Post 2: Help your Students Feel Cared For

Knowing they were cared for, students built their paper towers without fear of ridicule 

Post Number  2: 

Let Them Feel Cared For

It’s wonderful what good personal relations can do for the teacher.  I’m sure you have experienced this yourself, whether as a student or as a teacher.  It’s great to feel loved or cared for.  We need that.

I live in a complex with a nice, user-friendly pool designed with handicapped or aged people in mind. Yesterday, I saw a nice fellow swim up to the edge of the pool and hold out hands to a little Pomeranian-mixed pet.  He waited patiently for the little dog to walk over and be petted, but after a minute or two, the doggie decided to turn away and look at other attractions.  I saw the tiny rejection register on the younger man’s face.  When it a student hoping for a bit of attention from a teacher, how much more significant is a look of acceptance, or a gesture of friendship. 

We all need support.  It’s a pretty hard world we live in. Showing you care is important, and in some cases it’s vital.  We can’t imagine what kind of day a student has had, or what kind of sorrow may have fallen upon her, or him.  How many times have you felt lifted by a compassionate word or even a smile of acceptance and understanding from someone, especially from a parent, relative, teacher or even a stranger? 

The USA System I described in my previous postings and in the article in the Manual was designed specifically to set up opportunities on a regular basis that bring the teacher and students together  together to discuss the projects, homeworks and readings that the student has done.  If they only qualify for a C or D grade, the teacher can accept that and even reassure the student that will a little more effort, the requirements for the A or B grade might be met.  Students really like this message, and responded well to it.  Test scores also appear on the Student Record Card (I’ll give you a sample in another post later),  and if the scores are not high enough to earn an A or B, perhaps they are high enough to merit at least an “Average” or “Passing” grade.  Students feel like you really care if you

take the time to go over their notebooks and their student record cards with them while the rest of the class is busy with their own readings or reports.  This kind of interview can be held quietly in the school library, or in a classroom or laboratory, though care must be taken not to embarrass the student being interviewed  and not to distract those working on their own or in small groups.

So much can be gained when a system allows for positive interaction one-on-one with a student on a regular and non-threatening basis.  If you don’t care to follow my own system, which I have not explained in depth, you can set up your own system of periodic interviews, and both you and your individual students, and your classes as a whole, will profit substantially from this effort.

Wishing you every success in your relationships with your students, or with others you have the good fortune to be involved with, I remain, yours truly,

James P. Louviere     jplk9@hotmail.com

My next Post will be about “Let them have a say about “Let them have a say in Making their own Class Rules.”