Emotional Requirements All Students Crave
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Effective teaching depends on the quality of relationships among individuals. It is essential that teachers manage relationships with students and ensure that relationships among students are positive and supportive. It is also important to recognize that students have many basic belonging and emotional needs that must be met before learning can take place in a classroom. Teachers who interact with their students in a respectful, caring manner can help to meet these students’ needs. Students need to feel valued and trust the teacher. |
As much as 90 percent of what we do is motivated by the desire to feel important. Unfortunately, a great deal of what children experience is feeling unimportant. Negative comments, being ignored, “put-downs,” and dozens of commands are often much of a child’s daily life. Effective teachers go out of their way to make students feel important. Teachers who interact with each student as an individual and respect the wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and abilities will help foster a warm and caring atmosphere.
Students want to be accepted for who they are.
Forcing people to change is fighting an uphill battle and dismissing who they already are. Effective teachers accept students for who they are and show a genuine concern for their students’ diverse needs and abilities, both inside and outside the classroom.
Students want to be noticed and appreciated.
Students today want to know how you value them. The more you help your students feel important, the more they will respond to you. Find out what they value and express an interest in it. Even a question in passing about the weekend's lacrosse game or the multicultural festival can mean a lot to an individual student.
Students want to belong and be connected to others.
One way to help students belong and connect is by getting to know them and having them get to know one another. Spending time early on in a class connecting with each other through getting to know a little about each person can work toward meeting the needs students have for belonging.
Students want to be respected and feel as if others care about them.
When we are cared about, our self-esteem feels protected and we are more likely to open up. Teachers who plan for and seek out ways to build respect and rapport with their students will encourage a safe learning environment.
Students want to have their feelings heard and interests acknowledged.
Talking to students about their lives and listening to their interests is an excellent way to build relationships. The art of teaching relies heavily on the quality of relationships among individuals.