Every Student Everyday
Every day when I take attendance I call out each student and ask them how they are doing. If it is Monday I will ask how their weekend went. If I know they one of life's situations ie:car problems, I will ask them if it was resolved, etc. Letting the students know that I know them as individuals gives them a senses of belonging.
The more you get to know your students the more they will respond to your teaching. I do set clear boundries, I'm not their best friend but I do communicate clearly and caringly about their life.
We need to work on the principle, every student everyday. Whenever any staff membe has an interaction with a student, they need to devote time to assess this student and to ensure that no help is needed. This should only take a minute or so in most cases but could develop into a full counseling session with someone at the school.
Do the students answer these questions in front of the entire class? Have you had any students resist your public show of concern and interest?
