6 Simple Ways Teachers Support Students Each Day

It’s no secret that teachers can do amazing things. Some teachers create incredible lessons that have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on students and the larger community. Others speak at conferences and write books, inspiring millions. We hear about teachers who become administrators, bringing their expertise and love of the profession to greater numbers of students each year.

What we hear about less often, however, are the day-to-day, common things that teachers do that seem, at first glance, to be no big deal. I’ve had the pleasure of being immersed in the world of K-8 education for 20 years. (I discuss some of my classroom experiences here.) During this time, I have witnessed the profound impact of these “little” things on the wellbeing of students. Here are some things I’ve noticed teachers do regularly.

Greet students

This is a common practice, and you can probably find it in almost every book about classroom culture, almost every article about preparing for the school year. There’s a reason it’s so prevalent. It’s easy to do, and it sets the tone for the day — the students matter, and the teacher is happy to see them. While not every teacher can be at the door each day, this Edutopia article illustrates how powerful greeting students at the door can be.

Start each day fresh

Even the most well managed, respectful, positive classroom can have a bad day. When twenty or thirty different personalities are squeezed into the same room for 6 hours each day, difficulties are bound to crop up from time to time. When teachers begin each day anew, without baggage from the day before, it is a small reminder to students that they are in a safe space. They know that their off days won’t negatively affect future days.

Group students thoughtfully

When I was teaching, I used to change the seating chart regularly, as I noticed things that were and weren’t working. Two students may have needed to be separated because they were disruptive together. I may have moved a student who needed more support next to a helpful, kind student who I knew would provide that support. There are also multiple times during the school day when students work in pairs or groups. Educators put a lot of time and care into these groupings. Sometimes it’s better to have students who are all reading at the same pace together, and sometimes it’s better to mix things up. It’s a real skill, and often overlooked, to know how to group students for different purposes in the classroom.

Teacher with groups of students at desks
Groupings can change multiple times a day, depending on what’s going on in the classroom! (Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash)

Have a routine

Daily routines are incredibly important for children. Knowing what to expect each day helps students feel safe and prepared (see this article for more).

Share a bit of themselves

Students need to know their teachers are human. Knowing their teachers as whole people allows students to feel comfortable asking for help or opening up about difficult things. When teachers talk about times when they’ve persevered through a challenge or worked through their own mistakes, students are given implicit permission to take risks and make mistakes as well. Find more about sharing (but not getting too personal!) here.

Be there

Probably the most simple thing of all, being there is also one of the most important things teachers do. When students know they can expect their teacher to be there each day, their sense of security and trust increases. When students can trust their teacher and feel safe coming to school, they are more ready to learn. (Of course, it’s also important to take days off when you need them! Everyone needs time away now and then.)

There are many more ways that teachers positively impact the lives of our children each day. It’s hard to pick them all out because most of them are super subtle — but they’re there!

If you have a teacher in your life, find time to thank them for all the little things they do. You never know how much they may need to hear it!

And, finally, to all the educators in my life, you are amazing and I appreciate you!

When Your Nice Kid Befriends the “Mean Girl”

A friend of mine recently posted something on Facebook that made me feel pretty anxious and reminded me that there are some rocky roads ahead. She has a nice, kind daughter, and the little girl has decided that she wants to be friends with the resident “mean girl.”

My first reaction to that is, “Oh heck no! Find a way to discourage that!” But as I sat with the issue a bit, I rethought that position. Continue reading “When Your Nice Kid Befriends the “Mean Girl””

How to Encourage Sharing without Forcing It

What is our responsibility as parents when we see another child asking our child for the toy he’s playing with? Do we attempt to force sharing? Do we let them work it out on their own? What will be best in the long run? Is there a right way to go on this?

I’ve seen plenty of defiantly-worded blog posts about why parents don’t make their kids share. While I can understand where they are coming from in a way, I am not fully convinced that we should not at least encourage our children to share. It seems like a fundamental life skill. I’m honestly still sort of on the fence about how hard we should push for sharing, so I think it’s worth exploring.

Continue reading “How to Encourage Sharing without Forcing It”

Fostering vs. Forcing: Elementary Apologies

I’m currently exploring the issue of that thin line between fostering kind behavior and forcing it on our children. As I explained in my previous post about preschool apologies, I get frustrated by the inauthenticity that accompanies forced apologies. This is something that I experience in my daily life as the mom of a preschooler, but it’s also something I struggled with as second- and sixth-grade teacher.

In this post, I’ll be sharing my experiences with the issue in an elementary school setting, and then outlining some strategies for moving away from forcing insincere apologies and toward fostering heartfelt resolutions. If you’re more into the funny/exasperating tales of my little three-year-old tornado, not to worry—there’s plenty more where that came from, just not this week!
Continue reading “Fostering vs. Forcing: Elementary Apologies”