Amanda Leger | Wichita Collegiate School | Wichita, Kansas
To create an atmosphere of caring, the teacher lets students know that she is both in charge of the classroom and their friend. Time is set aside each day for students to share stories about things they are doing outside of school. Students listen, learn about their classmates, and encourage each other to be and do their best both in and out of the classroom.
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Instilling teacher-student relationships is very important. I’m well aware that I’m the teacher and I’m in charge, and I make that very clear starting the first day school, that I’m here as their school mom, I’m the only one who takes care of them all throughout the school day, but we are establishing a relationship that we are friends, that we take care of each other, that we care for each other now. I advocate for each of them as well, we have a special time, during the day called sharing caring time, and each of them get to share, but they have to show they care for each other by listening. So, as the table goes around, and the kids speak of what they want to share that day, it might be something like a sports event, or a birthday party, or something that they are involved in outside of school. And we always talk about how we need to encourage our friends to do the best in all that they do throughout the day. Advocating for them as sports athletes, and maybe musicians, anything that they’re interested outside of school, as well as advocating for them to do things inside of school, and to do it to their best. Most important to make sure that I’m always on my guard to let them know that they need to be their best academically, and the best person that they can be.
