Digital learning problems - B is for building rapport

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "B": Building rapport.

Our students, when using digital devices, will put their head down and put their face close to the screen. It is imperative that we get them to look up every once in a while, and maybe even have them talk to each other, and to you as a teacher. How can we accomplish this?

#1: Interact more, lecture less. Yes, we have a curriculum guide to follow. Yes, we have content that we need to get through by the end of the year. However, you can take time out of the day, week, or year to get to know your students. Sometimes the students are trying to get out of doing work, but other times, they want to see how you will react and how well you will listen. An example: I have a student who doesn't like the same kind of music that I do. He knows, however, that I listen to music a lot. He asked me if I knew of a specific artist, but I didn't. He told me I HAD to look up this person. I went home and found them on Spotify. I didn't particularly care for the music, but the next day I told him that I tried. His face lit up! Every now and then, he'll let me know about a new artist, and I'll give it a try. It's something that doesn't take up a lot of time but still shows that I care and am willing to try.

#2: Use Capturing Kids Hearts strategies to building a community in your classroom. Greet your students at the door every day. Shake their hand, give them a high five, or fist bump each student as you say their name (this helps you learn their names quickly). Then start your class by asking students if they have any good news to share. Running short on time for the day? Have students write their brief stories on the whiteboard (or an erasable poster on the wall). Make a quick Google Slides presentation and have students answer a question or share their good news. Get kids to get to know each other (and you - make sure you participate as well!)

#3: Team Building. Team building can sometimes be ridiculous and annoying. Kids usually hate it especially the first day of the year or semester. Try changing it up so that your team building isn't the same thing as what everyone else is doing. Play Taboo as a content game (or just as a fun game). Play wink murder in small groups. Play all my friends and neighbors for the last five minutes of class. Give the students a breather from traditional class and have them spend time doing something that doesn't require a cell phone.

#4: Be present. When you are in the classroom with your students, be present. Walk around your class. Interact with your students. Ask them questions. Don't be on your cell phone. If you are meeting with a student one-on-one, close your laptop. If you see students in the hallway, say hello. Attend after-school activities. Sponsor a club or coach a sport. Find a way for students to see you and see that you are present in whatever you do. Modeling goes a long way!

I know that this list isn't long, but I hope it gave you some ideas for building rapport with your students (especially in this digital age). Technology isn't going away, but neither is having a relationship, talking face to face, and being able to hold a conversation. We have to bring together the old and "new" ways of life!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Give the kids homework this weekend...

Did I get your attention? Did you click on this article because you saw the title and felt like you needed to argue with me? Good. So here's what I'm talking about.

As a broadcasting teacher, I want students to tell stories. I want them to report news stories, I want them to design creative stories, and I want them to figure a way to make people connect to others' stories. To help students tell stories, I have to know how to tell stories as well. I try to tell stories through my photography. Because I've been a photographer for so long, I'm constantly looking around me for the stories I want to tell. If you're not observing your world, you'll miss it.

How else do I tell stories? Snapchat.

Yes, seriously guys. I use Snapchat. And I LOVE IT! My favorite social media app? Snapchat. I wish more of my friends and family had Snapchat. It's probably because I think I'm funnier than I actually am. But I love letting people see small glimpses into my world. I used to love Facebook because it was people sharing pictures and videos of their lives. That is why I love Snapchat today.

What is Snapchat? It is a messaging app that sends only pictures and videos in which you can add filters and text to the image. You can decide how long people can see the picture (up to 10 seconds) and you determine who you send the picture to. You can also create a story where people can view the image/video an unlimited number of times for 24 hours. To find a friend (or vice versa), you have to have their cell phone number or their username.

Snapchat got quite a bad rap when it first began because the users were using the app to send explicit pictures. I feel like that's changed since its infancy, but then again, my friends aren't like that and I don't add random strangers to my account.

So how do I use Snapchat to tell stories?
This is my cat Ombre. He loves going outside, but he also likes climbing trees to chase squirrels. In the past, he will come running to the door when it opens, and it's often hilarious. I KNEW he was going to jump when I came to the door, so I had my camera ready for filming. When I didn't know is that he was on the dining room table. As I'm walking towards the door, he jumped really far from the table to the door and jumped as high as he could (we've seen him jump five feet high before). I added text to the screen which Ombre "bumped" so it just added more humor to the video. After I took this video I was laughing SO hard. It just sums up my cat in 10 seconds.

So, back to the original topic of this post - give your kids homework this weekend. Have them use Snapchat (or the video/camera feature on a device, or even have them draw if they don't have a device) and have them tell a story about their weekend or their life. Take the first 2 minutes of the day for five days and have the students share their stories. You learn more about the students and they learn more about each other. Isn't that how you build a community in your classroom?

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Again, I think I'm funny. Here is a taste of my Snapchat feed...