As more and more students around the world are being taught remotely, it's becoming increasingly important for educators to find new ways to connect with their students. In this guide, we'll explore four key ideas for building relationships with students in a remote learning environment.
1. Personalized Communication
One of the most important aspects of building relationships with students is communication. Personalized communication can help you connect with students on a more personal level, which can lead to more engaged and motivated learners. Consider sending personalized emails or text messages to each student, asking how they're doing and what they need support with.
2. Virtual Office Hours
Another great way to connect with students is by offering virtual office hours. During these times, students can drop in to ask questions, chat with you, and build a relationship. Consider using a platform like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to host virtual office hours, and make sure to advertise them to your students in advance.
3. Group Activities
Group activities can help students feel more connected to each other and to you. Consider organizing virtual games or discussions, or even starting a virtual book club. You can also use platforms like Kahoot or Quizlet to create interactive quizzes or games.
4. Personalized Feedback
Finally, providing personalized feedback on student work can help build relationships and foster a sense of community. Consider using tools like Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams to give feedback on student work, or even writing handwritten notes to individual students.
Building Relationships in Remote Learning Classroom Exercise
Objective: To help students practice effective communication and relationship building skills in a remote learning environment.
Materials:
- Virtual meeting platform (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
- Whiteboard or shared document for students to write their responses
Instructions:
- Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students.
- Have each group choose a facilitator who will lead the discussion and ensure everyone has a chance to participate.
- Give each group the following prompt: "Imagine that you're on a virtual field trip. What would you like to learn about, and how would you go about exploring and learning together?"
- Give each group 15 minutes to discuss and come up with a plan for their virtual field trip.
- Have each group share their plans with the class, with the facilitator leading the presentation.
- After each group has presented, have a class discussion to reflect on the communication and relationship building skills demonstrated during the exercise.
- Ask students to write a reflection on what they learned about effective communication and relationship building in a remote learning environment.
Assessment:
- Observe the quality of communication and collaboration within each group.
- Evaluate the reflections written by each student to assess their understanding of effective communication and relationship building skills in a remote learning environment.
This exercise can help students develop important communication and relationship building skills that will serve them well in their future remote learning experiences.
In conclusion, building relationships with students during remote learning requires effort and creativity, but the rewards are well worth it. By using personalized communication, virtual office hours, group activities, and personalized feedback, you can create a supportive and connected learning community, even when students are learning from a distance.
