Recognizing the Students Your Serve

I'm a voracious reader and am always looking for strategies and tools that teachers and principals can use to improve the educational experience of their students. This blog post from edutopia reminded me of how important it is to get to know the students in our schools and classrooms. When they know we know a little about them as an individual, not just part of the larger class, it's both motivating and engaging. In this post Heidi Olinger suggests three strategies for doing just that. Here's a brief summary. Read more in the complete post.

• Ask students to write about themselves. The blog includes prompts that have worked with students of all grades.
• Have a one-on-one conversation with students and ask them about how they experience the class.
• Remember your time as a student and the nonacademic issues that competed for your time. They may be a springboard to learning.

I'd enjoy hearing from you and strategies you use to motivate and engage your students.