly important. To build these connections, I seek out each child individually to let them know I am happy to see them at school. I ask about their lives outside of school. I talk to their families regularly about school and also things going on at home. I do my best to create a welcoming environment both physically in the classroom and with my own demeanor. I hope that my students feel that they are loved and valued in my classroom, and that I am a safe place for them.
ReplyDelete