We had amazing Joanna Lake come and talk to us about fostering building relationships with students and knowing how to assess them better to create a safe and effective learning environment. Joanne’s presentation and insights were profoundly valuable and were so generous for her to go further and beyond to share her strategies and wealth of experience in teaching. I benefited so much and learned creative and straightforward techniques to help cultivate relationships with students, which relieved my anxiety around practicum. I outlined my key takes ways from Joanna on connections and assessments below.

Strategies to Build Relationships with Students.

Mood checks. Joan suggested starting the class with a Mood scale and morning marvellous to check in with students and see where they are. I loved the guinea scale of 1- 9. How are you feeling? Linking the mood scale to the curriculum was another vital step in making connections to learning.

  • Please step back and give students control and let them step into a leadership role to take on an activity or role to create something in the classroom or another thing they want to do related to their learning and growth.
  • Creating a visual schedule for the whole class to see and tow when what is coming ahead is helpful for students to know expectations and be at ease.
  • Write notes on the board for studnets and have them add when they want.
  • Use memes -kids love jokes are something kids love
  • Ask what their favourite pets are, what makes them smile
  • Use would instead question – kids love it ( leave little notes on the desk)
  • Start small and low risk ( build connections that are low-risk
  • Check in with your students. survey with them to know what works best for them
  • Share your interests with students

if you have a relationship with kids you can help correct their behaviour

Joanna Lake

Assessments

Knowing how to assess students effectively is an essential technique in teaching and learning. Joanna talked about the importance of assessment as learning to involve students in their education and allowing them to take ownership of their learning. I appreciated her take on proficiency in having students review articles and videos to give their ideas to model what proficiency looks like and cocreating criteria with them to understand what is expected.

  • Review articles and ask what they think and what they like about them.
  • Cocreate the rubric/criteria with your student’s
  • Set learning intentions. What skill do you want the class to learn, practice and understand
  • Notice strength and stretches
  • Use digital writing and mentor texts to teach writing
  • Use person creation- all about them
  • Reading about to your students
  • Never talk over your students.
  • Correcting and, adapting, remembering content is a suggestion, and competency is where studnets are at

Quote on behaviour issue:

Go in with a fresh mind, every kid is unique, a lot of behaviours comes from lack of autonomy

Joanna

I would remember to offer my students autonomy and options, including bonding with them and knowing what they are needs are so I can support their learning