Simple Ways to Connect with Younger Pupils

A teacher in charge of a classroom of young students will always want to find ways to connect with the minds in the room. The truth is, there are a number of simple ways to find that spark with young learners that all educators can embrace. This will not just enhance the classroom experience but also impact better learning overall as well. Here are some ideas on how to make it possible. 

Focus on Self Development

Any teacher is capable of learning as well as imparting knowledge. The path towards self-development is filled with finding out how you can boost your experience and take on new challenges in this area. Pursuing a course like an online masters in early childhood education will both facilitate and encourage you to make the positive changes necessary to enable authentic connections in the classroom. You will gain a deeper understanding of what the role entails and how to deliver it.

Nurture Before Discipline

While there should never be a lack of boundaries in a classroom, a teacher’s main priority with young learners is nurture above all else. This means leading the room with kindness, understanding, and empathy across the board. If a student is struggling to engage with the material, the first question you should be asking is, why? When you take the time to dive into a student profile, you immediately boost their chances of feeling important and empowered. 

Extracurricular Points

There can also be a focus on extracurricular learning which will boost connections with students potentially outside of your immediate teaching environment. This can be any club or group that is outside of the daily curriculum and is the perfect space to build relationships with children in a variety of settings. 

Show Them Their Voice

As a teacher, it is easier than ever to show a child how to use their voice. With a world moving away from authoritative education and leaning toward promoting independence, educators everywhere can embrace what’s to come. Showing students how to speak up when they see something wrong, feel uncomfortable, or have safety concerns will have a knock-on effect. It will also boost their confidence when it comes to asking for help, pursuing special interests, and creating positive relationships with their peers. 

Keep Communication Open

While communicating with your students is clearly an important thing for every classroom, teachers must also try to open this narrative up to parents as well. There are always going to be caregivers who are more actively involved in their child’s education than others, and it is your job to figure out where the gaps are. You can create positive pathways for parental engagement as well as student participation through regular meetings, office hours and generally being available. Of course, this goes above and beyond your job description, but it is an integral part of connecting with younger pupils. This is, after all, a team effort and there will always be barriers to learning if the caregivers do not participate fully in the journey. 

Younger pupils need a special brand of teacher who is willing to go the extra mile every day. Connection is based on authentic trust building, consistency, and engagement.