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| Help Students |
Do You Know Students Struggle in the Classroom
Did you know students struggle in the classroom? Shame on us as educators for not knowing that — but what can we do about it? We can change a few things. I've had my fair share of struggles in class, along with many other students, and have been lucky enough to find successful ways to overcome them. Here are some tips to ensure your students have an easier time in the classroom.
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Tips To Help Students in the Classroom
Apply the following tips to help students struggle in the classroom.
1. Set the Tone
Establishing a good relationship with your students is key to helping them be comfortable and open up in class. It's also a good way to learn how they work and what they need to succeed. Taking the time to build strong rapport and trust at the beginning of the year will go a long way toward creating an environment where everyone feels good about asking questions or contributing during class discussions.
If you're having trouble setting the tone, try these ideas:
Plan an icebreaker activity for your first day of class. Have students introduce themselves, share some fun facts about themselves or let you know what they're most looking forward to this school year.
Have each student write down three goals for their academic year and put them into a jar on your desk.
2. Embrace the Uncomfortable
When trying something new or unfamiliar, we often feel uncomfortable. We want to avoid this feeling at all costs, so we don't try new things. But you can't grow or improve if you don't step out of your comfort zone. Ask your students to embrace uncomfortable feelings and learn to be okay with not being okay. Help them understand that these emotions are natural and how they respond will make all the difference.
3. Ask Questions
If you don't ask questions, how will you ever find answers? Help your students understand that teachers aren't minded readers; they need to ask questions when they're confused or don't understand something. Encourage them to ask questions until they get answers they understand. Also, help them understand there is no such thing as a dumb.
4. Get to Know Your Students
This is an area that many educators forget or simply do not think is important. However, getting to know your students will help you figure out how to best reach them in your classroom. You'll be able to identify their learning styles and understand their personalities better. This will help you make the necessary changes needed for each student's success.
5. Make it Fun
The school day is long and sometimes boring for students; therefore, adding some fun into the classroom is always a plus! Adding music, videos or games into your lesson plan will create a relaxed learning environment for all students. This will also ensure that they are looking forward to coming back to your class the next day!
6. Pay Attention to the Student
In order for students to be successful, we must first take an interest in their lives outside of school. The majority of our students' day is spent outside of the classroom, so while they're here they could be dealing with a number of issues. These may range from family problems to safety concerns, to something as simple as not getting enough sleep at night. Whatever the case may be, it's important that we listen and help them deal with this issue before moving forward into learning. If we don't pay attention, we can't help them succeed.
7. Include Students in the Learning Process
Letting students choose how they want to learn is another important way to help those who are struggling to understand the topic better. For example, some students might be visual learners, while others may be more auditory or kinesthetic learners. If a student is having trouble with a specific topic, try implementing different teaching styles and methods of learning to see which one works best for him or her.
8. Communicate
A teacher should do is communicate with the student and parents. Parents don't know what's going on in the classroom if they aren't being informed. Often, I've heard my mom say, "Why didn't you tell me you were struggling?" or "How come you never told me that was bothering you?" This is an easy fix: give the parents a call or send them an email to let them know how their child is doing in class.
9. Build a Community
Another way to lessen the struggle is to build a supportive community in your classroom. If you have a friendly, tight-knit group of students and teachers, it can make students more confident in their learning and less worried about being judged. There are many ways to create a community for students. For example, creating an open environment where everyone talks and feels comfortable with one another. You could also have an activity that gets everyone involved and talking to each other, like "Two Truths and a Lie" or "Go Around."
10. Make Friends with Your Students
It’s important that your students see you as a friendly face who is interested in getting to know them as people rather than just giving them assignments and tests.
11. Let Your Students Know You Care
Your students are more likely to feel safe if they know you care about them. Showing your students that you care takes time and effort on your part — but it’s worth it because when your students see that you truly care about them, they will be much more willing to put forth the effort needed for learning.
12. Make Students Feel Safe
The first thing you need to do is make your students feel safe. They need to know that no matter what, they belong there with you and their classmates and that they can trust you to make sure nothing bad happens to them. If your students don’t feel safe, it will prevent them from learning at their full potential.
Final Thought
Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned one, these tips can help all of us become more effective educators, and help our students to have a better time in the classroom. And let's be honest: we all work with students who have been struggling at some point or another, and it can be frustrating to feel like there's nothing we can do to help them. But if we take small steps that lead to their success and overall growth as learners, then we've done our job.
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