Take a cue from the recent social media craze that Kyle Schwartz started by asking her third graders to jot down “What I Wish My Teacher Knew”. This simple lesson plan not only builds your students’ sense of community, but it also shows your students that you care and are there to listen to their needs. Read the full article about Kyle Schwartz’s lesson here.
Keep a birthday calendar for your students and celebrate birthdays with a special message on the board.
Tip: Don’t forget about your summer birthdays. Take note of those in the last weeks of the school year.
Send this note home to parents asking them to write their child a letter telling them just how proud they are. If it’s in your budget, include an envelope and the paper for them to write on. You can either give out the parent letters all at once or randomly on days you feel some students need a little pick-me-up, like right before a big test.
Tip: You could even have parents do this at the beginning of the school year on Meet the Teacher Night so you don’t have to send anything home in hopes that it makes it back to you.
Click to Tweet: I love my students! Here are 5 easy ways to show your students the love from @remediapub
If you have students who play in a school sport or are in the school’s band, go to their events and show your support. Students will feel extra special knowing you are there cheering them on.
Tip: Announce student victories to the class. "Let's give Austin a round of applause. His baseball team won their game this weekend."
Sometimes it may feel like you are only sending negative notes home. Be sure to balance out the notes. If you see a student excel, succeed, or do a good deed, send a positive note home. They deserve to know you noticed, and their parents will be happy to see some positive feedback.
