Six Simple Ways to Start Building a Relationship with Your Students Right Away!!

I love letting my students know about my life right from the start so I can start learning about them, too! This automatically helps them feel more comfortable in their new classroom, builds trust between us, and encourages them to share more with me, too!

HERE ARE SIX WAYS I START RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING…

1. Postcard

Before school starts, I send a postcard with pictures of my family and my pets and a few facts about me! It gives us something to chat about right away and, if they’re pet owners, they get really excited!! If you can’t do this before school starts, send it home the first day of school!

2. Star Student Poster

I start the year with my own Star Student poster up. I read it to the class during the first week of school and take questions. Later, I send the posters home for the kids to complete. I post each student’s poster for one week. He/She reads it to the class and takes questions or comments from their classmates. I also put a few details about our Star Student in our weekly newsletter. There are many different versions of posters that will work for this. I’ve bought packs from both Amazon and Lakeshore.

3. Community Time

At the end of the day on Mondays, we have Community Time. (You can read more about that HERE) We sit in a big circle at our meeting spot. Each student gets a chance to tell a quick story. Then, they say the name of the next student. It’s a way to hear about weekend activities, things they’re looking forward to, or other things that are going on in their lives.

4. Shared Journals

My Shared Journals are part of my Literacy Stations. We start each year with Notes to the Teacher. I LOVE getting notes and questions from them and I always write back. It’s a fun way to get to know each other…while they also practice writing legibly and sounding out words so I’m able to read it!! You can grab my Notes to the Teacher journal covers (FREE for subscribers) or grab the whole pack that will keep kiddos writing and communicating all year long!

I’ve started putting out TWO Notes to the Teacher journals because they are very popular!!

5. Sharing

On Fridays, we have Sharing/Show and Tell. READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE! I love seeing their important objects and pictures from home. It’s fun to watch them talk to their classmates about their items. Students can also play with their items during Friday Choice Time. I get a chance to go around and chat with them during this time, too!

6. Read Alouds

A simple and fun thing we all do! I love to talk about my favorite books and authors, my favorite pictures and illustrations, and talk about connections to my life. It’s a way for kids to get to know me, but it’s also a great way for them to see the power of reading and how amazing it is!! A few years ago, I started my Back to School Book Challenge! Read about it HERE! It’s a great way to introduce new books and it’s a bit of a community-building exercise, too!