Getting to know you!

Know Your Students!

“Know your students” is one of the most consistently repeated phrases in the National-Louis MAT program. I have heard it repeated in every class, as an answer so many questions, and having spent time in the classroom, I feel its necessity even more. Getting to know the students is more than just correcting their homework or making note of their participation in class. It involves working with each child individually and in small groups, to assess strengths and weaknesses, as well as how they work with others. It involves knowing about the student’s neighborhood- whether it is in the same community as the school, or in an entirely different part of the city. It means learning about of the students outside of the classroom, and what they find important and interesting; learning about their home lives; and synthesizing that information so you, as the teacher, can understand why a student might be struggling or thriving, and how you can help them exceed expectations.

There are several ways to get to know the students, some more complex than others. And while implementing all of them might be overkill, it is important to make sure I use enough of them that I am comfortable leading the classroom in lessons that cater to everyone’s educational needs. It is also important that I am constantly updating my supply of "getting to know you" activities. Getting to know my students, and letting them get to know me, doesn't happen at the end of the first week, or month. It is an ongoing process that evolves throughout the school year. Because of this, it is important for me to have activities that allow for deeper insight into my students, in order to properly offer them a strong education.

What's in a name?

The first thing a teacher can do to get to know her students is learn the name of everyone in her class. In a primary-ages classroom, a teacher is usually with the students for five hours a day, so it shouldn’t take more than two or three days to have the students’ first names memorized. If a name is unusual or difficult to pronounce, it is up to the teacher to learn the correct pronunciation, as it shows not only that she cares about the student, but also that she respects the child enough to make the effort.

Beyond knowing my students’ names, I will use at least some of the following strategies to help know my students:

• A Birthday Graph: this will not only make me aware of my students’ birthdays, which I can then acknowledge on the day, but also let me know if any students are significantly younger or older than their peers. When a child is seven, a three-to-six month age gap (or more) can cause a significant difference in maturity and capability. Being aware of this difference can be an important factor in working with a student who seems to struggle more with following the rules or appropriate classroom behavior.
  

The data in this graph tells me a great deal about the students in my Practicum 2 classroom. Of the four youngest students, three are consistently struggling with both reading and writing at grade-level, two are RTI students, one is an ELL, and all four have scored below average on standardized tests.

• Classroom Student Tree: I can make a large tree, with seasonal leaves, and pin to it apples with information about each student. The apples can include information like:
• Student’s name
• Birthday
• Favorite food
• Favorite book
• Favorite class
• Something I am looking forward to this year
• A favorite memory

I can fill out an apple as well, and the information can be on display. During the first few weeks, one daily activity can be “Harvesting Fruit”, in which two or three students to read to the class from their apples.

• Student Information Chart: This is a tri-folded piece of paper (or three column table) with a row for each student. The chart reflects both my knowledge of the student (and can be updated as I learn more) and my students knowledge that I know something important about who they are. The chart is designed to be filled out “as you go”, with the understanding that the entire thing will be completed within the first month of teaching, at the latest.

Student Information Chart

Student name	Student personal fact	How they know you know
Isabella	Mom is pregnant	Ask about the baby
Isaiah
Xander	Dad has a dog
Kayla	Just lost her foster sister to adoption
Joshua	Loves the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack	Sing along with him. Engage him in discussion of other soundtracks

• Student Dictionary: Write three to five questions on the board. Questions might include the following:
• What is your name?
• How many brothers or sisters do you have?
• Do you have any pets?

The students will write the questions on a piece of paper, and include two to four more questions they might like to know about a classmate. Pair the students up and have them interview one another. When they finish, each student can write a “dictionary definition” of their partner, which will be added to the class dictionary. I can model the dictionary entry by using myself:

Kimball, Anne. proper noun. 1. One younger sister and one younger brother. 2. One old cat. 3. Likes to read and go for walks.

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Learning about the students is important, but it is just as important that they know about me, their teacher, as well. Here are some ways I can introduce myself to my students:

• Introductory Bookmark: This is a bookmark I can create that has different personal facts I would like my class to know. I will send it to my students with my introductory letter, and invite them to use the bookmark to mark a favorite passage of a book they enjoy, which they can then bring to class the first week of school. The bookmark can include, among other things:
• A picture of me
• A bit about my home life
• Pets I might have
• Hobbies I enjoy
• Sports I play
• What I do to relax
• What I am looking forward to in the school year

The bookmark has a second purpose, in that by asking the students to mark a passage of their favorite book, I will be able to learn about what interests my students, their base reading level (I know some students’ favorite books will be below their reading level), and why they choose certain books.

• PowerPoint Slideshow: This can be used both to introduce myself, on the first day of class, and as a model for the students to then introduce themselves. The class can follow my example, writing about their families, friends and interests, and I can use that information to create a class slide show for parent-teacher night. This will also help me to learn more about my students individually, and my class as a whole.