As a teacher, showing students you care is something you should do every day. According to Goodwin and Hubbell (2013) "when students are able to form a strong bond with even just one teacher, it can have long-term, lasting impacts on student achievement". This proves that the interactions with students in the classroom have lasting effects. Being emotionally supportive to students can sometimes prove to be even more important for some students than providing instructional support. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs explains that when our psychological needs are met, we are capable great things.
Goodwin and Hubbell (2013) offer several things teachers should do to make sure they are interacting with their students every day. Here is what they suggest:
- Greet every student when he or she comes into class.
- Don't just ask questions; call on students.
- Make time for interaction.
- Don't forget nonverbal communication.
- Learn students' names quickly.
In addition to all of these things, teachers just need to remember that students are just kids...and often times kids that have a lot of things going on in their lives. In some cases, a teacher may be the only positive role model in a student's life, and therefore needs to cherish their role as such. We make a much greater impact than we normally believe. Taylor Mali does an excellent job of explaining this in the video below: