Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome back to the
Teachers Ed podcast, the place
where the best and brightest ineducation come to be inspired,
to connect, to learn and to grow.
Excuse me, as always, I'm yourhost, edward DeShazer, and today
we are focusing on a topic atthe heart of teaching, and that
is building strongerrelationships with your students
(00:25):
Relationships, if anyone's everheard me speak, relationships
are the foundation of everythingthat we do as educators.
They are what turn classroomsinto communities and challenges
into opportunities.
Sounds like a rap bar, buttoday's episode, I'm going to
(00:48):
give you two tips and twostrategies to help you deepen
connection with your students.
Plus, I want to give you theself-care tip that's in the
middle, to just ensure that youare bringing the best version of
yourself to the classroom andto the school on a day-to-day
(01:08):
basis.
So let's begin.
Number one tip.
Number one we have to beconsistently present.
And what do I mean by that?
Building meaningfulrelationships with students
starts with being consistentlypresent, and it's not just about
(01:29):
physically being in the room,even though it's critical, like
if you're not there on a Tuesday, I would say if you're not
there on a Tuesday, you don'tget Tuesday back, but it's about
showing students that you arethere for them in every sense of
that word.
A couple ways that we canpractice.
Our presence is greetingstudents at the door, first and
(01:52):
foremost, whether it is a smile,a fist bump, a quick how are
you doing today.
These small moments really setthe connection for the day.
Number two is active listening.
You know when a student isspeaking to us, I want us to
stop what we're doing.
Give them your full andundivided attention.
(02:14):
It really will show yourstudents that what they are
saying to you matters.
And then the third tip is beingengaged during lessons.
You know, moving around theroom.
You can't teach from your desk.
You got to move around the room, ask questions, making eye
contact with your students.
I want you to really make sureyour students know that you are
(02:37):
fully engaged in the learningexperience for them, and doing
this consistently is the keyaspect.
When students know that theycan count on you to show up for
them, not just when things areeasy, but also when things get
hard.
That is where you start toreally build trust and where you
(02:58):
build respect.
One time I worked with a teacher.
I don't work with them anymore,but we started every single
morning with five minutes ofopen conversation time with the
students.
This was some years back andthey were having challenges in
the classroom and this was onevery Monday.
(03:19):
We would come back after theweekend and I would spend five
minutes in the classroom theweekend and I would spend five
minutes in the classroom and itwas just asking them to
highlight you know what weresome of your highlights from the
weekend and really just to talkabout what was on their minds.
And it didn't take much timebut it created a sense of safety
and community in that classroomand I'd done trainings where we
(03:40):
do classroom circles and youknow all those things.
But this was just a simple waywhere they didn't have to circle
up, they just sat at theirdesks and we just said we're
starting our Monday.
Let's talk about some of thethings that happened over the
weekend.
It was a great way to get ourstudents connecting and to just
talking about what was going on.
(04:01):
Sometimes there were somethings, some difficult things
our students were going on.
Now it gave the teacher anopportunity to know, like you
know what, that student had achallenging weekend.
This may be why we see some ofthe behaviors that we're seeing.
So I want anyone listening toTake our second and pause for
reflection.
I want us to think about our ownclassroom.
(04:24):
How can you be moreconsistently present for your
students this week?
School leaders, how can you bemore consistently present for
your staff this week?
What small actions can we taketo show them that we are truly
(04:45):
there for them?
So I want to reflect on thatAgain.
I'm big and I said this lastepisode I'm big on
intentionality, and I want us tobe intentional.
I want to give you actionablesteps.
So I need you to make sure,when we take these moments to
reflect, that you are reallytaking a second to reflect.
Where can I do this at leastone time?
I don't think that we canlisten to these episodes or
(05:06):
anything that we get fromprofessional development and
just do it all at once, but ifwe make little steps a day at a
time, that is where the truegrowth will come from.
With these teaching tips that Igive you on a weekly basis, and
before I dive into the self-careteaching tip, I want to remind
you about the Be Well TeacherAcademy.
The Be Well Teacher Academy isan online community that was
(05:28):
created for educators like you,to help you recharge, help you
find balance and help you stayinspired.
We will have monthly self-careworkshops, we'll have guided
meditation, we'll havereflective practices and, most
importantly, you will have asupportive community of
educators who understand thechallenges that you are facing.
The first 250 members getlifetime free access.
(05:52):
At the time of this recording,we are over halfway there, so
visit BeWellTeachercom to secureyour spot.
The courses and classes launchJanuary 1st, but you can
register today.
Now let's talk about a self-carepractice that is perfect for
the busy educator.
The busy educator Withsomeone's listening like isn't
(06:15):
that every educator here?
That is every educator, but thebusy educator like yourself.
The practice that I want us totalk about today is micro breaks
.
Micro breaks are short yetintentional pauses you take
throughout the day to recharge,even if it's just two to three
minutes.
It doesn't have to be 30minutes, because we know you
don't have 30 minutes.
Two to three minutes you cantake.
(06:41):
Breaks that you can take.
A day will help.
You will help shift your energyand help shift your focus.
A couple ways that you can takethese breaks.
Number one is in betweenclasses get up, move around,
stand up, roll your shouldersout, take some deep breaths
before your next students arrive.
If you are someone that has aself-contained classroom and
you're, like my students arealways here just getting up
between transition periods,letting your students know, hey,
(07:01):
let's take a few minutes, let'sjust move around, let's
encouraging your students totake this along with you so they
can understand what is going on.
But it gives you an opportunityto not be stuck sitting, not be
stuck in one position, but itjust gives you that movement.
Number two drink water,mindfully Making sure that we
take a moment to really drinkthe drinking water.
(07:24):
Part of it is we get so busy,we get dehydrated, but we have
to be intentional with our waterconsumption.
It is a simple way for you toreset, a simple way for you to
hydrate, and oftentimes I knowyou're probably eight cups of
coffee and that actuallydehydrates you.
It may help you feel greater inthe morning, but then you need
to get that water consumption upthroughout the day and that
(07:46):
water is critical to a happy andto a healthy teacher.
And the last one is just stepoutside for some fresh air, even
if it's just one or two minutes, especially for those that are
I'm in Wisconsin, especially forthose that are up in my area,
where seasonal depression is areal thing.
We go, get to work at 7 am,it's dark.
You leave at 4 pm, it's dark.
So just taking a moment in themiddle of the day to just get
(08:09):
outside and get some fresh air,it can help lift your mood and
it can really help tore-energize you.
And I really want us toremember that micro breaks are a
tiny reset for your day, evenif it's just one to two minutes
to breathe, to stretch, to sipwater.
That can help you recharge andhelp you show up stronger for
(08:31):
your students.
And these pauses are not wastedtime.
They're investments in yourability to stay present and for
you to stay engaged.
So now we'll transition out intoour final tip, and the final
tip that I have for you is toshow genuine interest in your
students' life.
Students thrive when they feelseen, when they feel valued, and
(08:55):
the best way to show them thatyou matter is by taking interest
in their lives outside of theclassroom.
School leaders hear this and Iwant you just to swap out the
word students for your teachers.
Teachers thrive when they feelvalued, when they feel seen, and
one of the best ways to showteachers that they matter is by
(09:15):
taking an interest in theirlives outside of the school,
outside of their classrooms.
A couple of ways that we can dothat for school leaders and for
teachers.
Number one is ask questions.
Find out who your staff is,find out who your students are,
Ask them what their favoritehobby is, ask them what they did
over the weekend.
We need to show the people inour schools that we care about
(09:35):
them as people, not just asstudents, or as people, not just
as teachers.
Number two 10 student events.
I talk about this all the time.
If it is possible, show up toyour student events.
It's critical.
If it is possible, show up totheir football games or
basketball games or performances, their violins, the orchestra,
(09:59):
the play, even if it's just once, those leave lasting
impressions on your students.
When your staff is celebratinga milestone and they invite you
to their barbecue to theirbirthday, make a second to show
up if you're able to.
That goes a long way to showthem that they are not just a
staff member, they're not just anumber in a school.
They are someone that isvaluable to you as a person.
(10:23):
And the last and final tip is afollow-up.
If a student or staff membermentions something that they're
excited about, I want us to takea second to check in afterwards
See how it went.
This applies not only for theschool leaders, but this applies
to the staff.
Take time or, I'm sorry, thisapplies to the school leaders.
(10:48):
So I really want us to taketime to learn about our teachers
, take time to learn about theirlives outside of work and them.
Knowing that you care aboutthem as an individual is where
you can really start to buildthat deep trust and that deep
morale of a school.
And the reflection that I havefor us today that I want us to
pause on is you know where andwhat is one small action that
(11:13):
you can take to show yourstudents or colleagues that you
are interested in their lives?
A little curiosity goes a longway in building stronger
relationships.
And as I wrap up, I think we'reprobably right around the 11,
12-minute mark.
Again, I just want to thank youfor taking time out for joining
(11:34):
me.
If you have not, please likethis.
On whatever platform you'relistening, please take a moment
and subscribe, and please poston your Instagram story and tag
me.
I want to get this podcast infront of as many educators.
My goal is to just continue ona week-to-week basis to bring
value to the lives of teachersand educators across the world.
(11:57):
So I just thank you.
You that is listening right now.
I thank you for taking this 15minutes out of your week.
There's so many other thingsyou could be doing with this
time, so I am always honored andI'm always humbled that you
take this time to spendlistening to me talk and ramble
and just joining me on aweek-to-week basis, and I want
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us to remember that when youtake care of yourself and those
around you, you are building astronger, more connected school
community.
I want to encourage you to keepbelieving in your students.
I want you to keep believing inyour colleagues and, most
importantly, I want you to keepbelieving in yourself.
(12:40):
Until next time, stay inspired,stay connected and keep growing
.
Thank you, bye.